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It’s hard to believe that it has taken almost a decade to make a proper Guardians of the Galaxy game. The first movie came out in 2014 and was a huge hit. Thanks to Square Enix, fans finally have some related content to jump into.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a great way to both relive some great moments in the films as well as the comics. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy may even be better than the two solo films combined. Is that the case?
A few minor spoilers for this lengthy game will be included.
6 Becoming The Guardians: Game
One of the best things games have over movies is player input. Being able to follow the Guardians of the Galaxy on an epic quest across the galaxy to make personal choices is a great feeling. It may be a little disheartening to know that Peter is the only playable character.
It may have been better if everyone else in the squad could be swapped in battle. At least players can issue the other team members commands for fun combos. Maybe this can get addressed in the inevitable sequel but overall being able to play as the Guardians of the Galaxy is like a dream come true.
5 Better Acted: Movie
The acting in the game is not bad. No one is phoning it in. It may take some time to get used to everyone but most of the core five heroes sound pretty close to their film counterparts. Drax, in particular, sounds a lot like Dave Bautista in terms of his actual voice and delivery. It’s also hard to mess up Groot too.
Of the five, the one character who may disappoint players is Peter. He lacks the charisma of Chris Pratt from the films. Sure, it’s fun to dislike the idea of Pratt voicing Mario but he is perfect as Peter. The game overall may sound good in terms of a video game, but the cast of the films just can’t be beaten.
4 Portrayal Of Characters: Game
The voices may feel a bit off but certain characters have better stories and portrayals in the game. One of the first big surprises is that players will frequently have flashbacks to Peter as a child on Earth. His mom does not have cancer in this version, and she is pretty great. Who wouldn’t love a mom that makes her kid a Pac-Man cake?
Mantis is another female supporting character that feels better treated in the Guardians of the Galaxy game. She has a sense of urgency and importance, unlike the film version. Cosmo also should be mentioned since he actually gets to be a character and not just a glorified Easter egg. Those are the three big examples but there are plenty more.
3 Funnier: Movie
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy might be one of the funniest games of 2021. There are some truly killer lines that should inspire some laughs from players. Drax and Rocket are the stars of the show, each bringing their endearing sense of bluntness to the story. From “your mama” jokes to crying over robots, the game’s script is very clever.
However, like the acting itself, the movies are more jam-packed with jokes. It might be more straightforward to write a concise story with jokes knowing that there are only two hours to play with. It’s harder to fill fifteen hours or so of gameplay with jokes that work constantly.
2 The New Characters: Game
The game's core Guardians of the Galaxy may be very close to their cinematic representations, but there are plenty of new characters and stories in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. One surprising element introduced quickly is Nikki, Peter’s kid. Or is she? That’s one of the central mysteries of the game which has Peter wrestling with the idea of becoming a father.
Finally getting Adam Warlock in the Marvel cannon was also great, even if it happened in a game. It’s a bit of a spoiler to know that much at least so let’s leave it there. He’s in the game and he is great. Even the core idea of the villain, Raker, and his cult, brings a nice twist to what fans know from the films. Hopefully, the movies can incorporate these characters eventually into the MCU.
1 Musical Moments: Movie
The soundtrack in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is out of this world, literally. The game collects some of the best rock, metal, and pop hits from the '80s. It’s hard not to get pumped up in battle when an ironic song like “Never Gonna Give You Up” comes on. It’s great to hear such a diverse soundtrack in a game and is easily one of its best features.
However, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a case of quantity over quality. There aren’t many memorable moments that use music as well as the films. Just look at the opening scene in the MCU's first Guardians of the Galaxy alone. Peter dancing to “Come And Get Your Love” set the mood for the adventure and the entire series as a whole. Both soundtracks are great, but the films use the music in more thoughtful ways.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was released on October 26, 2021, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.