The Pale Garden, Minecraft's newest Overworld biome, has highlighted a growing issue within the game, one that could be fixed with a small quality-of-life change through its Villagers. The introduction of the Pale Garden to Minecraft is among the first of Mojang's new smaller-scale updates, so while the biome hasn't revamped the game like previous updates, it does include notable features like the Pale Oak wood-type and the Creaking mob. However, despite Minecraft being a sandbox game, there is a broader issue of an overcrowded Overworld with yet another biome added to the mix.
Currently, Minecraft isn't far off from having nearly one hundred different biomes, each with its own useful and unique resources, such as specific wood types or mobs. With only a handful of these biomes exclusive to the Nether and the End, it is not uncommon for players to be at the mercy of Minecraft's world generation when searching for particular biomes, resources, or mobs like the Pale Gardens' new Creaking. But an update to the Cartographer Villager could let players buy maps to locate rarer biomes like Pale Gardens or Mushroom Fields, instead of only structures like Woodland Mansions, Ocean Monuments, and Trail Ruins.
Minecraft's Pale Garden Feels Like Another Step Toward an Inevitable Mode
With the recent addition of the creepy Pale Garden biome and Creaking mob to Minecraft, Mojang should consider adding a new horror gamemode.
Minecraft Might Have an Increasing Biome Problem
Depending on which version of Minecraft someone is playing, there are easily over fifty different Overworld biomes, many of which are slight variations on others, such as several old-growth forests and ocean climes. But while Minecraft encourages players to naturally explore and discover the world for themselves, it can be difficult to find less common biomes like Mushroom Fields or Ice Spikes. Moreover, Minecraft world types like Amplified can make exploration even harder, especially when players might have already challenged themselves to build a custom Minecraft world in Survival mode.
Minecraft Already Streamlines Overworld Exploration for Players
While it is always possible for players to search for their world seeds online to avoid wasting time and getting lost in Minecraft’s Overworld, the problem of biome spawns remains for the baseline Survival experience. However, since certain areas are also integral to player progression, such as Trial Chambers and Strongholds, Minecraft doesn’t leave players to explore indefinitely, which is wise. For instance, Strongholds can be found using Eyes of Ender, while other structures like Trial Chambers and Ocean Monuments can be found using Explorer Maps traded with Minecraft's Villagers like the Cartographer.
Cartographers Can Help Map Out Minecraft’s Overworld
Though these structures aren’t essential to reaching the End and “completing” Minecraft, they provide unique resources such as Sponges, Prismarine, and Heavy Cores that help players with building and combat. Therefore, the Cartographer’s Explorer Maps are objectively useful in guiding players to these key locations in Minecraft’s expansive Overworld. But beyond these unique resources, some players might want to find biomes like the new Pale Gardens or other structures in order to transform these as part of their creative builds.
For example, certain biomes like the Mushroom Fields or the Pale Gardens are likely to be highly sought after by players for creative builds due to how new or rare they are. Given how rare or small these can be, Minecraft now needs a way for players to find specific biomes in its ever-expanding Overworld if Mojang keeps up with its smaller updates. By adding new Explorer Maps for biomes in the Cartographer’s inventory alongside structures, players will have more choices and potentially even incentives to seek out and find Minecraft’s less common biomes like those below.
- Pale Gardens
- Mushroom Fields
- Ice Spikes
- Windswept Savannas
- Deep Dark Caves
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
WHERE TO PLAY
Minecraft is a game made up of blocks, creatures, and community. You can survive the night or build a work of art – the choice is all yours. But if the thought of exploring a vast new world all on your own feels overwhelming, then fear not!
Minecraft has no set goal and can be played however you’d like! This is why it’s sometimes called a “sandbox game” – there are lots of things for you to do, and lots of ways that you can play. If you like being creative, then you can use the blocks to build things from your imagination. If you’re feeling brave, you can explore the world and face daring challenges. Blocks can be broken, crafted, placed to reshape the landscape, or used to build fantastical creations.
Creatures can be battled or befriended, depending on how you play. The world of Minecraft allows for epic adventures, quiet meditations, and everything in between. You can even share your creations with other players, or play in community worlds!
- Engine
- LWJGL, PROPRIETARY ENGINE
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Minecraft
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Platform(s)
- 3DS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
- How Long To Beat
- 129 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1.42 GB (August 2024)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
