Minecraft: Guide to Exploration Review

February 22, 2019 at 10:40pm
By Jason Stettner

The basics of Minecraft might seem obvious to most, but when you start it can certainly be overwhelming. I thought this guide series of books might have been more simplistic, but they're actually rather detailed. I was blown away by the farming one and this is my second entry into what's a lengthy series of options.

This is a really good read for someone that's curious about playing the game, or just understanding the survival element with more depth. While this is titled exploration, it goes into the elements of what keeps you living and various creatures you'll come across during play. It is split into three distinct areas with the first being the landscape of the game; second goes over the mobs and the final is survival. You get the elements of controls for the game and a key to items.

The book is cleanly presented with a white and light green color theme. You can tell its Minecraft based, but it comes across as more of a professional offering. The pages are precise, typically offering an image and then small written blurbs around them. There are highlight tips and other little facts placed throughout. It's generally presented in a simple, and streamlined formula.

Within the landscape section you'll see segments of biomes, along with the animals that reside within them. It then builds with some key structures, and details on how to deal with them. Examples include dungeons, or perhaps mineshafts. The mob section shows diagrams of the animals, crafting options for what they produce and how to handle them. The final area is really great for specifically survival. It goes through your first day, working from that and combative elements.

The Conclusion

The Minecraft: Guide to Exploration book is a solid guide to initial survival, and the biomes you can visit within the game. It's not entirely up to date, it contains content to a time before the Aquatic update. There's quite a lot it goes over, but some of the ocean content has advanced, as has the details about the villagers. It's well designed, clear and visually appealing.

It's a great option for all audiences, should be helpful for those that want reading material to get into this game. While it's titled exploration, this is very much about surviving the possibly harsh world. I also wish they would have went deeper into each of the biomes, as they are the places you explore. You get a fantastic step by step for general survival. The day one setup really could be helpful for those starting out. When it comes to mobs, you get their health, style and general conditions. It all comes together for a solid package though.

Minecraft: Guide to Exploration Book Review (Guide Collection)
Author: Stephanie Milton
ISBN: 9781984818348
Review Copy Provided by Penguin Random House Canada

Rating Overall: 7.0