Minecraft: Story Mode - Episode 5: Order Up! (Xbox One) Review

Minecraft: Story Mode - Episode 5: Order Up! kicks off with the group of heroes being thrown right into the deep end, battling an oncoming horde of enemies, and trying to progress towards a mysterious jungle temple, and those familiar with Minecraft will know that these secretive structures are loaded with goodies (and traps).

Thus far in Minecraft: Story Mode, Jesse & the others have sought a way to bring down the Witherstorm, but that particular mess has been fixed. The new Order of the Stone searches the lands for vast treasures, awesome gear, and pesky zombies to slay. After hearing rumours from Ivor about a potential jackpot, the heroes want to find it at all costs. It's an entertaining story, and the humour is better than past episodes, but it feels forced at times.

After a bit of searching and scouring, the episode resolves with a clear beginning, middle, and end, something that was hit-and-miss in prior episodes that often made them frustrating to play. Instead of lacking traditional story structure, the major issue with this episode is that it's essentially setup for the next three episodes, all of which are DLC. So of the original five episodes, only four comprised the primarily plot, and the final is a teaser for upcoming DLC, surely a questionable direction and end for the series.

Throughout Minecraft: Story Mode inconsistencies with Minecraft lore have been a sore point, and Episode 5: Order Up! is no different. There are multiple situations throughout the episode that would easily be circumvented by building or destroying in Minecraft, but here players are tasked with tackling issues that feel designed to simply extend the playtime. With the usual problems of ugly faces, poor lip syncing, and dodgy animations also hampering the experience, there is much more in the way than just a mountain made of blocks.