Telltale Games is known as the go-to company for episodic games based on third party properties such as Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. Minecraft: Story Mode delivers in their traditional quicktime style with a few new gameplay mechanics from the Minecraft series.
The soundtrack is mostly electronic with smooth rock elements throughout, composed by Anadel, Antimo and Welles. What I enjoy the most about it is the welcoming ambiance from synth pad work and clean electric guitar. Whether the characters are conversing about the structures they’re about to build or escaping a fiery death via a high-speed mine cart, the story and intensity level is supported effectively.
Audio implementation is spot on, changing according to what you choose and how quick you are to press the right quicktime prompts on cue. There is even a moment in the story when the characters are competing in a building contest, when the music cuts to a drum kit solo. A drum solo! That might be the first time I’ve ever noticed that in any game, and it was brilliant how well it worked.
When deep within a cave, the mystery of the environment is suited with the ambient style of the rest of the score, but also with a bit of softly pulsing synth drum, which was another unexpected but appropriate addition.
Given the episodic nature of the game, it’s not a surprise that there aren’t longer selections of music to enjoy from this story just yet. Some songs would be better to experience at length, and there are some points where the audio loop repeats the composition a little too soon.
The creativity in the music direction of this game gives it a Goonies-style sense of adventure that will appeal to fans of both Minecraft and Telltale Games. The approach to the score with ambient rock with electronic elements works great for this family friendly adventure. It’s very likely I’ll be enjoying this soundtrack as a standalone album as soon as it is available.
