Guardians of the Galaxy

You know what's really surprising? The fact that there hasn't been a fully-fledged dedicated Guardians of the Galaxy game yet. Especially when it comes to Marvel games, studios and publishers are usually all over that with a film release. Perhaps the scale of the universe and richness of personality demanded a bigger, more impactful video game than the usual average offering.

What we do know is that Guardians of the Galaxy has been in development for a while. This means we could actually see a rare Marvel game that meets expectations - not churning out the bare minimum for a playable asset. The gameplay showcased is looking good - but is there enough win over critics?

The Gang's All Here

The trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy has dropped, and in stark contrast to film franchise games - this looks like an entirely cinematic experience. There is well-crafted dialogue, stunning visuals, combat that doesn't look like two potatoes clashing, and an all-around gameplay refinement. Who would have expected this? Clearly, there is an ambition to deliver a better player experience here.

Eidos-Montreal, who has vast experience in high-end action-adventure games, has been tasked with the job here. Perhaps that's why we're seeing a game that knocks movie game stereotypes off the shelf and actually takes advantage of the potential a franchise like Guardians of the Galaxy has to offer. What we're seeing is a game that excites the sense, not dulls them.

The narrative consists of your ragtag group of Guardians taking advantage of the aftermath of an intergalactic war to make a quick buck. Quests and combat are rife as you use your team's versatile abilities to overcome the challenges that await. The mechanics look fleshed out, the story intriguing, and the universe vast.

For all of the fantastic-looking gameplay - the factor that strikes most is how Guardians of the Galaxy removes all AAA game trends against the odds. There will be no multiplayer, no microtransactions, and no cloud-connected nuisances commonly found in games of this stature. It will be a single-player, focused game - bent on delivering a complete Guardians of the Galaxy experience. Safe to say, I'm already sold.

Same Guardians, More Galaxy

Having a heavyweight developer get behind the reigns of Guardians of the Galaxy is already proving to be a good choice. Taking significant influence from a previous development in Deus Ex, the framework is already in place to deliver a great Marvel game. It looks like game players will find more time enjoying than critiquing for its player milking potential.

Pros:

• A game with a complete cinematic experience as opposed to a lackluster film game
• Plenty of versatility in combat and questlines
• The narrative-centric gameplay looks to build a memorable playthrough

Cons:

• Different dialogue trees do not create alternative endings as initially thought