Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two - Episode 4: Below the Bedrock (PC) Review

First things first: the technical issues that cropped up in the last episode appeared mercifully absent this time around. While there weren't many noticeable moments where choices should have carried over, it nonetheless leads welcome credence to the idea that the problems with the last episode were a one-off thing.

Then again, for better or worse, episode four of Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 seems far more interested in doling out tough decisions than dealing with the repercussions of previous ones. Several sections force you to choose between the "ideal" choice and a difficult one that someone else wants you to do. It's not totally clear how much of an impact some of them will have on the final episode, with many appearing in the last fifteen minutes or so of this one. However, it does a lot to keep things interesting and thought-provoking nonetheless.

Overall, the writing still strikes a great balance between light-heartedness and serious, with character drama and moral dilemmas generally having an appropriate amount of gravitas. Also, while they're certainly not to everyone's taste, an old favourite character makes a delightful reappearance in what was easily the highlight of this episode. Knowing that they're now bound to factor into the final chapter just makes it all the better.

Gameplay-wise, there's a bit more building and fighting in this episode, so if you've enjoyed those in the past, you're in luck! If not, well, at least the building can be easily skipped. For better or worse, nobody really seems to care whether you arbitrarily place a handful of blocks or spend half an hour creating a masterpiece. One of the combat sections gets spiced up with pressure plates that can give you an advantage on your foes, but otherwise everything is pretty par for the course. It's definitely not bad, but there's nothing to make it stand out from previous episodes.