Fights aren’t difficult, but they do last quite a while. The combat and exploration are pretty decent as a whole, but they can get a little draining, especially against the tougher enemies you might encounter. Really, the only thing holding Guardians of the Galaxy back is its repetitive nature. It’s got a fair amount of content to it as well, with first-time playthroughs lasting about 15 hours to 16 hours depending on how thorough and skilled you are.
You’re mostly set on a linear path, but the areas you do get to explore look absolutely beautiful. The environments themselves also never get stale, having you traverse abandoned space ships, infested caverns, and alien worlds. None of them are particularly challenging to navigate, but exploring tends to reward you with additional lore and fanservice, letting you come out with journals, sneak peeks, and references that will make any Guardians of the Galaxy comic book fan squeal with joy.
When you’re not bashing in enemies, you’re dealing with the environments. The mechanics are pretty neat, if uncomplicated, and really hammers home the point that Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t so much just Star-Lord but that of the entire squad proving that it’s collectively greater than the sum of its parts. By using their special abilities while simultaneously fighting and mixing in your own combos, you build towards striking against the game’s stronger foes. In fact, the Devil-May-Cry-like combo system encourages you to actively work with your team. The same goes with Groot, who uses elongating limbs to help bridge gaps or provide crowd control. Someone like Drax uses his brute strength to take opponents down, but can also lift heavier objects to help you proceed. You control only Star-Lord, but you’re able to ask the assistance of the others to assist you during fights, or to help solve the plethora of environmental puzzles in Guardians of the Galaxy. These characteristics also work to help you.
Their gags and dialogue are consistent, with alternating goofy and serious moments dotted throughout the game to keep the tone interesting. The witty banter between them during cutscenes or while in combat is all in character, and their unique abilities and animations help set them apart even further. Centered around protagonists Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Groot, and Drax, it puts its proverbial best foot forward by bringing all these unique personalities to life in-game. It’s clear from the onset what Guardians of the Galaxy focuses on. You must brawl, shoot, and explore your surroundings as best as you can, all while enjoying the excellent writing. Following the story of Star-Lord and his ragtag bunch of misfit friends, it throws you into the thick of things. S quare Enix and Eidos Montreal’s Guardians of the Galaxy might not have the participation of the movie’s cast, but it exudes no small measure of charm all the same.