Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has Surprised the Hell Out of Me

It feels weird to say this about a AAA game, but Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is probably the game that’s surprised me the most so far this year. After Marvel Spider-Man’s copaganda and the overall mediocrity of Marvel’s Avengers, my expectations for this game were low, to say the least. Maybe these low expectations were why I’ve been so taken with this game, but I have to admit, I’m having a really great time with it, eight episodes in.

I think it’s safe to say that the main appeal of GOTG is Eidos Montreal’s take on the titular characters, and others you meet along the way. The combat is nothing special, and the RPG elements are pretty limited. On a gameplay level, this one is pretty basic, so its characters are left with a lot of heavy lifting. Luckily, Eidos’ Guardians and side characters are strong enough to carry the game.

Rather than trying to ape the MCU versions of these characters as we’ve come to know them, Eidos embraced its own versions. Their Peter Quill sells dirtbag with a heart of gold better than even some of the video game greats like Nathan Drake (though his vaguely Canadian accent does make it a bit harder to suspend disbelief). Beyond that, he and his teammates all have distinct relationships and conflicts with each other that make the team feel maybe not real, but definitely lively.

The story at large isn’t much different than what you’d find in a modern Marvel film in terms of content and visuals, but even here, Eidos provides a surprising amount of flavor to this formula. This is, in part, due to the fact that the game simply has more room to breathe than a film does. You can take the time to idle around an area and trigger your teammates’ commentary on your current situation, and explore the details of the settings around you, without having to worry that the story will continue without you.

Beyond that, Guardians of the Galaxy embraces horror and serious content and integrates it really well, balancing out the tone without becoming grim dark. There’s a lot of fucked up stuff happening as the Guardians attempt to pay off the fine they accrue at the start of the game, and the narrative doesn’t shy away from that. It reveals stories of mind control, the horrors of war, and more through various logs found in the environment, and even gets into some Alien-esque sci-fi horror scenes, but doesn’t revel in the darkness it’s choosing to portray. This keeps the story worth paying attention to, while maintaining the Guardians’ trademark jovial tone.

I don’t know that it’s going to end up being something spectacular, but if Guardians of the Galaxy manages to stick the landing on its ending (or at least do something interesting with it) it will be right up with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart in terms of expertly crafted single-player blockbuster experiences. I guess my expectations going towards GOTG’s finale are still kind of low, but it’s just because I don’t even know what to expect now. At this point, I’m just along for the ride, and that’s a good thing.