In 2011, Mojang's Minecraft released to the general public. It has since become the second most-played game of all time, behind Tetris. With versions of this game on several video game consoles, computers, and mobile devices, most people have access to the game with at least one of their devices. I, myself have enjoyed Minecraft to an extent. The game itself was rather intriguing and revolutionary. However, one design flaw that turned me away from it was the less than stellar graphics.

Previously only available on Steam upon its release in February 2016, Portal Knights was released on Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4 just this week. It is a unique game that combines the building, open world exploration and creative aspects of Minecraft and Terraria, as well as the role-playing elements present in Dark Souls and Legend of Zelda. Crafting items and defeating enemies are also key elements, which Portal Knights and Minecraft share with each other.

At the beginning of Portal Knights, you create your player using gender, race, eyes, hair, and other facial features. You can select one of three different fighting classes for your character. Warriors specialize in close-combat situations, using weapons such as swords and pickaxes. In contrast, Rangers specialize in ranged combat with the use of bows and arrows. For those who prefer using spells and magic rather than use actual weapons, you can select the Mage class. Once you have finished your newest creation, you will place him or her in a brand new world, with the option to name it and to have it be either a small or large island.

Once you arrive at the first island, Squire's Knoll, you will proceed through the on-screen tutorial to acquaint you with the game's controls. Once you have completed the tutorial, you will have created the pieces needed to complete the portal that will bring you to the second island, where you have even more items to mine such as gems and ores. Just be very careful about where you are mining items from, as you could end up underwater or falling to your doom in no time. Fret not if you get lost and do not know where you are, for you can transport yourself to the landing pad in that particular level or fast travel to another island.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my pre-order of Portal Knights. I managed to purchase the game on Xbox Live for $19.99 plus tax, which is $10 less than the price of it in a physical store. This game is worth every penny. If you enjoyed playing Minecraft and/or Terraria, you will enjoy this game as well. Happy mining!