Square Enix and Eidos Montreal’s Guardians of the Galaxy is in a unique position for a game based on a Marvel property. For starters, there has been a resurgence in Marvel Games thanks to the likes of Spider-Man, which successfully reinvigorated a popular IP for a new generation. Guardians of the Galaxy, however, seeks to put a new twist on a familiar brand, giving players a chance to learn more about these comic book characters while also entertaining them along the way.
Game Rant had the opportunity to attend a 90-minute, hands-on preview for Guardians of the Galaxy that featured a section of the game a few hours in. The goal of the preview seemed to be to introduce this version of the Guardians of the Galaxy, highlight how much interaction there is between them, and then give a small taste of the combat.
The Dysfunctional Guardians of the Galaxy
For any fans of the Guardians of the Galaxy comics, Eidos Montreal’s game is sure to be a genuine treat. Players will spend considerable time on Peter Quill’s ship, The Milano, and will be given free rein to explore every nook and cranny. Even with limited time and knowing that this was only a small slice of the game, there was still so much to see. Easter Eggs abound in the Milano but more than that, it should be fun for players to chat with members of the Guardians and other ship guests to gain more insight into their character. And for those who might be wondering, yes there is a music player and it is packed full of hits from the ‘80s.
Although Guardians of the Galaxy only lets players “control” Peter Quill a.k.a Star-Lord, the game never seemed to sideline the other characters. Their relationships and feelings towards each other are so intrinsically linked to the game that they even manifest in the gameplay. For example, there is a sequence where Peter can command any of the four Guardians to interact with a vent, seemingly to find a path forward. Rocket Raccoon seems like the best-suited member for the job, but a prior decision has him unwilling to cooperate. So what the player must do is encourage the other Guardians members to talk to Rocket before he will actually act on the command.
Oftentimes game previews feature action-heavy sequences that are meant to showcase combat and nothing else. It was refreshing to go into the Guardians of the Galaxy preview and see some hints at a story. The demo even put in a fun little sequence involving an NPC that, depending on a player's choice early on, would have lead to little encounters throughout the level.
Guardians Combat Dances to Its Own Beat
While interactions between the Guardians of the Galaxy were the highlight of the preview, there was still plenty of combat encounters on offer to give a sense of the gameplay. As Star Lord, players are given a mix of ranged and melee combat options. Peter can keep enemies at a distance by firing his element guns (which overheat after continued use) or he can get up close for hand-to-hand action. It’s a fairly familiar setup for a character action game but things get interesting once the other Guardians come into play.
At any point during the action, the player can command one of the Guardians to use a special attack on a single enemy or a group of them. Rocket might throw a grenade at a pile of baddies or Drax will leap in and slash at a single target, for example. What initially starts out somewhat simple eventually becomes a chaotic dance where the Guardians are flying all over the battle area.
The game further incentivizes the use of the Guardian commands by giving different abilities special traits. Some might be good for staggering enemies, which allows for greater damage after a meter is full. Others are good for holding enemies in place and allowing for that stagger to build up quicker. And then there are the pure damage abilities that pack a punch. Mixing and matching each of the Guardians’ commands was a fun experiment and eventually, things start to come together.
Even though punching and shooting are at the forefront of the combat in Guardians of the Galaxy, the game does slip a few character moments in from time to time. Once a specific meter is full, Star-Lord can call a huddle, which will group the Guardians together and turn up the game's soundtrack. One of the characters will comment on how the fight is going and the player is presented with two dialogue choices. Depending on which one they choose, the Guardians team will jump back into the fight with a renewed vigor.
The preview included just a few combat sections but each was varied in terms of enemy density and type. One fight towards the end of the demo even added some puzzle mechanics on top of staying alive. We know from trailers that Guardians of the Galaxy does include some spaceship sequences, but this was all about watching the team do their thing.
Admittedly, it’s a lot to juggle - firing the element guns, jumping in for melee attacks, and issuing commands – and with only a limited time playing the game we never fully mastered it. But that is more a circumstance of a demo and less a fault of the game. Still, it’s worth considering in a game that is going for something unique when it comes to combat.
Outside of some questions about how the combat will evolve, the Guardians of the Galaxy preview was enough to highlight what the game will offer comic fans. Seeing all of the little nods to storylines and characters from the Marvel comics universe is extremely fun and getting to witness these relationships evolve over the course of one mission shows how much the writers are putting into the characters. Not to mention, the soundtrack is bursting with classic hit after classic hit. It may have some familiar flavor, but Guardians of the Galaxy dances to its own beat and looks to be all the better as a result.
Guardians of the Galaxy releases October 26, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.