The launch of a game based on a Marvel franchise will always be a relevant event for the entertainment world. It is precisely that expectation, which somehow is born “supported” by the success of the films, which could become a double-edged sword for the company that has the project in its hands. Own Square enix experienced a negative outlook when the long-awaited Marvel’s avengers did not meet expectations in 2020.
The previous situation, unfortunately, took its toll on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, whose announcement went somewhat unnoticed because of the precedent that set the Avengers title. However, it is possible that this lack of reflectors has allowed Eidos Montreal You will work without the usual pressure generated by this type of project. That tranquility, coupled with the extensive experience of the Canadian team, was reflected in a title that, to the surprise of many, turned out to be excellent.
It’s not any joke, Guardians of the Galaxy It is one of the great revelations of the year. A large part of its qualities is due to the fact that Eidos had the creative freedom to build his own path in both the narrative and the playable. We are not facing a title guided by a forced business model, or with rare experiments that end up half implemented.
Instead, they went for something more traditional: a single player experience whose strengths are an entertaining story with constant action and a gameplay that transmits very good feelings. Starting from that base, which should be that of any superhero game, Guardians of the Galaxy get you caught from start to finish.
Another fundamental point is that Star-Lord is the main protagonist of the adventure. This decision, which for some might seem wrong given the presence of other characters, is intended to make the most of the abilities of the aforementioned superhero. In addition, of the charismatic group of warriors, Peter Quill is the one who has the largest range of movements and attacks. Be careful, this does not mean that others do not intervene, but I will delve into this later.
When proposing a single player experience, narrative is an essential piece of the game. Fortunately, Guardians of the Galaxy It is more than enough in this section. The above is achieved, for the most part, because bet on an original story away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can forget about everything that happens on the big screen, it has no place here. The fact of enjoying a story that had not been told previously, of course, increases your interest in knowing how it unfolds.
Eidos was able to use the heroes at his convenience, leading them to explore different worlds and engaging them in situations as wacky as they were hilarious. Yes, the game has a lot of references to comics, starting with the locations. If you are a true Marvel fan, you will surely know how to identify them, at least by name. As for the roster villains, they also resort to familiar faces in comics. The one of Lady Hellbender or the one of Raker stands out, although they are not the only ones that you will have to face.
In an attempt to add variety to the adventure, Eidos implemented a decision system linked to dialogues. At first it seemed that it would not have much impact, but as the hours went by it became more important until it became a key component. Basically, the course of a level, including the story itself, can change slightly depending on the decision you have made.
Now, do not expect the consequences of your decisions to alter the end of the story as could happen, for example, in an RPG. However, certainly contributes to increasing the level of replayability of Guardians of the Galaxy. You will have the concern to return to the campaign making different decisions, an addition that is always appreciated in a single player story.
One point that I found interesting is that in order to get to know the other characters in a “more personal” way, it is necessary to get closer to them while traveling in the iconic Milano. It could be said that the ship becomes a center for social interaction for deeper and more meaningful conversations. These talks will leave you with more than some relevant information about the members that make up the crew.
On the playable terrain, Guardians of the Galaxy does not take many risks in relation to the capabilities of the protagonist. In this sense, it does remain aligned with what has already been seen in comics and movies. Star-Lord possesses his inherent blasters, masters the melee attack and relies on the thrusters of his boots to surprise the enemy from different positions. The action is guaranteed, but it is until the other characters get involved that combat flares up.
Gamora, Rocket, Groot and Drax show off unique skills to support you during a confrontation —or to solve puzzles. However, the most interesting thing is that you can order your intervention yourself according to your needs. This mechanic, obviously, aims to make the fighting feel more dynamic and that all the characters, despite not being entirely under your control, contribute to a lesser or greater extent to overcome the enemies that stand in the way.
Everything related to combat is also based on a level designI know that, despite not being open, it favors the use of the guardians’ abilities. Some scenarios even lend themselves to a certain verticality. All this fun you get from fighting would not be possible without the correct selection of enemies. Their attacks are different from each other and on more than one occasion you will find yourself in trouble, especially when your teammates cannot help you.
There are two experiences in Guardians of the Galaxy that excel in playability. The first has to do with confrontations with final bosses. They are not only challenging, but also a true visual spectacle. The second is the battles with spaceships aboard the Milano. The introduction of the latter is quite a surprise, as it works quite well in the controls and brings a greater playable variety to the adventure.
Visually, Eidos has also done an outstanding job. It is not easy to recreate a group of characters whose faces and voices are fully associated with the actors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, its look It is close to the one in the comics. For its part, the fantastic settings and the atmosphere that each one transmits, embellish an atmosphere that borders on excellence.
At this point we can also talk about a remarkable dubbing work that takes advantage of the humor so characteristic of the Guardians and a soundtrack licensed with great classic themes of the eighties. For instance: Everybody Wants To Rule The Worldby Tears for Fears; Take on me, from A-ha; Never Goona Give You Upby Rick Astley, and Relaxby Frankie Goes to Hollywood, to name just a few of the fine selection.
Regarding the technical section, in general terms Guardians of the Galaxy it is at the height of what you could expect in a game of 2021. Of course, it is not a graphic reference. The PS5 version, which was where we enjoyed it, offers two visual modes; one prioritizes resolution and the other prioritizes frames per second. Although we opted for the second option, we noticed some falls of frames at specific moments, especially when the scene demanded more enemies on the screen.
Without a doubt, Square Enix, with the help of Eidos Montreal, has found the right formula to succeed with a superhero game. Guardians of the Galaxy will offer you a fun-filled adventure which can easily be extended up to 20 hours. The narrative, which is the greatest strength of the title along with the gameplay, is worthy of a group of heroes that has captivated so many people in recent years, and he achieves it by betting on an original story. It is one of the best superhero games that you can currently enjoy and of course earned a spot among the highlights of 2021.