Review: 'Minecraft Legends' is a strategy spinoff with some flaws

Players can tackle the campaign in a co-op mode. — Microsoft/TNS

Minecraft has come a long way from its indie roots. The franchise was once just an experiment focused on free-form and emergent gameplay, but over the years, it has evolved and changed hands, becoming a video game juggernaut since its full release.

Today, a generation of kids see it on a par with Lego blocks or Super Mario Bros. It's a touchstone of childhood, and like any good franchise, Microsoft has found a way to spin off and evolve the characters, concepts and aesthetic of Minecraft. They've done it with titles such as Minecraft Dungeons and the defunct Minecraft Earth. (Not every spinoff is perfect.)