Minecraft Legends is the new game from Mojang and aims to blur the lines between different genres. The game is set to release in 2023 on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Switch. At gamescom, MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was able to see real gameplay for the first time and was surprised by what Legends truly is.
When Minecraft Legends was announced, there was only a small trailer for the game. It reminded me a lot of the already released action RPG Minecraft Dungeons, as you control a hero in both games.
Accordingly, I was convinced that Legends would just be a kind of Dungeons 2 with a few new ideas – like wave defense or tower defense, so it could be called a strategy game. Even though I love Diablo, the idea didn’t excite me much, even though the trailer was already hugely popular at release.
For gamescom 2022, we were invited by the creators, Mojang, to take a closer look at the game. The developers, Creative Director Magnus Nedfors and Executive Producer Dennis Ries, showed me live gameplay and answered some of my questions.
And now I have to say: Minecraft Legends looks so good that it is likely to be the biggest surprise of gamescom for me.
We have the trailer available for you here once again:
Not an ARPG, but a real RTS
I was wrong: Minecraft Legends has little in common with Dungeons aside from a similar look. I have been mistaken about pretty much everything I previously thought about the game:
- Legends is a real strategy game, not an ARPG.
- The core of the game is not looting and leveling or fending off hordes, but actively attacking enemy strongholds.
- The hero is not the “hero” in the center, but merely the commander – a special unit of the army, if you will.
- The world is procedurally generated and random, but not as vast as vanilla Minecraft. This leads to more focus on action.
The only thing that has really held true is the connection to Minecraft. And even that is rather thin. There are still health points and resources, but you don’t gather them yourself. If you need stones, wood, and more, you send allies out to gather for you.
Also, the huge building aspect is out. You don’t build buildings block by block, but in the form of finished buildings, which you use to reinforce and expand outposts. There, you train units and attack enemy bases.
What does the gameplay look like now? In Minecraft Legends, you only play as the commander of an army that you build and lead into battle. You establish outposts with buildings to fend off the piglins attacking the overworld.
If you find one of their strongholds, you can set up a base outside where you can then recruit units: melee fighters, ranged fighters, and healers. They follow you, the commander, and you can give them orders like attacking specific buildings.
As is customary for a strategy game, units can even be grouped. Only the perspective is unusual, as you are much closer to the action than in Age of Empires, for example. As commander, you even fight yourself, for instance, to keep attackers away from your followers.
In terms of progress, you don’t upgrade your hero, but learn to build new buildings and summon units, and you increase the capacity of your army. This allows you to deploy your troops more diversely. As is typical for RTS games, units cost resources – so there is a limitation based on your income.
At gamescom, there was also a new trailer:
A new kind of strategy game for up to 4 players
Is there a multiplayer mode? Minecraft Legends can be played cooperatively on the new consoles and PC with up to 4 players. Older platforms like the Switch still support 2 players in co-op.
Each player commands their own army, and you can coordinate who attacks with which units, flanks, or splits up to engage multiple piglin bases.
Additionally, there is a PvP mode that I haven’t been able to see live in action yet.
When and where will Minecraft Legends be released? Minecraft Legends is set to release in 2023 on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. If you want to see more about the game, check out our recording on MonstersAndExplosions. There, I talk in detail with our host Michael Obermeier about the game.
MeinMMO will also be publishing an interview with the heads soon, where they could answer some exciting questions for me.
All new games and 36 trailers from gamescom 2022 Opening Night Live
Also, the huge building aspect is out. You don’t build buildings block by block, but in the form of finished buildings, which you use to reinforce and expand outposts. There, you train units and attack enemy bases.
What does the gameplay look like now? In Minecraft Legends, you only play as the commander of an army that you build and lead into battle. You establish outposts with buildings to fend off the piglins attacking the overworld.
If you find one of their strongholds, you can set up a base outside where you can then recruit units: melee fighters, ranged fighters, and healers. They follow you, the commander, and you can give them orders like attacking specific buildings.
As is customary for a strategy game, units can even be grouped. Only the perspective is unusual, as you are much closer to the action than in Age of Empires, for example. As commander, you even fight yourself, for instance, to keep attackers away from your followers.
In terms of progress, you don’t upgrade your hero, but learn to build new buildings and summon units, and you increase the capacity of your army. This allows you to deploy your troops more diversely. As is typical for RTS games, units cost resources – so there is a limitation based on your income.
At gamescom, there was also a new trailer:
A new kind of strategy game for up to 4 players
Is there a multiplayer mode? Minecraft Legends can be played cooperatively on the new consoles and PC with up to 4 players. Older platforms like the Switch still support 2 players in co-op.
Each player commands their own army, and you can coordinate who attacks with which units, flanks, or splits up to engage multiple piglin bases.
Additionally, there is a PvP mode that I haven’t been able to see live in action yet.
When and where will Minecraft Legends be released? Minecraft Legends is set to release in 2023 on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. If you want to see more about the game, check out our recording on MonstersAndExplosions. There, I talk in detail with our host Michael Obermeier about the game.
MeinMMO will also be publishing an interview with the heads soon, where they could answer some exciting questions for me.
All new games and 36 trailers from gamescom 2022 Opening Night Live
