Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two - Episode 2: Giant Consequences (PC) Review

When it comes to the overall experience, episode two feels just as good as episode one; possibly even better. The story's flow is greatly improved, lacking much of the downtime that plagued the first section of episode one. In contrast, this one gets right down to the action, with Jesse facing off against a giant, prismarine colossus that's threatening to destroy Beacon Town. That's just the tip of the iceberg, though, as it turns out that the colossus is being controlled by a godlike being known only as "The Admin". Taking the form of a crooked-mouthed snowman (with a delightfully deranged voice), The Admin uses a clock to plunge Beacon Town into endless night. Mobs begin spawning everywhere, and the whole town is thrown into chaos. Jesse and co. have a choice: venture to The Admin's lair to recover the clock, or stay behind and fight off an eternity of monsters. Not much of a choice, really.

All the characters from last episode's adventure are back, with some additions: returning cast member Lukas, Radar: the bright and cheery intern, and Stella: the . Each gets their chance to shine, but Radar's the one who really stands out. Not only is he absolutely adorable, with his crazed rants and overwhelming enthusiasm, but he's sympathetic too, wanting desperately to help, while being fully aware of his limitations. Some may find him to be insufferable and whiny, but he feels like a character that the writers genuinely cared about, rather than some Jar Jar Binks-esque throwaway.

The varied gameplay segments from last time return here, with another building section providing a welcome chance for customization. Unfortunately, the game doesn't stay in the area long enough to appreciate the player's work, but hopefully it'll show up in a later episode. The combat segments have also been made more engaging, with encounters sporting numerous enemies with different attack patterns. There are occasions where attacks (particularly projectiles) can be difficult to dodge, but Jesse has enough health that the system is extremely forgiving of any miscalculations made by it or the player. Lastly, there's even a shooting gallery section, though it's inexplicably locked behind one of the choices in the game. Make the "wrong" choice, and there's just an ordinary point-and-click puzzle section. It's not bad per se, but it feels odd to make a whole new mechanic just for one story path. Overall, though, it's to the game's benefit, as it makes the prospect of a second playthrough even more appealing.

There do appear some unfortunate missteps when it comes to the carryover of choices. For example, in the last episode, the "Petra is grateful" comment that appeared near the end was a nice way to contextualize the choices that had been made up to that point. However, not only were these prompts entirely absent from this episode, but their actual impact seemed to be indeterminate at best. Apparently, gaining Petra's "gratitude" means that she'll try to leave Jesse behind in favour of adventuring with Jack and Vos (two characters who were introduced last episode). Since Petra's abandonment of her friends was a core issue in the first half of episode one, it seems ignorant to completely disregard any newfound sense of loyalty that was previously alluded to.