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Console: Xbox/ Playstation
Release: 26th October 2021
Do you even remember life before online multiplayer games were a thing?
Way back when the word 'Fortnite' simply meant '2 weeks', single player narrative driven- games were extremely common.
Fast forward a decade or so, and the gaming landscape has changed considerably.
Gaming is now arguably geared towards multiplayer experiences more than ever. MMO games, some of which are completely free to play, dominate the landscape. More and more developers are abandoning single player story driven games to focus on this huge cash cow, sacrificing story and character development for BIGGER GUNS AND BIGGER MAPS.
When Guardians of the Galaxy was announced as a solely single player, heavily story driven game, then, eyebrows were raised.
True to it's word though- that is exactly what we got. There isn't a trace of multiplayer anywhere to be seen here, and the only friends you'll be enjoying this one with are the other Guardians themselves.
Playing as Peter Quill, AKA Star Lord, you'll traverse the Galaxy on a planet- hopping 3rd person adventure, in which choices and decisions you make will have consequences and determine some of the direction the story goes in (although the overarching story will be the same regardless, you can only influence smaller details).
While it's mainly an action/ adventure game with combat and exploration, there are also puzzle segments and a couple of basic flight combat sections too (think of these sections as an extremely watered down Star Wars Rogue Squadron).
Guardians is, first and foremost though; an interactive story, starring you. With thousands of lines of dialogue, not only including cutscenes but throughout the rest of the game too, each of the 5 guardians are brilliantly written and the voice acting is superb. They literally NEVER stop talking to each other and never repeat lines.
Rocket, the anthropomorphic raccoon, in particular deserves special praise. The performance of the voice actor, coupled with the fantastic writing, ensure he strikes a perfect balance between loveable and hilarious; easily on a par with Bradley Cooper's portrayal in the big budget Marvel movies.
Star Lord himself is also depicted well, although lovers of the movies will be disappointed not to see Chris Pratt's likeness or voice acting skills on display.
The combat is a mixed bag. While it isn't the main focus of the game, with only around 30% of your time spent fighting, it is something that will delight and frustrate in equal measure.
You can only directly control Star Lord, but have command over the other 4 Guardians and can instruct them to do special attacks. All of this while having to hold down the left shoulder button to maintain a lock-on, and hitting the right shoulder button to fire your guns. Releasing the left shoulder button will instantly break your lock on.
You can also add elemental attacks to Quill's guns by hitting one of the directional buttons. Add in the combinations of choosing which of the Guardians attacks to use once you unlock more, and you are faced with a surprisingly complex mish mash of holding shoulder buttons, while hitting one of the face buttons twice, and hitting a directional button to change elementals as needed. Confused yet?
There is also a 'Huddle' feature. When the 'special' gauge fills up after continued attacks, you pull all of the Guardians in to give them a motivational speech. It feels forced, kind of pointless and completely unnecessary.
When it all comes together, the combat can be an exhilarating experience, as bullets zing past and the Guardians dance around you doing special attacks like you're in the front row at Disney on Ice.
Get it wrong though and it can result in an overwhelming amount of things going on, all at the same time. Thankfully, none of the combat encounters are challenging enough for this to ever become too much of an issue.
As is standard in any action game these days, you can of course upgrade your abilities and perks using points you earn from fighting, and components you find on the ground. Rocket will, somewhat begrudgingly, help you craft these at one of several workbenches located in each level.
The exploration and puzzle segments are fun at first, and challenge you to utilise the other guardians' strengths in order to navigate some seemingly dead ends. The game cleverly evolves throughout the playthrough so that towards the end, you will no longer need to prompt the other guardians to help with environmental hazards- they will do it off their own backs. A smart little addition that shows how your relationship with the characters has blossomed over the course of the 15 hour campaign.
The mini flight sections that are included are incredibly run of the mill and offer little more than a couple of minutes respite from the main game, with nothing too challenging or complex to get your teeth into.
The adventure takes you to several different planets and environments, all of which look incredible, regardless of which console you play it on (the PS5 version is particularly stunning).
All Guardians fans know the game wouldn't be complete without a stellar 80s soundtrack, and it duly delivers on that note, with some absolute classics included. It certainly gives GTA Vice City a run for its money in the music department! There's something equally bizarre and brilliant about engaging in a huge fight with Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up' blasting in the background.
Fans of Marvel will be pleased to hear there are lots of easter eggs to be found throughout the game, and the inclusion of a few unexpected characters will put a smile on fans' faces.
The boss fights are varied, with some really dull encounters balanced by a couple of fun ones (one of the highlights being a huge dragon) including the chance to Duke it out with a certain Mad Titan who you may be familiar with if you've seen the Avengers movies!
Without a doubt though the games strongest asset is the characters themselves. Seeing how they interact with each other with their constant bickering and jabbing is a real delight.
By the end of the game you will certainly feel like you've gotten to know them all much better and you'll likely have a favourite (sorry Quill but Rocket steals the show for me!).
Developers Eidos Montreal have really done the source material proud here, and their version of the Guardians of the Galaxy are formidable. They have crafted a well rounded game, that, while not without it's issues, provides players with a solid, memorable and thoroughly enjoyable single player experience- proving the multiplayer genre still has some competition!
Pro's
- incredible visuals
- perfect voice acting and soundtrack
- excellent character development
- engaging story , true to source material
Con's
- combat is overly complex at times
- tacked-on flight segments add little
- 'huddle' ability is utterly pointless and detracts from the combat experience
Verdict: 8/10
By @damoroso4
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