We are nearing the end of the year, and 2020 is rapidly approaching. Some of the biggest games in recent times are scheduled to release at the start of the next decade. One game that gives us pause is Minecraft Dungeons. It's a role-playing game and a dungeon crawler, meaning it will contain player customization and multiple biomes.
Fans of Minecraft and newcomers should know that this game is a big deal. If it's anywhere near as impressive as dungeon crawlers like Diablo 3, Path of Exile, and Torchlight 2, it's going to appeal to a bunch of players. These are 5 things we know about Minecraft Dungeons and 5 we're hoping for.
10 We Already Know: It Has 4-Player Online Co-Op
Praise the skies since Minecraft Dungeons will have a 4-player online co-op. This news is even more significant because the game will be 4-player online co-op on consoles from the start. This contrasts with Diablo 3, which had a console release months after its release.
A 4-player online co-op will make it so friends can connect and play together with what could be one of the biggest releases of 2020. Despite Minecraft being owned by Microsoft, Minecraft Dungeons is also coming to PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch.
9 Hoping For: Mods On PC And Console
Mods are becoming more and more intertwined in the fabric of video games. Cross-platform play, online co-op, and mods are essential today. Mods allow players to experience games in a way they never imagined. For mod developers, mods allow them to customize a game to their liking.
It's worth noting that the screenshot in the above photo is a part of Minecraft Dungeon's gameplay. No alterations or mods were used to create this image. Yet, this image helps us visualize what mods could entail.
8 We Already Know: It Is Being Developed By The Same Company Who Made Minecraft
Mojang may be the company behind the later versions of Minecraft, but it was Markus Persson who created the game in its early stages. He is someone who is fascinated by building and had a LEGO collection as a kid.
Markus Persson may not be a developer working on Minecraft Dungeon's, but many of the same people from Mojang are remain on Minecraft Dungeons. For those who haven't seen it already, Minecraft: The Story of Mojang is a 2012 documentary about the creation of Minecraft.
7 Hoping For: It to Be Nothing Like Minecraft: Story Mode
The general consensus is that Minecraft: Story Mode is neither the best Minecraft game nor is it the best Telltale game. Minecraft: Story Mode is an episodic adventure that didn't live up to the hype. The best thing that Mojang can do is try to distance itself from Minecraft: Story Mode as much as possible.
Minecraft Dungeons should have a riveting story combined with gameplay that doesn't disappoint. We hope that it is nothing like Minecraft: Story Mode.
6 We Already Know: It's Comparable To Games Like Diablo 3 And Path Of Exile
Since Minecraft Dungeons is part of the same genre as Diablo 3 and Path of Exile, there are likely going to be similarities. As mentioned by minecraft.net, you'll be able to "Personalize your character, then fight up-close and personal with melee swings, hang back with ranged attacks, or tank your way through swarms of mobs, shielded by heavy armor!"
Diablo 3 makes use of character classes, but we don't know if Minecraft Dungeons will as well. Perhaps Dungeons will add RPG elements, giving players the freedom to choose skills and attributes.
5 Hoping For: Cross-play Between All Platforms
According to windowscentral.com, "Minecraft Dungeons will support cross-play between Xbox and PC, but other platforms, like the Nintendo Switch, are still being considered." We can only hope that Minecraft Dungeons will eventually add cross-play between all platforms.
The ability to play with a friend from a different console is something that should be commonplace. Given that Minecraft Dungeons supports 4-player online cooperative play, it would be the perfect game to receive full cross-play support. Minecraft is one of the most ported games of all time—next up is cross-play.
4 We Already Know: It's Going To Be A Loot-Based Game
Dungeon crawler games and loot finding go hand in hand. Something about exploring vast underworlds and collecting loot provides a highly enjoyable experience.
It has been confirmed by Minecraft Dungeon's gameplay videos that it will be loot-based. This means lots of enemies, item management, and farming. For many of us, this is a dream come true. The fact that it is a loot-based game may deter some players, but at this point, Minecraft Dungeons is a clean slate and shouldn't be compared to other loot-based games.
3 Hoping For: It Releases In Early 2020
Minecraft Dungeons is slated for a spring 2020 release. Still several months away, the game couldn't come any sooner. For once it would be nice to see a AAA game release before its anticipated release date.
Spring 2020 is a long way away, which is why winter 2020 seems like a more favorable time slot. We have our fingers crossed that Minecraft Dungeons won't release later than spring 2020 because a delay would be the worst.
2 We Already Know: It's Going To Have Boss Fights
We don't know how many boss fights will be contained in Minecraft Dungeons. Since the gameplay reveal trailer showed at least one, there's a strong chance the game will include an abundance of bosses to fight.
Judging by the screenshot above, we can surmise that the boss fights are going to be wild and out of this world. We are eagerly waiting for more details on Minecraft's epic boss fights. Evidently, even pixelated graphics can look awesome when using the Unreal Engine.
1 Hoping For: A Long And Meaningful End Game
Minecraft Dungeons must add replayability in the form of an expansive end game. Most of the current leading loot-based dungeon crawlers have a substantial end game. End games open up the possibility to play a game like Minecraft Dungeons for hundreds of hours.
It's still quite early for us to tell how long Minecraft Dungeons will be, and if it will have replayability. For now, we can hope that Minecraft Dungeons has an engaging end game that doesn't grow stale.