Honestly, there are really weird tendencies in the modern marvel games I've played (Both Spider-Men games and now Guardians) where A- The story escalates really fast to the point it breaks suspension of disbelief (worse, in a super-hero story) B- The game tries to make the player pity the villain(s) even when they are responsible for untold death and destruction C- The protagonists have weird subdued personalities. Besides those problems, I’d say that:
The Story – It would feel better if there weren't two Got G movies dealing with themes of ‘loss, grief and bonding’ already, and the stakes are raised so fast, I let out a loud ‘what the hell!?’. Other than that, the pacing is a bit wonky (we never know how much time passes, how fast is the threat), but overall its a standard fare galactic hero plot. The ‘team of misfits learning to love each other’ theme is also wonky, with an entire story of vitriol turning suddenly into loving friendship after just one stage.
Characterization – This is a weird blend of the movie and games, where some characters ended with the best of both worlds, or the worst. This is the worst Rocket Raccoon I’ve witnessed so far, whiny, overly abrasive and a gigantic selfish coward. Star Lord ends up a pathetic guy that has to convince the group of every move they have to make, hesitating and stuttering even when its time to put his foot down, and is constantly humiliated and/or beaten up. Thankfully, Gamora and Drax are spared as really good blends between comic and movie), and their progression is more organic.
Gameplay – The weakest part overall. Its a never-ending linear cycle of small unshielded arenas where Star Lord needs to run back and forth combining the powers of the guardians. Even with the ‘dealt damage’ gauge set to max, I felt like I was throwing pebbles at the enemies. After the battle, you have a lil exploration with minimal environment ‘put x here/use y there’ puzzles, a slide or a tight crevice to hide loading, rinse and repeat. I wish there were more flight stages and funny puzzles like the Llama song.
Art – This is the meat and bones of this game. While some character designs (Thanos, Starlord, Rocket) ended bad, everything else is just a treat to the eyes. Gorgeous backgrounds, really good photography and cinematic angles, correct use of contrasting colors. Some stages are darker, others are brighter, and every single place you go has a different unique design. And not just the stages! Enemies also have varied unique designs (even if their pattern is the same) matching where they are from. I literally only kept playing to see more of the visual feast and haven’t seen many reviews pointing out how good it was.
Conclusion – This game feels like it was started from the art direction as if it was a movie, since every single other aspect is mediocre at best. It feels like a huge waste, but at the same time it highlights how important visual directing and design can be and how they can be unsung heroes.
VideoGame I'd like to point out an unsung group of heroes... and no, not the guardians.
Honestly, there are really weird tendencies in the modern marvel games I've played (Both Spider-Men games and now Guardians) where A- The story escalates really fast to the point it breaks suspension of disbelief (worse, in a super-hero story) B- The game tries to make the player pity the villain(s) even when they are responsible for untold death and destruction C- The protagonists have weird subdued personalities. Besides those problems, I’d say that: