【Minecraft Dungeons】Equipped with long-awaited auto-matching function, to a great adventure with companions around the world! Minecraft Dungeons II, incorporating plenty of fulfilling hack and slash elements, is finally decided to be released on 9/29!

People who thought “What shall I build in Minecraft this time?”, please forget about architecture for once this time. What is waiting in “Minecraft Dungeons II” appearing on September 29 is not a life wielding a pickaxe, but a new adventure jumping into dangerous lands with a sword in hand. Players go around unexplored regions and places shrouded in mystery, confronting a new evil trying to bring chaos to not just one but two worlds. Naturally, enemies will not quietly let us save the world either. A battle full of sense of tension proceeding forward while scattering swarms of mobs rushing one after another is waiting. Friendly visuals typical of “Minecraft” and full-scale action coexist in the same world. This very unique combination would be the first reason making you want to touch this work.

The fun of “Minecraft Dungeons II” is being able to enjoy deep hack and slash reminiscent of the “Diablo” series while setting the comical and familiar world of “Minecraft” as the stage. However, worry like “If it's full-scale, wouldn't it be difficult for beginners?” seems not very necessary. Because rather than targeting only core gamers who played hack and slash thoroughly, it aims for flexible game design where even children who started playing “Minecraft” can participate together. This directionality itself is inherited from the original “Minecraft Dungeons”, but the sequel polishes its advantages further. The entrance is easy to understand, yet if thoroughly pursuing equipment and battles, it can be played deeply. It is a design making you want to expect it both as a game played with family and friends and as a hack and slash thoroughly clearing.

Local multiplayer where up to 4 people can crowd around the same screen and play is also alive and well, but here is a very pleasing improvement despite seeming plain at first glance. That is a mechanism where each player can open inventory individually without stopping game progress. In the previous work, progress stopped every time someone confirmed equipment, having scenes feeling “Even though it was a good part right now”. The excitement during adventures unexpectedly gets interrupted even by just a little pause. With this work, you can confirm equipment without being overly considerate to companions, and other members can continue actions as they are. Although not a flashy new element, considering scenes playing together actually, such improvements seem likely to change the tempo of the whole game greatly.

Online, auto-matching function is introduced as a further major evolution. In the background where this mechanism was passed over in the previous work, there were thoughts of wanting to avoid troubles between players precisely because it is “Minecraft” played by a wide range of layers including children, and circumstances that games are difficult to be established between opponents with large skill differences. However, as a result, opponents of multiplayer became friend-centered, and a problem of being difficult to find companions to adventure together even if wanting to play was also born. So in “II”, based on experience of the previous work, an environment easy to participate in multiplayer even if friends are not online is prepared. Just decreasing situations like “Because I cannot invite anyone today I have no choice but to play solo”, ways of playing as hack and slash seem likely to expand considerably.

Moreover, it is not simply gathering unfamiliar players together. In matching, item level and progress situation of the game are considered, adopting fixed phrases for communication. Because drop items are individually generated for each player, worries of becoming a scramble over spoils are also suppressed. Furthermore, adapting to joining midway and leaving midway, even cross-platform play where players of different environments can play together is prepared. Toward parts that were cautious in the previous work, the point of giving answers while thinking “How can people of a wide range of ages play comfortably?” rather than merely adding functions is an interesting part.

The friendly world of “Minecraft”, full-scale hack and slash, local cooperative play of up to 4 people, and greatly reinforced online environment. “Minecraft Dungeons II” seems likely to become a sequel answering voices saying “I want to play with companions more casually” while leaving the charm of the previous work. While having a depth of capacity where beginners and experienced players can participate in the same adventure, online functions sought by hack and slash lovers are also firmly enriched. Entering thinking “Because it's Minecraft it seems easy to play” is fine, and challenging thinking “I want to play thoroughly as a full-scale hack and slash” is fine. On September 29, putting down the pickaxe and grasping the sword, this time is the beginning of a journey to save two worlds.