Guardians of the Galaxy is nothing like Marvel’s Avengers — and that’s why I love it

When the Guardians of the Milky way game was appear at E3 2021 many were immediately dismissive, myself included. After being desperately burnt by Square Enix's last comic book video game, Marvel'south Avengers, I causeless this would exist more of the same.

I'grand delighted to report that my outset impressions were dramatically wrong. Guardians of the Galaxy is non merely one of 2021'south strongest releases, but it's one of the best superhero games e'er made. It rivals the likes of Batman: Arkham Metropolis and Insomniac's Spider-Man. That's the level of quality we're talking virtually here.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy review: A difficult-rocking space adventure
The best PS5 games right now
Plus: Riders Commonwealth review

Perchance what's most surprising is how Guardians of the Galaxy avoids all the pitfalls that made Marvel's Avengers such a thwarting. While Guardians was developed by Eidos Montreal and Avenger came from Crystal Dynamics, both share the aforementioned publisher in Foursquare Enix. Because of this, I had expected enough of shared DNA betwixt the two titles merely they couldn't be more than different — and that'south a very skilful thing.

A game like they used to brand

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy — (Image credit: Square-Enix)

Guardians of the Galaxy is a hyper-focused single-player action game. Peradventure its closest modernistic analogy would be 2019's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. There are no co-op missions or pieces of loot to level upwardly, there's just an exhilarating 16-hour story for you to blast through.

Marvel'southward Avengers takes the verbal opposite approach. It's a title that very much falls within the ascendant alive service genre. Information technology's designed to e'er give players something to practice: a new slice of loot to grind for, a daily challenge to consummate, or a modified mission for you to run through for the umpteenth time.

The problems with this arroyo to game pattern have been well reported, but in short, it often feels like running on a treadmill. Certain, y'all're constantly moving just y'all never actually become anywhere. Progress in Marvel's Avengers is oftentimes for progress's sake rather than because you're having fun.

That's certainly non the case in Guardians of the Galaxy. The focus here isn't on grinding repetitive content for a new slice of armor with slightly higher stats. Instead, yous're swept upwardly in a thou story that takes you to gorgeous planets and introduces a whole roster of engaging characters. The journey is the fun part, it's not all well-nigh chasing the fleeting dopamine rush that comes with getting an "ballsy" slice of loot.

It's quite fitting that Guardians of the Galaxy has a soundtrack stuffed with classic rock tunes because in today's gaming industry it feels decidedly quondam schoolhouse — in the all-time style possible.

Avoiding the uncanny valley

Captain America Avengers game — (Epitome credit: Square-Enix)

The Guardians of the Galaxy game also makes the wise decision to describe a articulate stardom betwixt its version of the characters and the ones made famous by the 2014 Marvel Cinematic Universe characteristic film.

There are similarities, of form. Star-Lord is notwithstanding obsessed with 80s music; Rocket is regularly sarcastic; Drax doesn't understand social cues; Gamora is frequently irritated past her companions; and Groot only speaks a unmarried iii-word judgement. Simply these versions of the characters don't feel like inexpensive MCU knock offs.

Unfortunately, Marvel's Avengers has never been able to get out of the long shadow of the MCU. Some players labeled its takes on Iron Man, Captain America and Thor every bit Walmart versions of their large-screen counterparts, and it'south difficult to disagree.

Guardians of the Milky way skirts this result by giving its five-some unique backstories and human relationship dynamics that differentiate them from previous adaptations. This helps it feel like a story set inside a fresh cannon, rather than a tale that is simply mimicking the films nosotros've all rewatched endlessly on Disney Plus.

The Guardian of the Galaxy

One aspect of Guardians of the Galaxy that has really taken me by surprise is how much I've enjoyed its central focus on Peter "Star-Lord" Quill.

When it was confirmed that simply Star-Lord would be playable I was initially dislocated. How tin yous make a Guardians of the Galaxy game and but have a single playable character? But the developers conspicuously knew what they were doing because restricting players to just one graphic symbol serves both the story and gameplay.

Without going into spoilers at that place are plenty of personal moments for Star-Lord throughout the game'southward main campaign. These story beats accept a stronger bear on considering nosotros spend the unabridged game playing every bit him rather than regularly switching between the cast.

On the gameplay side, having merely a single playable character creates a combat system that is easy to wrap your head around. If you desire to become practiced in Marvel's Avengers you are practically forced to pick a graphic symbol to master. Neglecting the remainder of the playable cast in the process. In Guardians, that decision is taken out of your hands.

Guardians vs Marvel's Avengers: Polar Opposites

I find information technology fascinating that two Curiosity games with such drastically different approaches have been released by the same publisher within a year of each other. Of course, Marvel's Avengers has its fans, and of the two it's certainly the more content-rich, just Guardians of the Milky way is the exact experience I personally desire from a superhero game. And based on its positive disquisitional and audience reception, I'yard not alone on that.

That's not to say it's a perfect game, the combat tin be repetitive and a stronger focus on exploration would accept been appreciated, but past ripping up the Avengers formula, Eidos Montreal and Foursquare Enix have delivered the video game that these beloved Curiosity heroes truly deserve. That's something I didn't expect.