Game for your Buck: Minecraft Beta

The sandbox/survival game of Minecraft is exactly what Legos were missing. Gatherable materials and zombies.

Survival Mode Initial Impression:

If you start playing Minecraft with no former knowledge of the game you're going to have a difficult time. Most people will run around in circles clicking on things and punching innocent wildlife. I know I did. Then randomly you'll get the idea to click and HOLD. Then viola! You have some dirt. You learn that right clicking places the dirt. And by then its late. Is that a skeleton? -- OH GOD THERE'S MONSTERS EVERYWHERE. FREAKING SPIDERS. OH NO ITS AN ANGRY CACTUS. And you'll dig a hole into the ground and cover it up. Then Google what the heck to do.
Although this is a very fun beginning to the game I believe that having to LEAVE the game to know how to play is damaging to the immersion.

Survival General:

In this mode you must farm, build, and kill for materials in order to keep your hunger bar up and the zombies out. You CAN starve if you're not careful. This adds a wonderful survival aspect that many games are lacking. The desire to get food to survive. The most you can do in survival without any mods is to make a base with every type of farm inside so that you never have to leave. Although that's not the fun part.
The fun part is EARNING your invincibility which can take many hours and sometimes weeks if you don't know what you're doing. In order to gather materials you must brave deep chasms. You may zombie proof them by adding torches and keeping the room lit. This is a fun way to mark where you've been and where you haven't.

...But I promise you, no one can play Minecraft without getting lost at least once in their experience. And getting lost is probably one of the most fun things in the game.

Sandbox:

Unlimited everything. Endless paint for your paintbrush. What more could an artist ask for? Although I am no artist I feel that the sandbox mode is very nicely done. You can even fly so its probably perfect. But its hard to go wrong with something like that.

Other pluses:

Constant Updates
Virtually Unlimited Worlds
Free Online Play
Zombies
Indie Game
Notch's beard
Beta-Purchase Discount

Bad things:

No way to know what to do without guides.
Somewhat glitchy (but its a beta so I'll let that slide)
No server browser.
Must create own server (complicated process) if you wish to play with even a single friend.

Overall I'd rate this game at about $20 worth of game for your buck. I've spent many hours surviving and creating in this very original game and would recommend it to anyone from 6 year old casuals to 60 year old hardcore gamers.

GAME FOR YOUR BUCK?