Mojang's block builder is a prime example of polarising public opinion. Critically there is hardly any sign of debate - you'll struggle to find an industry voice prepared to level serious criticism at this pixelated monstrosity, beyond a playful dig at the visual style. For the gaming public, though, there is a huge disparity between those who love Minecraft and those who loathe it. For most high profile releases tagged with the "overrated" label, the idea is that we're dealing with an undeniably good game, but one with enough chinks in its armour to make us question the legendary status the title has earned. With Minecraft there isn't much in the way of grey area: either you're frothing at the mouth and spitting rabid praise for Notch's supposed masterpiece, or you venomously hate it and everyone who plays it. Easily one of the most factionalising titles of any generation, nothing matches the passion of Minecraft's supporters other then the passion of its detractors. For those who consider Mojang's hugely popular IP to be nothing more than badly drawn imaginary Lego blocks, there's no gentle nitpicking here, and no careful consideration of pros and cons... it's all hate, all the time. Perhaps it's because of the sheer enthusiasm of Minecraft's fan base that the griefers feel they need to bash it with such animosity. This is a severe imbalance, and a rarity for a game with the level of critical acclaim that Minecraft has secured. Yet we sit with a massive section of the population which feels that this game has transcended its medium and become a way of life, and an admittedly smaller slice of the gaming world which actively revolt against this indie gem. And when a game can extract this level of bile from those apposed to it, we have to accept that it is far from perfect without even having to look at the reasons why... regardless of how many 10/10 scores it has notched into its bed post.
Game-obsessed since the moment I could twiddle both thumbs independently. Equally enthralled by all the genres of music that your parents warned you about.
