While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in full swing, it's becoming increasingly clear that the company is willing to also dip its toe into the video game market in an attempt to resonate with more people around the globe. Some attempts have been runaway successes like Insomniac's Spider-Man and others like Marvel Heroes Omega were short-lived and underwhelming projects from both a quality and sales perspective.The disappointment of Marvel's Avengers was still on the minds of Marvel fans everywhere when developer Eidos Montreal announced it was working on a Guardians of the Galaxy project, and it was hard for the experience to garner the anticipation it perhaps deserved.
Early footage looked strong, but the announcement was out of the blue, so it was hard to get appropriately excited. Nevertheless, Guardians of the Galaxy released to positive reviews, and quickly won the hearts of those who gave it a shot. Peter Quill and his merry band of misfit crew mates spend their time bickering through the whole plot, only stopping momentarily to save the galaxy from an external extremist threat. The Marvel name comes with the expectation of a sequel to some of its best stories, so the fact that it's unlikely Guardians of the Galaxy will receive one is a letdown.
What Guardians of the Galaxy Did Right
While the Marvel Cinematic Unierse has its own take on the five galactic heroes, Eidos Montreal did well to make its story feel unique, and never overstepped into the territory of what came before. Guardians of the Galaxy strikes a perfect balance between familiar characters and a well-worn world, and a fresh story with characters that feel both new and faithful. Peter Quill is a delightful protagonist, and the game does well to explore his humanity and how he is still figuring out his place in the universe. Drax, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot are all wonderfully developed, and while their place in the story and gameplay is reduced to supporting roles, they never feel like window dressing.
On the subject of gameplay, Eidos Montreal adopts a linear approach to game design that it utilizes with maximum effect. Across its 16 chapters, Guardians of the Galaxy tells a stellar story, and presents challenges in the form of shooting galleries and boss fights that are littered across the pre-set path. To many players it's a welcome break from the open-world norm in the AAA space, imitating the likes of Uncharted or Max Payne to ensure the pacing stays tight. For so many reasons, Guardians of the Galaxy is deserving of the sequel it may never get, not least because it keeps the door open for so many possibilities in the future.
Poor Commercial Performance Broke The Guardians
The recent inclusion of Guardians of the Galaxy on Xbox' Game Pass service brought the title to new audiences that may not have experienced it, but its weak sales on release were alarming for the developer and publisher. Not only is this frustrating to players who championed the game over the myriad of other titles released in 2021, but also has huge ramifications on the potential for a follow-up. A rushed announcement perhaps made it less desirable than games well-publicized games like Spider-Man and even the underwhelming Marvel's Avengers that each received an announcement well in advance of their release dates.
A sequel should happen despite this, though, as fans have sufficient evidence to believe that it won't be like Crystal Dynamics' attempt at a live service game centered around Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Now that it's been available for a while on a plethora of platforms, the first game's immense quality speaks for itself. While Guardians of the Galaxy was a commercial disappointment, a sequel should not be off the table moving forward.
The Dominance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
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The influx of MCU-related news that poured out of San Diego Comic-Con has fans excited for Phases 5 and 6 of the beloved film franchise. It's an exciting time for fans; Marvel's characters have so much narrative potential, and most have been around for so long that it's easy to dip into the comics' history and pull inspiration for a new story, as the MCU's wide variety of stories attests. The fact that Guardians of the Galaxy also does so with ease is testament to Eidos Montreal's understanding of the license it carries.
Now that there are plenty of established characters, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is relying more and more on cameo appearances and crossovers to satisfy fans and battle rising Marvel burnout, and that vast network of stories might discourage the creation of a smaller-scale Guardians of the Galaxy sequel. Opting to forgo a sequel to Eidos Montreal's Guardians of the Galaxy means that casual, non-comic reading fans that are tired of the MCU have no way of enjoying the unrelenting banter and lovable camaraderie of the Guardians in a way that isn't intruded upon by other characters or properties.
A Sequel is Likely Off the Cards
As frustrating as it is for fans, the chance of a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy is slim, and while Game Pass is doing well to carry it forward, the project simply didn't meet Square Enix' expectations. With gams like Final Fantasy 16 and Forspoken scheduled for the near future for the company it's hard to imagine it will have the time or energy to give Peter Quill and co another adventure.
It's such a shame that Guardians of the Galaxy is perhaps destined to be in the same category as The Saboteur, Okami, and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West that never seemed to leave a lasting impression despite being fantastic titles. It was a welcome break from the mayhem of the MCU, and despite its readiness for a follow-up the story is one that is, thankfully, self-contained enough to be satisfying to players when they eventually get around to giving it the time it deserves.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.