Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy review: A hard-rocking space adventure

Our Verdict

Curiosity's Guardians of the Galaxy delivers a difficult-rocking space take a chance filled with thrilling action, captivating alien worlds and memorable characters.

For

Varied gameplay
Relatable and sympathetic characters
Awe-inspiring alien worlds
Difficult rocking soundtrack

Confronting

Persistent hidden load screens

Tom's Guide Verdict

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy delivers a hard-rocking space adventure filled with thrilling action, captivating conflicting worlds and memorable characters.

Pros

+
Varied gameplay
+
Relatable and sympathetic characters
+
Monumental alien worlds
+
Hard rocking soundtrack

Cons

-
Persistent hidden load screens

Curiosity'Southward GUARDIANS OF THE Galaxy SPECS

Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series Ten/Southward, Nintendo Switch
Price: $60
Release Date: October 26, 2021
Genre: Activeness/adventure

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a Marvel Cinematic Universe film in video game form. It has all of the humor, activeness, and memorable music that fabricated the franchise a hit. You lot could fence information technology'southward just as good or amend than its source material due to it existence interactive. Guardians of the Galaxy'south stylized graphics, infrequent voice acting and rocking soundtrack make it amidst the most enjoyable titles of 2021.

In many respects, Guardians of the Milky way is a "pure" action adventure experience. Eschewing modern AAA game trends, it's a surprisingly stripped downwards and focused affair. There are no side quests or skill trees, nor is there leveling up or inventory management. This aspect might displease players seeking endless hours of playtime, only it'south refreshing to see a loftier-profile game jettison extraneous content in favor of delivering a straightforward adventure.

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Curiosity's Guardians of the Galaxy review: Story

The game starts with the Guardians of the Galaxy entering an ancient starship graveyard to recall a "deadly" beast for a warlord named Lady Hellbender. At this betoken in the Guardians' career, Peter Quill (Star-Lord) tries to proceed the newly-formed band of misfits together. Drax distrusts Gamora, Gamora remains distant and Rocket and Groot seem to only care about their own interests. The squad succeeds in their mission merely to find themselves arrested by the Nova Corps who constabulary the spaceways. This, in turn, drops the Guardians in the middle of a struggle that could engulf the entire universe.

The story delivers all of the requisite twists and activity sequences expected from the genre and a Marvel Cinematic Universe motion picture. It's an engaging tale on its own, but information technology's the Guardians and their respective internal struggles that lend the story both heft and heart. Every bit the tale progresses, you'll proceeds insight into each Guardian. Seemingly comedic characters like the foul-mouthed Rocket or too-literal Drax hibernate tumultuous and painful pasts. Overcoming trauma is the cadre theme of Guardians of the Galaxy and one that will resonate with audiences who've had to or continue to deal with life'due south tribulations.

marvel's guardians of the galaxy — (Prototype credit: Foursquare-Enix)

Characters don't just collaborate during cutscenes. They converse and bicker with i another all along the adventure. You'll often go dialogue options to respond to characters' conversations. Agreeing with Rocket when he wants to destroy something or telling Drax to calm down doesn't impact the larger narrative, merely these instances tin can open up up additional dialogue options later on on.

There are sure events that modify the narrative, though only slightly. For example, speaking into a pilfered Nova Corp helmet will result in a battle, while doing the opposite avoids the run into. Some non-playable characters may lend their aid if you lot side with them, making certain battles easier or giving you access to sealed-off rooms. But no thing what choices you make, the main narrative remains unchanged. Still, the choices, as superficial as they may seem, are appreciated.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy review: Gameplay

Guardians of the Galaxy feels similar a narrative-driven third-person action/take a chance game released in the late 2000s or early on 2010s. There is a balanced mix of gainsay, platforming and mild puzzle-solving. Aside from prolonged combat encounters during the third act, you're never doing a single action for very long. This keeps the game moving at a steady pace since it'south always engaging you with dissimilar objectives.

Blasters are your primary weapons, though you lot tin appoint in melee combat to bargain with enemies that get as well shut. Dodging and jumping over attacks is some other role of your repertoire. Equally the game progresses, the blasters proceeds elemental furnishings that work well against specific enemy types. Some foes are weak to ice and fire blasts while others cannot handle electric of globe attacks. You tin can swap betwixt element types at any moment, which you lot'll need to exercise when the game tosses enemies with various weaknesses against you lot. Shattering frozen opponents afflicted by water ice blasts or locking multiple foes in place with a chain lightning attack is non only enjoyable but strategically sound. Though you simply have direct control over Star-Lord, his numerous and ever-evolving abilities forbid combat from becoming dried and repetitious.

You cannot assume control of your teammates but you can take them perform different attacks and abilities. Gamora and Drax's abilities are best suited confronting single opponents, while Rocket and Groot are ideal for handling large groups. In that location is a modest cooldown menstruum every time you use one of the Guardians' abilities. Getting into the habit of using your mates' powers is crucial, especially during the latter half of the game. But in one case you've mastered Star-Lord and the Guardians' unique skills, you lot'll make short work of anyone and anything yous come across.

1 of the most enjoyable mechanics is the squad huddle. A meter located on the correct-hand side of the screen fills during battle. When it tops off, you can phone call your team to huddle upwards. Words and sentences, along with lines delivered by the Guardians, provide a glimpse into their mental country. The team may be overconfident or experience hopeless. Yous'll have to select one of two spoken language options to either cool the Guardians down or inspire them to persevere. A correct selection gives the entire team an attack boost. Conversely, a wrong choice results in merely Star-Lord gaining added criminal offence. Team huddles are not only benign when y'all're on the proverbial ropes but they brand you feel every bit if y'all and the others are a tight-knit squad.

When non shooting up conflicting baddies, you'll engage in mild puzzle-solving and platforming. There is no shortage of expansive gaps to surmount or security systems to bypass. Star-Lord'due south jet boots help you jump over modest gaps or reach loftier ledges with minimal endeavour. Platforming doesn't experience every bit intuitive or effortless as it does in games similar Uncharted or Tomb Raider, but the mechanic works well enough.

Peter's scanner displays interactive portions of the environment. This mechanic is most useful for solving puzzles, but it tin can also display enemy weaknesses. Some locked doors need power to open. Unlocking these doors unremarkably requires you lot to reroute power to them. The only manner to exercise that is to use your visor to see where the power lines lead and so y'all tin can redirect and change their form. You won't find many of these specific types of puzzles. Most have you ordering specific Guardians to break walls (Drax), slice power cables (Gamora), create vine bridges (Groot) or clamber through air vents (Rocket). The puzzles are simplistic, merely they infinite out battles and give something different to focus on.

Guardians of the Galaxy contains mild role-playing game (RPG) elements. Unlike other activeness-heavy franchises such equally Assassin's Creed, Guardians' RPG elements are complementary and take no detrimental effect if you cull to ignore them. This can exist a negative for those who seek deeper function-playing mechanics, but a positive for people who just want to enjoy the adventure.

You'll find hidden and not-so-hidden components strewn across each level that you can give to Rocket, who will create mods at workbenches. There is a workbench on the Guardians' starship, but each level also has 1. Abilities and bonuses include enhanced shields, faster cooldowns, additional health and more. You're free to completely dismiss this aspect of the game but information technology's there for those who savor crafting.

Skill points earned in boxing can then be used to unlock new abilities for the Guardians. Each Guardian (yourself included) has four skills max (with the fourth beingness locked behind story progression). Though you can ignore this aspect, I suggest against it. The game becomes quite challenging in the 2d half. As such, it'due south good to have a wide range of abilities and powers at your disposal.

Subconscious load screens are nothing new in gaming. We've all played games which require you lot to crawl through wall cracks, walk across empty halls, slide down steep cliffs or have long lift rides. Guardians of the Galaxy has all of these instances and more than. I'm not certain if Guardians actually has more of these sequences than normal or if I've just become overly sensitive to them, but in that location are points when I felt bombarded by endless corridor and wall crawls. These hidden load screens testify that, no matter how gorgeous the game looks, information technology is incomparably a last-gen title. This doesn't ruin the experience in whatever meaningful way, simply information technology is the game's biggest flaw.

Curiosity's Guardians of the Galaxy review: Visuals and sound

Guardians of the Galaxy is a visual stunner. The detailed graphics contain a stylized flair that gives the game a distinctive identity. The otherworldly environments and gear up pieces brim with an array of fetching colors and captivating conflicting compages. Visual effects like volumetric fog and ray tracing are both subtle and harsh where they need to be, making the planets you visit feel authentic and lived in. Whether it's an abandoned Nova Corps station, the packed streets of Knowhere or Maklu-Iv'south frozen wastes, there is no shortage of incredible locations

Characters receive the same attention to detail every bit the environments. While Peter Quill and his compatriots may not resemble their cinematic or comic book counterparts, they look great regardless. This is also truthful for the expansive array of friends and foes y'all encounter along the journeying. Every space slug, shady multi-armed merchant or elemental being looks fantastic.

The game's hard rock and heavy metal-packed soundtrack amplifies the feel. Hearing bands like Iron Maiden, Motley Crue and Kiss volition go your blood pumping during over-the-tiptop action sequences. The songs played afterwards performing team huddles enliven conventional enemy encounters.

The fictional in-game "Star-Lord" band that inspired Peter Quill's superhero moniker rocks just equally hard as whatsoever of the archetype acts on the soundtrack. The band'south catalog of songs contains everything from blistering rockers to soaring power ballads. Despite the musical diverseness, all of the songs' lyrics share a similar thematic element. Tunes similar "No Guts, No Glory" and "Ghost" center around underdogs rising to meet life's challenges and overcoming their personal demons. That theme is the centre of what makes Guardians of the Galaxy resonate with audiences. The licensed music lone would accept sufficed but the Star-Lord band makes information technology truly exceptional.

Marvel'south Guardians of the Galaxy review: Verdict

Marvel's Guardians of the Milky way is one of the nearly enjoyable games of 2021. Information technology is the definition of a oversupply-pleaser due to its easy-to-master controls, lush alien environments, relatable characters, and hard-driving soundtrack. This may be unfair to say, but Guardians of the Galaxy is what nosotros wanted from Marvel'due south Avengers: A fun, focused single-player action/take a chance game. Eidos-Montreal crafted something special with this game and we await forward to seeing where they take the franchise side by side.

Tony is a computing writer at Tom's Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attention Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various contained gaming sites.