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It's no secret that movie tie-in games are almost universally bad. From low budget mobile tie-ins to surprisingly big budget retail releases for next-gen consoles, if your game is connected to a film property it's usually going to get overlooked.
That being said, there's always the hope that one of these tie-ins will leverage a property well — prove those doubters wrong. Could it be Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon? We have no idea, but the mobile tie-in is available now on all major platforms.
Guardians of the Galaxy, as most will know, is one of Marvel's more obscure comic book properties, but it is poised to push into the forefront of people's minds when the feature film based on the property hits theaters in early August. This game takes most of the design elements from that film — i.e. the main characters and villains — and places them in a completely new adventure.
From a gameplay perspective, Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon is a sci-fi action RPG. Click (or tap) on some enemies, watch the character (one of the Guardians team members) walk up to it, wail on the enemy till it's dead, and repeat. Take a closer look at the combat in the trailer above.
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Additionally, players of The Universal Weapon can customize their Guardians team member with new gear and collect new villains for use in the game's arena mode. We've yet to try the game for ourselves, but readers can assume how the arena mode works.
A few more details about the game:
· Build a team of Guardians and their allies while directing them in gesture-based real-time battles
· Go head to head with a roster of villains like Korath, Nebula, and Ronan
· Unlock an original story inspired by the film and reveal the identity of the Guardians’ shadowy nemesis
· Dive into 6 inter-galactic worlds with more than 60 unique levels at launch
· Play through the story in Battle Mode then switch up their team for battle in Arena Mode
Aesthetically, Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon has a nice, cartoony art style, with bright colors and exaggerated features for the characters. Many of the past Marvel tie-ins — like Captain America, Iron Man, or Thor — have tried to duplicate a console look to no avail. So going a totally different route, one that looks better on mobile devices, is smart.
Unfortunately, we can't say how deep the gameplay in Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon will be. Based solely off the trailer it seems pretty basic, and a little automatic. However, gamers who want to give the mobile game a try can do so starting today.
Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon is available now for $4.99 on the iOS, Android, and Windows phone stores, or $7.99 on the Windows store (PC).
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Follow Anthony on Twitter @ANTaormina