Although the Marvel universe is home to too many superheroes and gathers them under one roof, these superheroes are individually shared among various developers in the game world. And unfortunately, not all of these developers are able to reflect the stories on the game screens with the same success. It would not be wrong if I say that a considerable number of people are alienated from superhero games, especially because of a few productions that did not convey the excitement we received from the last period on the big screen, both in terms of characters and game mechanics. At least we are, and we’ve been biased towards this type of post-Avengers game for a while.
When Guardians of the Galaxy got our hands on it, we thought it was a game we would review and pass. But we were definitely wrong. GOTG is not just a game with superb graphics and a show, it is good enough to be a starting point for Marvel games with its excellent story and entertaining game mechanics. The game is like a Tomb Raider set in the superhero universe. Eidos Montreal has included the mechanics and dynamics we are accustomed to from the popular game in this game, and I think we will finish a Marvel game after a long time. Might be one of the best Marvel games we’ve ever played.
Typical GOTG humor preserved
Guardians of the Galaxy has a brand that has not been consumed much like Avengers and has an interesting story. This linear, single-player, story-driven game makes you feel like you’re playing in a television series with tons of dialogue, surprise exits and cameos supported by excellent voiceovers. Even though we control only the head of the team, Peter Quill, namely Star-Lord, in the game, we can apply for their help from time to time by giving commands to our other teammates. While our team of multi-colored characters watches our back in battles, they can demonstrate their skills in overcoming impassable points in the game. It’s really worth hearing the jokes and funny dialogues between the other characters during these battles. Of course, we can also be involved in these dialogues, and with the new dialogue options that open according to the objects we collect, we can dive deeper into the stories of all the characters as the game progresses.
The dialog mechanics are somewhat similar to the Telltale system. As Star-Lord, we constantly have to choose one of the dialogue options that can change what happens in the game. These can have different effects, from making a teammate feel better to changing actions that take place throughout the game. To give an example without giving any spoilers, we supported Gamora when we had to make a team decision, and we saw a clear effect of this choice in the rest of the game. Some are not very effective, while others really feel like a game changer.
Fighting mechanics can challenge you
Although GOTG is a team game, as we mentioned before, the story mainly proceeds through Star Lord and the controls are very practical in this part. Controlling our hero is no different from a standard third-person action game. We can lock the target with LT and fire the guns with RT. For special abilities, we use the RB key. Of course, in a Marvel game, it is not possible without close combat, but we can say that we do not use it as long as we get new abilities for both Star Lord and the team. In the meantime, it is not easy to constantly improve our own special abilities, to fight the enemy and to give commands to 3 different teammates at the same time. Maybe that’s why I see this as different from other Marvel games.
Difficult to progress without the help of the team
When you want to call other members of the team for help, you have to make a 3-step selection by first pressing LB, then selecting the character and then giving a command. It also takes some getting used to, it’s okay when solving puzzles, but it’s challenging at first, especially when you’re in the middle of a battle. Fortunately, the game slows down time at this time and you are given enough time. There’s also a summon mechanic to get the team up and create special attacks to deal extra damage. You’re giving a motivational speech, sort of like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. It’s fun to start with a pop-up song from the Walkman. If you choose the right answer at the end of the meeting, you can make a huge attack with the whole team. Even if you make the wrong choice, you will have to be content with only an attack by our character. Still, it can be a good starting point when battling crowds of all kinds.
No addons like DLC and in-game payment!
Those who follow our reviews will know, games with a good scenario are always a little more prominent in ours. This game also has a very good and full story. It may take an average of 15 hours to complete. Let’s also mention that there are many upgrades to collect as you progress. But more importantly, there are no in-game purchases, separate DLCs, and no other hidden payments, just hidden special costumes that you can unlock throughout the collectible levels. Guardians of the Galaxy has become one of the single-player games that we miss lately, focusing on its story and offering you a complete package for the price you buy.
The music is amazing but what about the performance?
The worlds we visit in the game are simply dazzling and their diversity is quite good. Space battles feel great, even with limited controls, and the characters look great too. Of course No, we do not see Chris Pratt as Star Lord, but still, the models in this game are definitely much more compatible than the ones in Avengers. The voice-over is also first class, but the music should be evaluated separately. From A-ha to Europe, from Soft Cell to Bobby McFerrin and even Rick Astley. The songs that come in at the right time really increase the enjoyment you get from the game.
We played this game again on Xbox Series S. The game engine used is the kind of hardware that really wears out, so unfortunately the 1080p 30fps locked performance mode is standard for the Series S. But of course that doesn’t stop the game from looking good. Xbox Series X and PS5 owners are also limited to 1080p 60fps in quality mode and 4K 30fps in performance mode. It could have been better in terms of performance.
Conclusion
Guardians of the Galaxy has probably been one of the biggest surprises of the year for us as well as many others. As we mentioned before, our hopes for this game also decreased after Avengers. However, we are sure that once you start like us, it will be very difficult for you to get up. You can forget previous games. This is the kind of game Marvel fans want. It’s been a solid single-player adventure that focuses on the characters and also tells a great story. If you’re a Marvel fan or love story-driven games, you’ll definitely play it, but for other game lovers, it’s definitely worth playing. While we had our reservations at the beginning of this review, it is clear that this is a meticulous game by the Eidos Montreal team. Definitely worth its price.
85
Developer Eidos Montreal
Published by Square Enix
Genre Superhero game, Adventure
Platform: Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PC, Switch, PS4, PS5
Web: https://guardiansofthegalaxy. square-enix-games. com/
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