Admittedly, I find that games based around superheroes can sometimes be a mixed bag. For every incredible game like X-Men Legends, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, or Injustice, there is at least one or two Superman 64’s to tip the scales negatively. However, Marvel titles have hit a bit of a hot streak lately, with Spider-Man and the Miles Morales adventures both offering thrills.

So, when I saw Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy for the first time when it was announced, I was intrigued immediately. After spending quite a bit of time with it, I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting it to be so good. There are a few minor problems and some rough edges, but there are also some really clever ideas to be had here. Let’s get into the meat of it, shall we?

Actually, before we go any further, any potential player should be aware of two things. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is not connected in any way with the MCU. In fact, it follows the comics more closely than anything. Additionally, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a single-player-only experience. No co-op here folks, and none of that Marvel’s Avengers multiplayer rubbish either.

In fact, when you get down to it, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a surprisingly linear affair. Now, that isn’t a mark against it at all. Actually, that is probably one of its strengths. As much as I would love to get lost in the wide expanse of space, taking on side quests and mercenary jobs from Earth to Xandar, it isn’t necessary for this experience. The game presents a heartfelt narrative that hits some story beats and notes that I didn’t expect, and it does it to masterful effect.

At the same time, the game provides levels and environments that are full of lore, side paths, collectibles, and hidden costumes. It even sneaks in some Easter eggs and some fun ideas that could make for potential sequels or spinoffs down the road. As you might suspect, you follow the Guardians of the Galaxy, specifically Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot, and Rocket, on a mission to ultimately save the universe.

I’m not going to go into much more detail on the plot, because that would be something I’d prefer you experience for yourself. However, before we get into the actual gameplay analysis and things I liked/disliked, let’s talk about Accessibility for a minute. Normally I like to make small nods (or digs for lacking accessibility) to nice things I see in games.

Guardians of the Galaxy has so many accessibility features that I was actively shocked. From being able to auto-complete QTE’s, to things as simple as enlarging subtitle fonts or giving them a background, Square Enix has taken clear steps to make their games more accessible. Now, to their credit, they’ve been doing this for a while. I’ve seen accessibility features in their games going as far back as the Tomb Raider reboot series.

However, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy really feels like the developers and the team at Square Enix Montreal really sat down and did their best to make the game accessible to as many folks as possible. As a disabled player myself, I can’t even begin to express how good that feels. The development team even went so far as to make a special mode for streamers, so that all the licensed music could be silenced so the game could be streamed.

That probably doesn’t sound like it fits with an accessibility option, but when you’re streaming a game to large groups, you want to be able to play without copyright issues. Not only that, but Accessibility affects streamers too, and if streamers play the game and shine a light on these options, it shows people that they can also enjoy it.

Now that I’ve successfully gotten off track and onto my soapbox, let’s circle back to gameplay, shall we? In this particular adventure, you control Star-Lord directly and are only able to issue orders to the other Guardians, rather than switching between them and controlling them. Normally I would have found this annoying, but it actually makes a strange bit of sense once you start playing.

Specifically, it makes sense because the game takes place entirely from Peter Quill’s perspective. When you get separated from any of the Guardians, you don’t know what happens when they’re off-screen unless they tell you. In fact, a large part of the game involves making leadership choices that can either help or hinder you and the team.

Choice is a big factor here. In fact, as a gamer that is quickly starting to realize that his favorite franchises are being considered classics, I can see the influence of things like Mass Effect here. Decisions you make have a lasting impact, even something so simple as a throwaway answer in dialogue can sometimes come back to bite you, or save you. How you treat your teammates can affect how they respond to you in some ways, though it is somewhat limited.

For example, without going into spoiler territory there is a segment of the game in which Peter and Rocket are…not on great terms. However, prior to this point, I had actually sided with Rocket on several things and had backed him up. For the sake of the plot, the game conveniently ignores this. However, it doesn’t feel too frustrating, because the majority of the choices you make do have a lasting effect.

In fact, certain missions and areas can play out differently depending on the choices you make. A choice in Chapter 3 may influence things so that you have an extra edge in Chapter 12, or if you choose wrong, you may find yourself having a harder time in Chapter 7 because of something you did in Chapter 2. Now, these aren’t specific examples, so don’t go quoting me, I’m trying to be spoiler-free here.

As you explore as Peter, you can use his visor to scan and identify not only items and objects you can interact with, but you can also scan lore items and points of interest. This helps you in puzzles since you will need to issue orders to the Guardians to progress. For example, Drax can pick up and move large objects, Rocket can get into small spaces, Gamora can cut cables or vines, and Groot can make bridges or elevators with his roots.

As you explore, you’ll find hidden costumes, components that are used to give Star-Lord upgrades called Perks, and you may also find collectibles. The collectibles are personal items to specific members of your team, which open up fun conversations back on your ship, the Milano. Talking and getting to know your team is important because it really gives the game a more personal touch. The story has a lot of heartfelt moments, and bonding with your team makes that even more impactful.

In terms of combat, you can shoot with Peter’s blasters, as well as use skills. Skills are mapped to a specific button, which brings up a radial menu that assigns a different button to each Guardian. You click that button, and it brings up another menu that lets you click a button for each of their skills. It is way more intuitive than it sounds, and it feels really fun to play.

Especially considering the characters all have skills that synergize with each other. You can use Groot to root enemies to the ground, then use Rocket’s explosives to deal massive damage. Alternately you can use Drax to stagger enemies or break their armor, then use Gamora to deal massive damage with her precise, powerful strikes. You can also use Peter’s blasters, which over time unlock elemental shots that do specific things.

Some enemies are weak to certain elements, which makes things like freezing or shocking them extra effective. His elemental shots are used in puzzles too, which is really cool. Overall, the gameplay really feels good, but it also is balanced so that if a member of your team is missing, you feel it. You can also huddle with your team members to boost their morale and buff them, reviving any fallen members in the process.

The combat system is smooth, though the leveling up system is a little bare. As you fight enemies, you gain XP. For every level, you get an ability point. Ability points are shared across the Guardians, and they’re only used to unlock new abilities. I personally enjoy a more involved leveling system with stats, builds, the whole nine yards.

However, I wouldn’t say that the simplified approach is a problem. Really, the only thing that I find that acts against Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is that occasionally the dialogue bugs out. Sometimes the characters will interrupt each other in the middle of a conversation, skipping ahead instead of finishing a section of dialogue. That’s a fairly minor complaint though, compared to the fact that there haven’t been any crashes on my end, and the game plays smoothly.

Honestly, this game has impressed me. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy nearly as much as I do. The comedy is great, the soundtrack is full of great 80’s hits, along with some solid original tracks, and the game is a veritable feast for the eyes. If this isn’t Game of the Year material, I don’t know what is.

A PS4 review copy of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was provided by Square Enix for this review.

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Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

$59.99 USD

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Hilarious Dialogue
• Lots of Accessibility
• Great Combat and Gameplay
• Heartfelt Story
• Easy to Understand controls

Cons

• Minor Dialogue Skips