The recent Minecraft 1.16 update brought us a brand new and revamped Nether. Rather than miles of lava lakes and red blocks, there are now five unique biomes in the Nether, each one with its own look and feel, as well as its own set of resources. The vertical biomes span huge expanses on the y-axis and comprise Nether Wastes, Soul Sand Valley, Crimson Forest, Warped Forest, and Basalt Deltas.
As well as these new biomes and the unique blocks they bring, we also have new mobs. Piglins and Hoglins are now abundant, especially in the Crimson Forest, and join some returning threats including Ghasts, Skeletons, Magma Cubes, and Endermen.
As with any huge update, the new Nether has positives and negatives. We take a look at the very best things the new biomes offer as well as the changes we really wish hadn’t been made.
10 Love: The Variation In Looks
Gone are the days of flying through the Nether and encountering nothing but a sea of dull red blocks, mixed up only with pools of lava and the odd white flash of a ghast out to hunt you down. Now the nether is a veritable feast for the eyes with only the Nether Wastes resembling its former looks.
The Warped Forest is a crimson biome punctuated with trees and greenery, while the Crimson Forest is filled with vibrant red roots and trees. While the gray lands of the Basalt Deltas are bland they are unique, as are the ghostly looking Soul Sand Valleys.
9 Hate: Piglins And Piglin Brutes
Piglins are brand new hostile mobs that have 16 health and like to attack you with their gold weapons and crossbows. While they will dispatch wither skeletons and hoglins, it’s their sneakiness that makes us jump and has led to many bad occurrences. While Piglin trades are excellent, we are still wondering if it’s worth it.
You can avoid their swords by wearing gold armor. However, if you mine gold ore or open any chest within their sight they will immediately turn on you, which often causes issues. It’s also easy to mistake them with Piglin Brutes, axe-wielding versions who care not if you wear gold and are much stronger.
8 Love: The Respawn Anchor
While beds act as a respawn point in the overworld, trying to place one in the nether results in explosions of epic proportions. However, there has never been a viable alternative to set a respawn point in the nether, until now.
The newly added respawn anchor is easily crafted and allows players to place it anywhere, clicking it to set their spawn. It does need refilling with glowstone after it’s been used four times but this is a cheap price for the convenience. Just don’t try to use it in the overworld or the end.
7 Hate: The Nether Fog
One thing about the Nether currently is that by default its full of thick fog and artifacts which affect your vision. While it does add to some atmosphere it makes it incredibly difficult to navigate the new biomes.
This can hinder you as you progress but thankfully it does lift when you get closer. You also learn to look past some of the smaller artifacts after a while.
6 Love: New Block Types
The new Nether has brought with it a huge range of new blocks. There are new wood types in vibrant colors as well as other dark and intriguing options that will bring new life to builds.
You’ll find a huge range of Blackstone variations as well as the beautiful and eye-catching crying obsidian. There are also other new items in the ruined portals, Bastion Remnants, and Nether Fossils that are spread through the area.
5 Hate: Hoglins
While they make a great source of food in the nether, Hoglins are also very fast and like to push you off the edge of things. Since the new Nether is packed full of narrow ledges, steep drops, and dangerous ledges this is much more of an issue than you may expect.
While they are easy enough to dispatch, if you get a group together it can be a difficult fight, especially if you’ve annoyed some Piglins at the same time. Make sure you keep an eye out for them, especially in the Crimson Forest where they are very common.
4 Love: New Lighting Types
The nether now has several variations of blue fire. Named soul fire, the bright blue flames can be made into campfires, torches, lanterns, and regular flames. You can also hang your lanterns with the new chains. The only disadvantage is that soul fires only produce a light level of 10 so are darker than regular versions.
If you need the extra light take a look at shroomlights, a new block similar to glowstone that produces a light level of 15 and can be broken fastest using a hoe.
3 Hate: Increased Danger
We’re not sure what it is but the new nether feels far more dangerous. Mobs appear more plentiful, the variation can be disorientating, and falling from a height seems to happen far more often.
The combination of unfamiliar terrain, new mechanics, and the thick fog mean we seem to have to be a lot more careful than we’re used to. Luckily, you can still break onto the Nether roof for easy traversal between portals.
2 Love: Netherite Tools And Armor
The new Netherite tools and armor are a fantastic addition to the game. While the process of farming ancient debris is quite literally explosive, once complete your armor feels virtually indestructible.
Netherite armor will not vanish in lava, something hugely important when caving or in the nether, and its durability increases by a vast amount. While other stats remain the same, these properties alone make it well worth the effort of collection.
1 Hate: Increased Difficulty Flying
Flying in the new nether is far more difficult than before. While in the past many areas were quite flat and spacious, the new vertical biomes change all that. Caves, cliffs, and small gaps are common, making navigation at speed difficult.
There are also more structures around for you to fly into, new heights to misjudge and of course, there are still huge pools of lava to land in.
NEXT: Minecraft: 10 Best Farms For XP
