We try to stay optimistic about games that want to turn themselves around. We’ve seen titles like No Man’s Sky and Rainbow Six Siege wow gamers with much-appreciated overhauls. But at this point, it’s safe to say that developer Crystal Dynamics’ Marvel’s The Avengers probably won’t have its comeback moment. What was supposed to be a live service game that would provide years of exciting content for Marvel fans quickly faded into oblivion thanks to its repetitive gameplay, bloated games-as-a-service mechanics and stale end-game content.
There were moments during The Avengers campaign where we noticed the game was probably designed to be a solid-single player experience, and we’re glad that Square Enix’s follow-up Marvel game is just that. Guardians of the Galaxy is an entertaining, light-hearted action-adventure, just like the source material.
In GOTG, you play as Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, the leader of the pack, who guides his crew of cosmic misfits through all sorts of intergalactic shenanigans. Just like The Avengers, GOTG does take a minute to get used to – especially if you’re coming in after the Marvel movies – since all characters look and sound different. You probably won’t care as you get invested in these new characters, but it definitely feels strange initially when Rocket Racoon doesn’t sound like Bradley Cooper.
GOTG starts off as a fairly standard third-person shooter. Star-Lord can dual-wield his iconic laser pistols and move around the battlefield stylishly while racking up style points a la Devil May Cry. Playing through the game and killing all manner of intergalactic scum will allow you to purchase abilities, making him even more stylish in battle. Scavenging supplies during your playthrough will allow you to upgrade Star-Lord’s pistols at an in-game workbench. These include useful abilities like reducing weapon cooldown or increasing damage. And it’s smart to invest in these abilities early on since the game can feel a bit challenging at times.
But it’s when you add in the abilities of the rest of the crew that the game really stands out from the pack. Much like a party-based action RPG, GOTG allows players to actively control the Guardians during battle. Better yet, you can mix up their abilities for some explosive combos. Groot, for example, can trap multiple enemies with his roots, while Rocket can unleash a barrage of rockets on those trapped enemies. And this is just one example. Throw Gamora and Drax into the mix and you’ll be pulling off sick combos in no time. Guardian abilities are also used to solve certain environmental puzzles and these provide a refreshing change of pace. While slam dunking on aliens as the Guardians is entertaining, combat could pack a bit more punch. It’s serviceable, sure, but it lacks the feedback we’ve come to expect from games in this genre.
Guardians of the Galaxy is also heavy on dialogue, so if you aren’t fans of these characters, or dialogue-heavy games in general, this could be a turn-off. That being said, this is definitely a step in the right direction for Square Enix after The Avengers. It’s not bloated with micro-transactions and it respects your time by stripping away any semblance of a grind. Think of it as an interactive Guardians of the Galaxy experience and you won’t be disappointed.
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