It might hand you the reins during flashbacks where other games would have settled for a cutscene. So yes, Guardians tells its story through a predictable framework of stuff-you-do, but intersperses it with unpredictable moments and neat little touches. Occasionally, you fall down a ledge and into a large arena. There might be some casual platforming or puzzling.
You might call on Groot to create a makeshift root bridge, or Gamora to slice through hunks of metal blocking your path. Interspersed between these paths, you crawl through hidey holes and slide down ramps.
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Leaning even more into Gears Of War, I'd say the very act of playing Guardians is a bit like steering a bunch of boisterous goons through a series of interconnected tunnels. Aside from this whale creature, you'll bump into many big characters from the MCU. And man, does it steer you through nicely.
No side quests, no open world, no map markers. You have one objective that flows into another and then another. There is only one way forward and that's forwards. Having said this, I'd say the way the game's structured is reminiscent of golden oldies like the original Gears Of War. Honestly, the quality of the story, facial animations and the action feels just as good as any decent Marvel film, only you're not sitting down with a Tango Ice Blast letting the projector do the work you're the one actually in control of these raucous superheroes. Even as someone who's not well-versed in the Marvel universe, I was properly invested. Without spoiling too much, it becomes a hunt for someone close to Peter, and as they draw nearer to tracking them down, things spiral out of control - as they often do - and into a galaxy-wide crisis that affects them all.
Is Peter cut out to lead such an unruly bunch? As a clueless bro, probably not, but he makes it work.Īnd Peter has to, because the game's story quickly diverts from something typically criminal, to something dangerously personal. Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy follows the exploits of Peter Quill a.k.a Star Lord who leads a band of misfits: Gamora, the deadliest assassin in the galaxy Drax, a muscular titan who's unintentionally hilarious Rocket, a clever raccoon who likes explosives and Groot, who reaffirms that he is Groot with every breath. Marvel fan or clueless layman? Doesn't matter, you're in for a good time no matter where you sit on the MCU scale. Planet-hopping as Star Lord is great fun, made even better by his colourful compatriots and the genuinely funny craic they share. If anything, the game as a whole is a wonderful surprise. But this doesn't mean it's one big flatline without any peaks, troughs, or surprises. It's an approach that feels refreshingly old-school, in the way it guides you smoothly from one story bit to another. In a video game landscape that's pocked with millions of map markers and vast open worlds, Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy is a linear action adventure game with a clear beginning, middle and an end. Unmissable for Marvel fans, but also a solid buy if you're just after a good time.
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A heroic action adventure that's simple, but full of surprises and little details.