Jesse and company find themselves in a world run by three Old Builders who just so happen to be Harper’s ex-colleagues. And in keeping with the pattern established by the last three episodes (and with one notable exception), they’re total jerkasses. Populating this realm are regular people, who, for some reason or another, have found themselves at the whim of the smarmy Hadrian, the brown-nosing Mevia, and the bookish Otto. And it just so happens that Hadrian is in the possession of the Atlas, the very artifact that could bring Jesse and his friends home.
It turns out, the Old Builders run a series of rigged gladiatorial games. Those who wish to return home must compete and win. Those who fail are respawned and sent to work in the quartz mines. It’s up to Jesse to rally the teams, break their chains, and cast down their oppressors. Minecraft: Story Mode has surprised me in the past, particularly in Episode 6, so the thematic shift isn’t terribly shocking.
