Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Review – Better Than MCU

It’s not surprising that Square Enix hasn’t had the best luck with its licensed Marvel titles. Following the abysmal Marvel’s Avengers, expectations weren’t high for whatever was cooking next in their catalog. That makes it all the more shocking that Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, developed by Crystal Dynamics, is not only one of the best-licensed games out there but a fantastic game on its own merit. 

Story And Setting

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy places you in the starfaring, bounty-hunting shoes of Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) as the leader of the titular Guardians of the Galaxy.

If you’ve seen the movies or read the comics, it’s the same iconic cast of characters you’ve come to know and love: Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Gamora. It follows the cast on a quest spanning multiple planets, starting off as a rather simple narrative that gradually evolves into massive world-ending stakes as the story progresses. 

It’s the kind of thing you’ve seen a million times: a space-trotting adventure with a ragtag group of unlikely companions who don’t quite get along well with each other and a leader who has to grow into his role.

What stood out to me in the narrative was the breadth of ways my decisions could influence events in the story and how that tied into the gameplay.

Despite the rote premise, Guardians of the Galaxy has one of the best narratives I have experienced recently. Much of that can be attributed to its strong writing and characters, which sit at the core of the experience.

From the beginning, I first noticed just how good the writing and banter were. The guardians all talk and bicker with each other like real people, and it’s clear that some of them don’t get along that well with others. Every member has a different dynamic with each other that slowly changes over the course of the story, such as Drax slowly learning to see a friend in Gamora despite their complicated history. 

MCU, This Is Not

Another impressive achievement of the writing is how Guardians manages to be funny while avoiding the trappings of the “Whedon dialogue.” A major reason is that it never tries to undercut its emotional moments with random doses of humor. It understands the weight and seriousness of powerful scenes just as it understands when to lighten the mood with casual banter. 

What stood out to me in the narrative was the breadth of ways my decisions could influence events in the story and how that tied into the gameplay. In one instance early in the story, my choice could change how an entire level would play out, and the game would even factor my decision much later into the story. 

Despite the rote premise, Guardians of the Galaxy has one of the best narratives I have experienced in recent memory.”

This is something Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy frequently does, and the sheer scale of how these choices can come into play always left me with my mouth agape. It reminded me that this is the same studio that made the fantastic Deus Ex Human Revolution and Mankind Divided titles and the way your choices would shape the narrative in those games. 

All in all, Guardians of The Galaxy has one of the best narratives I have experienced in an AAA game. It features exceptional writing that maintains a near-perfect balance between humor and seriousness and a strong narrative that offers the player a surprising amount of agency. 

Gameplay

Gameplay in Guardians of The Galaxy typically involves exploring linear levels, solving puzzles, combat, and interacting with your team on the ship.

Exploration typically involves moving around the levels while watching for optional collectibles, such as various outfits for each Guardians and various resources to purchase useful upgrades for your characters. The game occasionally breaks things up with the odd puzzle, but they’re usually fairly simple. 

It’s nothing mind-blowing or special, and it would get tiring quickly in any other game. Thankfully, Guardians of The Galaxy peppers these moments with frequent banter between the characters, which is a joy to listen to.

You can also choose between different dialogue choices during these moments, which sometimes affects future dialogue or at least results in a funny gap, such as choosing to throw Rocket Racoon across a gap to open the way.

Eye Of The Tiger

The real meat and potatoes of the gameplay is the combat system, which is decent. It’s a system that works for Guardians of the Galaxy’s goal of making you feel like you’re the leader of this group of ragtag fighters. 

In practice, the combat revolves around pelting enemies with gunfire like Peter Quill and giving various commands to each of the four guardians during battle.

Peter can also melee enemies, which gives you extra health, but that’s always a last resort as melee is risky and not particularly damaging. Every command has a set cooldown timer before it can be used again; efficient play involves using the right command for each situation and managing your cooldowns effectively. 

Each Guardian specializes in one specific thing. Groot excels at immobilizing enemies; Rocket Raccoon specializes in splash damage, while Gamora and Drax do big single-target damage. Throughout the game, you also gain XP, with which you can unlock new abilities for every Guardian, including Peter himself.

During combat, you can also make a special “Huddle up” move where you must select the right prompt to boost your team’s morale. Choosing the right options means everyone gets a damage boost, and the soundtrack is replaced with one of Guardians’ many licensed tracks, ranging from Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” to “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult. 

At its best, when you’re rapidly calling in your guardian abilities, bursting down large groups of enemies in seconds to Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero,” Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy feels like an explosive symphony where you’re the conductor. 

It’s not always at its best, though. There are moments in the game where I would much rather engage in conversations or watch more of the game’s expertly directed cutscenes than fight through a whole bunch of enemies in a gauntlet. 

Thankfully, Guardians of The Galaxy peppers these moments with frequent banter between the characters, all of which is a joy to listen to.”

Between missions, you get to spend time on the Milano, your trusty spaceship. Here, you can hang out with your fellow Guardians, have special bond conversations, listen to any of the game’s licensed songs, and observe their interactions. 

During my playthrough, I thoroughly explored Milano after each mission to see every interaction. There are numerous running gags throughout the entire game, such as someone leaving the fridge open after every mission or an Ilama sitting in the back of the ship eating grass. It’s a neat little addition that makes the Guardians feel like unwilling roommates and shows them going about their daily lives.

Visuals And Performance

From the moment you start playing, it is obvious that Guardians of The Galaxy will be a feast for the eyes. The game is rich with gorgeous, otherworldly vistas that frequently made my jaw drop, from planets overtaken by the harsh frost to a sprawling sci-fi city straight out of a Cyberpunk fiction, almost fully explorable with tons of unique interactions. 

The game also features Ray Tracing, and while I didn’t test it out much, the results I have seen online definitely do not disappoint. I also faced some issues with the performance. Setting aside some stuttering, the game ran nearly perfectly for me across my 30+ hour playthrough. 

Verdict

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy features a fantastic narrative backed by exceptional writing and a strong selection of licensed music. While the combat doesn’t quite reach the greatness of the other parts of the game, it does little to diminish what is ultimately one of the best AAA titles currently out.