The Guardians of the Galaxy announcement was met with some skepticism. On the one hand, the game could not avoid comparisons with the movie of the same name by James Gunn, dearly loved by millions of viewers for its wit and originality. On the other hand, Marvel’s Avengers , Square Enix ‘s previous superhero project , frankly did not live up to the expectations of the fans. And their mistrust is understandable: why bother trying to play another awkward cosplay of the popular franchise?
However, the five space scoundrels are not the first time to deceive expectations. “Guardians of the Galaxy” are not just as good as Marvel films , but in some ways even surpass them! Instead of parasitizing on a loud license, the Canadian studio Eidos-Montréal offers its own interpretation of the comic universe: bright, dynamic and full of surprises.
The game tries to avoid characters and locations already featured in the films. But here is full of references to the comic history of the Guardians
Combat psychotherapy
Of course, “Guardians” still inherit from Hollywood. Without the popularity of Gann’s films, there would be no game, and Eidos diligently copies their external attributes. The atmosphere of a hooligan space opera, rich neon colors, a soundtrack from 80s rock hits – everything is in place. The composition of the team is also familiar: the dunce-earthling Peter Quill, nicknamed Star-Lord, the proud warrior Drax the Destroyer, the dexterous killer Gamora, the sentient tree Groot and the aggressive mutant raccoon Rocket. If desired, they can even be dressed in alternative skins in the spirit of their movie images.
However, the game Guardians have their own dynamics of relations and a completely independent plot. It is no longer necessary to save the world from the mad titan Thanos – in this universe, the war with him ended a few years ago. Ordinary people and other intelligent beings remember the past and mourn their ruined worlds. Enterprising crooks (including Quill’s squad) rummage in the wreckage of warships in space dumps. To the best of their ability, they are restrained by police from the Nova Corps, whose thinning ranks have been made up for by powerful artificial intelligence.
A tortured galaxy longs for consolation – and a comforter comes in the person of the mysterious Shepherd Raker, who promises his followers to correct the mistakes of the past. Every day the cult grows more and more, burning the heretics with blaster fire. And we ought to give Raker a fight, but each of the heroes in the closet is full of skeletons and untreated injuries. How to resist the temptation and not believe in a different, happier reality?
There are a lot of expositions in “Guardians”, but it is presented gradually. The player is involved in the plot and motivated to complete his picture of what happened on his own, bit by bit
Those looking for an easy, straightforward adventure from Guardians of the Galaxy should take another look at the Eidos-Montréal portfolio. The creators of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, even in the Marvel universe, continue to talk about high matters: choice and fate, sorrow and responsibility, free will and the power of faith. All team members sooner or later have to look their demons in the eye, and several levels are unfolding at once in the back streets of the subconscious. It’s funny that “Guardians” are released in a year when the Marvel Cinematic Universe also rushed to psychoanalyze its heroes en masse ( “Wanda / Vision” , “Loki” ), but in the game – do not believe it! – this process is presented in more detail and integral. Seemingly random pieces of the story to the end add up to a single interconnected mosaic.
It is all the more interesting that, even when addressing difficult topics, “Guardians” do not betray themselves. This is still a dashing space thriller with shootings, jokes and crazy characters: from the musical llama to the Soviet telepathic dog Cosmo, who frightens “Peter Quill” with a mental gulag. There is no less absurdity and spectacular scenes here than in Gann’s dilogy, and other battle episodes altogether resemble Jack Kirby’s psychedelic paintings from the original comics.
The script was also “straightened” for the sake of the action: no side quests, optional tasks or moral forks. Yes, many dialogues allow choices to be made, but the consequences will always be minor. Did you manage to negotiate with a potential ally? Great, in an hour or two, reinforcements will come to the rescue and smash the enemy troops. Did not work out? We’ll have to deal with the enemy on our own. At key moments, the authors completely take control from the player or force him to replay the “wrong” conversation. However, the annoyance is not great: the text is too well written.
Space battles are made according to the precepts of the Star Fox cycle : fast, arcade, but very exciting
When my friends are with me
It is much more important that the plot is not limited to conversations. All gameplay mechanics help the story in one way or another, and the developers with commendable frequency dilute the standard triad of “platformer-fight-cutscene” with something unexpected. Friendly shooting competitions, a starship chase, surreal dream scenes, and even an epic battle with an AI bureaucrat who refuses to accept citizens’ complaints about the impending apocalypse. By the way, a separate (incredibly funny) mini-game is also associated with the llama.
But Guardians of the Galaxy is still primarily a story about a team of superheroes, which means that the gameplay is built on their interactions with each other. Unlike Marvel’s Avengers, only Peter can be directly controlled, and the party members only follow his instructions. Each character has his own skills, useful both in battle (more on that later) and in exploring locations.
For example, Groot builds bridges from roots, Drax breaks through walls and drags heavy boxes, Rocket breaks into computer terminals, and Gamora clings to sheer cliffs and pulls Peter to new heights. Peter himself also has an arsenal of superpowers tied to his weapon: a miracle blaster inherited from his father turns into a flamethrower, then into a gravity gun. At the same time, interaction with the world is possible only in carefully illuminated trigger places – no amateur performance.
Exploration is encouraged: hidden back streets contain upgrade parts, skins, and special collectibles that open up new dialogues with squadmates
The puzzles are not particularly innovative (“Guardians” openly copy the ideas of all modern action-platformers ranging from Ratchet & Clank to Batman: Arkham ), but they are diverse enough not to get bored. In addition, the team solving puzzles illustrates the development of relations in the squadron: if at first Rocket regularly scandals and refuses to help, then closer to the final the allies themselves begin to take the initiative.
But, of course, the team spirit is most clearly manifested in the combat episodes. If only because you simply cannot cope with enemies alone. Opponents hit painfully, flood in and often combine different types of troops: some do not take an electric shock, others pour fire from the air, and still others cover the detachment with magical shields of faith. Sometimes there are also exotic things like jelly monsters: in order to get to them, you must first freeze their shell.
Therefore, to win, you will need the coordination of all the Guardians, each of which has its own classic role. Damager-Gamora inflicts powerful pinpoint strikes, tank-Drax immobilizes bosses, support-Rocket throws grenades at enemies, and healer-Groot restrains crowds of enemies and restores the health of comrades. Peter himself, although he is the main character, is rather responsible for support and tactics: without his instructions, the team is not very effective.
At the beginning of the game, each Guardian has only one special move. New skills can be obtained for experience points, and the most powerful blows are unlocked only after the heroes defeat their fears in the course of the plot
Unaccustomed, the order system may seem cumbersome: zoomed in on the enemy – opened a submenu – chose a character – chose one of four hits. However, the most effective combinations quickly sink into memory and are activated in a second. The battles are fast-paced, but at the same time, they require a lot of information to be kept in mind. How long is it left to recharge the reception? Which of the opponents is resistant to this or that type of damage? Is there anything in the arena that can be thrown at the boss to remove his shields? Is it finally time for Letuchka?
The Flyer is the culmination of the Guardians of the Galaxy style and combat system. Like a real coach, Peter, right in the course of the battle, summons the team for a conversation and tries to understand their mood: sometimes the squad is overly self-confident, and sometimes, on the contrary, is about to rush away. Having correctly motivated his comrades (there are two options to choose from), Peter restores their morale – the Guardians receive a powerful bonus to their characteristics, and special moves are instantly recharged.
Each such moment is breathtaking: the heroes joke around and carry out powerful blows, individual QTE attacks are shown in a spectacular slow-mo, and somewhere behind the scenes legendary rock hits rumble – just like in a movie! At the same time, surprisingly, “Letuchki” do not have time to get bored: battles take place relatively infrequently, and some tasks even manage to do without skirmishes.
Overall, the developers keep the game’s commendable momentum. The ideas, mechanics and spectacular landscapes in Guardians of the Galaxy would be enough for two or three projects from some less ambitious studio. Sometimes there is even too much content. Eidos-Montréal seems to be constantly trying to outdo itself: we need another battle arena, another mini-game, another hilarious dialogue, one more final boss! So, if the schedule permits, it is better not to rush with the passage so as not to get tired. The salvation of the universe will wait – it is better to pet the llama again and discuss with Groot the new replenishment of his garden on board the ship.
Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the sweetest surprises this fall. This is not stupid, serious and at the same time very funny game. It combines epic scope with touching drama, and whirlwind action with well-written dialogue. For newbies, it will be a great introduction to the Marvel Universe, while fans will re-discover the most unprepossessing (and at the same time, the most charming) superheroes on this side of space.
Pleased
- great dialogues;
- balance of humor and seriousness;
- locations with many secrets;
- dynamic, but not primitive action;
- constant emphasis on teamwork.
Upset
- weak variability of the plot;
- some protracted levels;
- infrequent but annoying bugs.
How we played
In what : The key is provided by the publisher.
What : PS4.
How much : about 20 hours.
Achievement of the editorial office
“Beat Master”
Activate “Letuchka” and carry out the finishing blow exactly in the rhythm of the song.
About localization
Full dubbing. The layout is lame in some places, but the translation was done conscientiously: all the speech features of the characters are observed, the puns are adapted.
Verdict
Guardians of the Galaxy is a rare example of a licensed game that is in no way inferior to the original. A complete set for a memorable adventure: jokes and tears, hurricane action and unexpected discoveries. And even a music llama!
