It's hard to say if its'a  real addiction as I really don't have that kind of personality. I've done a number of things in a manner that could be labeled addicted, but I have successfully quit them all without any physical or emotional reaction to the loss of them. This includes smoking as well since it is often stated that a smoker that quits smoking will have physical withdrawals....but now i'm just getting off-topic. 
 
Minecraft. Yes the little game that could has officially taken over my gaming life. And for due reason. The game hits every niche for me. It satisfies my love of open-world games. It satisfies my niche for infinite customization, and even more important in this regard it gives me complete freedom over what I create and the lighting on said objects. The last game that gave me this kind of freedom was Morrowind, and my incessant hoarding of candles and all manner of light sources just to make my choice of living quarters look like an acid trip. Minecraft though just blows this straight out of proportion. Sure I can only use a standard torch for a light source, but that doesn't mean I can't fill 5 sides of a 6 sided cube with said torches making look like some rejected enemy from a Doom game. 
 
But still I digress from the point. My previous post was a illuminating view on what by all accounts is scheduled to become one of the best indie games to come out since World of Goo, and Braid. Minecraft is still in Alpha, and has no immediate plans to hit beta, but it is still available to everyone and anyone who just can't wait to sink their teeth into an experience that will enthrall you on multiple levels. The most obvious of these level is the construction aspect, but there is also the survival 'horror' aspect. I put 'horror' in quotations because there really isn't much horror until your a mile below the surface and you hear the groaning of enemies from all around you and you are uncertain whether to run all the way back to the surface, or blindly hope that a creeper won't ice you a moment later. Above ground these enemies typically aren't very scary. The zombie will moan like a zombie, and just wander around waiting to run into you. The skeleton will take matters a little more seriously and lob arrows at you at a distance, but they have terrible aim. Things only become somewhat horrific with the spiders and creepers. Spiders are fast, jump higher than any other enemy, and can hit multiple times before you realize your down to 2 health. And, well, creepers are silent and extremely deadly. If you hear the fuse then it's already too late. This tiered form of terror really helps to elevate the reason why staying in-doors at night is a good thing, and that exploring a dark underground cavern is a fool's errand without enough torches to light a small city.  
 
It is infinitely easier to talk about the atmosphere this game creates than it is to get in-depth into the construction aspects. Mainly because the sheer variety of what you can collect and create requires an entire wiki entry just to begin to satisfy just how deep the game really is. Since I began playing the game, the Minecraft wiki has been my constant companion. And if you want to get the most out of the game then you will be knee deep in crafting, and farming. Crafting is the heart and soul of Minecraft and you will be spending much time collecting, then crafting, in order to be able to create whatever you want to imagine up. The nice thing about the crafting is that it isn't just merely the process of making building blocks to erect giant stone, wood, or gold structures. You can also create elaborate mechanisms with wire and levers. Traps are also an important variety to be created in the game. And couple this with some seriously inventive contraptions, such as an airlock and other similar devices, and the game can really make you think. There are also mine carts and rails to be made in this game, which ultimately leads to roller coasters. And did I mention someone made a freaking water slide in this game? Just incredible. Although this is only one of numerous slides and other crazy stuff that is made. And here's one more because I can't get enough of the cool stuff possible.
 
I'd probably go on and on about this game right now, but I actually should probably get some rest. Although there is a high possibility i'll continue updating my blog with my continued adventures in the game along with my own personal ravings about how great the game is. So until next time, and hopefully these posts help up the player count for the inevitable multi-player release!