As soon as you saddle your horse and take your first steps in Minecraft Legends, you will immediately recognize the surroundings. The third-person perspective might feel a bit odd at first, depending on how you play Minecraft, but that’s not the only change you’ll notice. For every familiar element, there’s a new one in this RTS version of the blocky title we know so well.
In Minecraft Legends, you play as a hero who is transported to a world to save it from an invasion of Piglins. The premise is simple, but many elements in this game set it apart from the Minecraft we’re used to. The main one is the legendary character in the Minecraft Legends story: the plot introduces you as the hero of the legend, instead of you creating your own story in a survival world. When we spoke to the creators, they mentioned that it wasn’t necessarily a canon Minecraft story, but rather a myth that might exist in this universe, such as a story that villagers tell their children. .
The plot of Minecraft Legends isn’t anything special, at least in the first hour of play, but it doesn’t have to be either: it’s just an excuse to travel the world and fight Piglins. The lower levels are mostly about you and your army of golems traveling to different villages to stop the Piglin invasion and put up better defenses for the next time the cute and mischievous creatures come around. You can also go on the offensive and eliminate Piglin outposts to prevent further attacks.
Advertisement:
The gameplay in Legends is also completely different from what is known in the basic game, since the traditional weapons (pickaxe, sword, ax and shovel) are replaced by a lute to send your allies to collect materials for you, a command staff to control your units and a summoning banner to summon them. With these tools (especially the lute) you don’t have to spend hours pounding trees and having to build the bases block by block. Now you only have to collect resources in a specific area and you can already build ramps, walls, archer towers and much more in seconds. This more efficient dynamic might not be ideal for players who enjoy the quiet life in a log cabin on a hill, but that’s what traditional Minecraft is for. The fastest way to mine and craft in Minecraft Legends lets you focus on combat and strategy, elements you definitely won’t miss.
In addition, the fight is very simple. The only rule you have to follow is: hit the enemies and try not to get hit by them. You can order your units to defeat the Piglins or destroy their buildings, and each unit you create will be better suited to one or the other. For example, stone golems are much better at destroying structures, while zombies are tanks that create a perfect front line to block enemy troops. There are a lot of simple elements that you will learn quickly, but the game also has a bit of depth. Maybe not as much as in other popular RTS titles, but still more than first appears. This depth becomes evident as you spend more time in player versus player mode.
This mode is the highlight of Minecraft Legends, as it makes for an incredibly interesting team game. It is intended for 4v4 play, but in private matches there are also 3v3 and 2v2 modes. The goal is the same regardless of the number of players: to destroy the enemy tower. How you try to accomplish this task is up to you. You can build a base strong enough to wear down the enemy, create a red stone cannon to annihilate their fortress, or trade your horse for a giant beetle to leap over enemy walls and lead an army of vines towards their tower (personally my favorite). Communication is vital in PvP, as it is necessary to know who is collecting resources, who is building the base, and who is roaming the map to investigate the enemy and unleash the guerrillas. Compared to single-player, where battling Piglins might end up being a bit monotonous, PvP adds another layer of depth to the game.
Advertisement:
At first glance, Minecraft Legends seems like a nice niche title. It may be hard to convince RTS fans to make the leap into this adorable and enchanting world, and core Minecraft players may not like the dynamics offered by this new title. If you’re looking for a fun third-person adventure that has an interesting story and a great PvP mode, you shouldn’t pass up Minecraft Legends.
