Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy lives up to fans’ expectations of stories about this crew of space explorers who are already well-known – owing to blockbuster blockbusters. There there a lot of verbal jokes and insults among the team? Current. Uncontrollable explosions and numerous confrontations with odd factions of cosmic thugs? Without a doubt. A cosmic menace that can only be defeated by a dysfunctional group that works best when listening to vintage rock? Oh you better believe it!
The scenario of this rendition of the Guardians of the Galaxy adventures from the Eidos Montreal studio is primarily influenced by comic books. We first encounter the heroes while they are already working as bounty hunters and struggling to make ends meet. Of course, the plot swiftly progresses from a “accidental” run-in with the law to saving the galaxy, but nothing here feels outlandish or out of place with this warped band of heroes. We take on the role of Peter “Star Lord” Quill, who leads a gang that includes Draks the Destroyer, the dangerous Gamora, the genetically enhanced raccoon Rocket, and Groot, the last of his species of thinking trees. Despite their look, which is closer to the cartoon originals, fans of film adaptations will undoubtedly know the entire crew. The collectibles contain skins that reference the movies, allowing you to change it easily.
In every way, the gameplay is similar to a somewhat simplified concept familiar from action RPGs such as Mass Effect. We control one hero, who gives directions to the rest of the team in combat, visits destinations, walks around the ship, and interacts with crew members and side characters. Everything is quite familiar, but has been changed enough to give this tried-and-true formula a new lease on life. The adventure and story component of the game is its most valuable asset. The characters’ conversations and sardonic demeanor, as well as relationships built on balancing love and hatred, are the essence of Guardians of the Galaxy and suit nicely here. It’s tough not to adore this dysfunctional gang from the start. The same can be said for the whole universe depicted, which is filled with colorful individuals and amusing scenarios. We frequently influence the course of the debate, and as Star Lords, we frequently interrupt other people’s talks to make decisions that affect the story’s progression. These kinds of decisions may appear obvious, yet they have surprising repercussions, exactly like in Telltale Games’ adventure games.
Fans of the comic books will like the allusions to the rest of the Guardians world. We meet the Nova Corps, or Cosmo, the Soviet dog. The latter maintains order in the strange land of Knowhere, where we experience various adventures. Combat is the second most significant aspect of Guardians of the Galaxy gameplay. We only have control over Star Lord, who has jet boots, two blasters, and formidable fists. The remaining heroes are entirely autonomous, but we may command them to conduct our special attacks at any moment. So we strike a balance between our own combat and devising better attack combinations depending on the unique characteristics of each partner.
When we don’t have many unique talents, the conflict appears to be not just monotonous, but also unexpectedly chaotic. As we earn additional skills, we begin to take control of the combat, stopping oncoming waves of foes with Groot stuns, weakening the toughest adversaries with Drax or Gamora, and blowing out everyone who is still standing. Quill gets more command of the battlefield by unlocking elemental abilities in his blasters. The “Rally,” a unique phase that begins once the team’s energy meter is fully charged, is an intriguing addition. As if at a basketball game, everyone gathers in front of the leader, and we pick a brief speech to boost the group’s morale and momentarily improve their firepower and endurance. The entire picture appears implausible – a “time out” during the struggle against a cosmic danger who is graciously waiting for us. There is, however, something that matches the convention. The fights grow more intriguing with time, although they are not really challenging. Even boss bouts, despite their seeming complexity, are rather repetitive and mostly dependent on element manipulation, turning into a game of rock, paper, scissors.
Each hero’s distinctiveness is also useful during exploring. There are countless environmental puzzles in the different and colorful worlds we visit. As a result, we frequently request that our buddies construct a bridge out of roots, assist us in jumping higher, or squeeze through a tight tunnel to hack an otherwise unreachable access panel. Despite some predictability and a lack of freedom in the selection of visited locales, the adventure component provides enough extra options and decisions to entice you to replay a selected chapter and see “what would happen if”. It is comparable to the finale, which is the result of several decisions made during the game and our last option. It’s enough that everyone’s experience with the Guardians of the Galaxy is slightly different.
Guardians of the Galaxy does not attempt to reinvent the wheel. This is a single-player adventure with small and brand-appropriate changes to established elements. Is it wrong? No, since the tale and positive comic book atmosphere keep Star Lord and the rest of the company engrossed in the adventures for many hours. It’s just a lot of fun.