Minecraft Legends Reviews
But in spite of its few shortcomings, Minecraft Legends is still a bold and exciting new direction for a franchise that continues to stand the test of time. It's a game that understands why Minecraft is so compelling in the first place and then twists those elements into an action strategy experience that can be hard to put down. Its only missteps come from its limited scope and how it leaves players wanting more because its core gameplay loop is so good. Minecraft Legends is approachable, captivating, and just a really good time.
Minecraft Legends is an engaging strategy game that capably combines the established Minecraft world with a streamlined RTS structure.
An action strategy spinoff that disappoints both genres and misses Minecraft's magic.
Minecraft's blocky charm is present and correct, but the rest of Minecraft Legends is only as deep as the skins it wants to sell you.
Longevity will no doubt come from DLC, much as with Dungeons, but that ultimately leaves Minecraft Legends feeling like an incomplete experience. There are so few schematics and troop types to work with, keeping things from getting too overwhelming for those new to the genre, but leaving little else for those hoping to enjoy a new strategy game. And if you come to it hoping to find Minecraft’s signature sandbox feel, you’ll also be sorely disappointed, as the well quickly runs dry.
"Like Minecraft Dungeons before it, Minecraft Legends is a great concept let down by middling execution"
Minecraft Legends battles to blend its open-world adventuring with the intricacies of real-time strategy, a war that sometimes detracts from the overall fun you can have. Even so, its gorgeous environments and clever world-building inspire familiar creativity that makes up for its growing pains. Where other strategy games feature more profound complexity, Minecraft Legends has heart, and it’s hard to resist its charm. Mojang’s first expedition into this genre occasionally holds your hand too tight. But when its grip loosens, there’s a vibrant world of combat challenges to discover, ultimately making it an enticing endeavor.
Minecraft Legends has a lot of good ideas, but the combat mechanics aren't suited for actively engaging in the act of war.
Minecraft Legends is a charming portmanteau of genres that manages to simplify the RTS formula while still demanding a fair amount of concentration and strategy. I’m interested to see where the game goes in the future; players might use its mechanics to create truly terrifying multiplayer strategies that escalate in amazing ways. Or they might just enjoy the campaign and then go back to their own realm, to tame their own wilderness away from the chimes of quest givers. Legends is a charming and colorful adventure, and it’s nice to finally befriend the humble Creeper.
That it’s not a very good game, and one that desperately needed a lot more development before this seemingly premature release, will matter almost not at all. It’s stunningly pretty, it lets you make friends with the Creepers, and the cutscenes are brilliant. And it matches those new pyjamas. Should they ever finish Minecraft Legends, allowing you to instantly gather your spawned troops from anywhere, fixing the atrocious UI, giving your units some vestiges of pathfinding, and hugely increasing the mission variation, I think it could be a great place.
All that matters at the time of writing is the launch experience, though. Minecraft Legends is gorgeous-looking, and is thrilling in how it presents the Minecraft world from another angle. It also has a solid backbone for a captivating RTS. It just doesn’t go far enough, however - and the final result is a game that struggled to hold my attention the deeper in I got. It’ll be decent Game Pass fodder - but I can’t help but feel like this should’ve been so much more. It certainly won’t be for everyone, though I expect Minecraft-obsessed kids to have a blast regardless.
Minecraft Legends is an interesting blend of adventure and RTS that could have been great, but hamstrings itself by limiting the player's freedom and control far beyond what you'd expect from a Minecraft game.
Minecraft Legends, at least on Switch, is an average game at very best, but frustrating controls, terrible AI, and repetitive gameplay all come together to make for something that feels substantially beneath the quality of the Minecraft brand. Though we commend the developers for trying something new here, this is easily the worst Minecraft spinoff Mojang has produced. We'd recommend this one to only the most enthusiastic of Minecraft fans, and even then, only if you opt for the PC version. If you don't have a PC or don't want it there, then we'd suggest you pass; Minecraft Legends on the Switch simply isn't worth your time or money.
Minecraft Legends is a surprisingly deep strategy title that embodies what people love about the franchise, adding much more along the way.
Minecraft Legends is a worthy spin-off from the main game, but doesn't break any new ground in the real-time strategy genre, instead acting as an accessible entry point for the younger generation.
Minecraft Legends takes players into the Minecraft universe in a new, fun and unique way as they lead their allies in heroic battles to defend the Overworld.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Minecraft Legends' adventure, in single player, can be completed in a handful of hours, going straight to the goal with the right strategies, but it can also keep you company for much more if you want to explore all of the overworld. The PvP mode, very central on paper, doesn't really shine if you don't use some communication system external to the game – a non-secondary problem, given that strategy is really crucial and good coordination helps not only to keep the games fun, but also to ensure that they do not last longer than necessary.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you’re looking for an accessible RTS that offers exciting and tactical gameplay, Minecraft Legends will satisfy you. But don’t expect the Minecraft name to mean much beyond branding purposes.
Minecraft Legends is a whole new world, fun and entertaining to say enough. It has enough elements to give us hours and hours of entertainment and its multiplayer mode is the best possible extra fun.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Minecraft Legends captures the magic of Minecraft in a wholly new way. It's chaotic, it's creative, it's competitive and it's an absolute blast.