Still brandishing the familiar art style but with a new perspective and HUD, Minecraft Dungeons has fans of the block-breaking franchise excited. But even more than that - because the game is a Diablo-like action RPG, there are non-Minecraft fans who are curious to try the game.
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Those who might be curious to check out Minecraft Dungeons can do so with no extra risk as part of Xbox Game Pass. Because Microsoft owns Mojang Studios and the Minecraft property, the game is included in the subscription service’s library, but more importantly it’s available for pre-load now.
To pre-load Minecraft Dungeons, Xbox One and PC users need to first ensure that their Xbox Game Pass (or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate) subscription is up to date. Then navigate to the Minecraft Dungeons page in the Xbox Game Store and there should be an install option.
Unlike most game downloads these days, Minecraft Dungeons is only a meager 4 GB download and should be down relatively fast for the average user. This also falls in line with Minecraft “Prime,” which has a relatively small digital footprint.
According to the Minecraft Dungeons page on the Xbox Game Store, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can jump into the game at 1am PT on May 26th. However, this time lockout usually changes once the actual game goes live, which should be at 9pm PT. If not, be prepared for an early morning gaming session.
As mentioned, Minecraft Dungeons takes the familiar art style of the franchise but meshes it with an isometric ARPG like Diablo. Players venture into dungeons, collect loot, and kit their character out in a variety of ways.
Minecraft Dungeons reviews have suggested that the game isn’t as deep as Diablo, but it does scratch a similar itch. That alone should be enough to entice a variety of gamers on either Xbox One or PC. ARPGs used to be extremely popular back in the Diablo days, but now they are a lot rarer. And many of them, like the recently-released Wolcen, start out as early access titles without a complete story or experience.
Minecraft Dungeons releases May 26, 2020 for PC and Xbox One.
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