The second installment for Telltale Games' Minecraft: Story Mode series arrives earlier than most were expecting and picks up right where the first episode left off.

The second episode, titled "Assembly Required," puts players back in the front seat of the point and click RPG adventure, and based on what actions you previously took, the player will have either gone with good friend Olivia to find the legendary engineer Ellegaard or good friend Axel to find the legendary griefer Magnus. The variety in branching plots is something that is akin to Telltale Game titles.

The common verdict for the game is that it failed to keep the momentum of the first episode in terms of suspense and overall enjoyment. Here are what some reviewers reported:

We Got This Covered

We Got This Covered thought it to be a decent effort, but still lacking in what made the first game notable.

"The second episode of Telltale's Minecraft: Story Mode provides some decent fun, but a shorter length, abrupt conclusion, and less impactful moments cause it to pale when compared to its predecessor."

IGN

IGN was unimpressed with the game's overall runtime and feel that the issues from the first game are just more highlighted.

"Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 2: Assembly Required is disappointingly short, and adds to Episode 1's problems with establishing its world and its characters rather than reducing them. Telltale should be commended for creating a real diverging path that sends us to different, impressively designed places based on our choices, but doing so has illustrated why this kind of forked storytelling is rarely done: your journey seems half as long as what the developers actually created, and there's not enough to do along the way."

Forbes

Forbes states that the game's length is largely dependent on how much time you spend on exploring.

"Visually, Minecraft Story Mode continues to impress with a graphical style based on Minecraft's blocky design but not limited to just this. Characters bend and move as they need to, and the camera pans and swirls to feel more like a suspense driven Netflix show rather than a video-game.

"How long it takes you to complete the game will depend on how you play it. In my family the kids enjoy exploring every last corner before moving on, so we took a little longer than average at around 2.5 hours."

US Gamer

US Gamer believes the total runtime and pacing of the second game is what ultimately killed the experience.

"After a solid start, Minecraft Story Mode Episode 2 is disappointingly short. Coming in at around an hour in playtime, the adventure is brisk and active, but it ends right when you're getting into it. A lot happens, but the impact is dulled due to the breakneck pacing."

Gamezebo

Gamezebo thinks the series is still building on itself and awaits the next chapter.

"All told, I'm still very much looking forward to Minecraft: Story Mode's third chapter. The gameplay it still a little too easy for my liking and the puzzles barely qualify as puzzles, but it's a fun time. And it's also likely meant to be accessible to a younger audience, which is understandable."