In 2014, James Gunn brought his signature cinematic flair to the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Based on a comic from the 1970’s that nobody read, the sci-fi comedy adventure followed a band of misfits on a impromptu quest to save the universe, lead by a 1970’s rock-obsessed space pirate named Star-Lord, who was played by Chris Pratt at a time when he was recognized as the guy in “Parks and Rec.” Gunn re-envisioned the comic series with an energetic, swashbuckling tone that quickly made the group a household name up with the Avengers. 

Now, in 2021, with the wave of Marvel-licensed titles like Insomniac’s “Spider-Man” and Square Enix’s “Avengers,” we get Eidos-Montréal’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” After completing this game’s 15-hour adventure, I can truly say that this title is one of the best this year.

A true blend of Uncharted Final Fantasy 7 Remake, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a single-player cinematic adventure the likes of a Sony first-party title. A rarity out of left-field in the modern gaming scene of battle-pass-infused multiplayer titles, it’s refreshing to see a game commit entirely to the single-player adventure.

The story follows ‘80s kid Peter Quill’s (Star-Lord) alien abduction, straight out of his comic origins, then years later being leader of the rag-tag guardians team made up of Drax, Rocket Racoon, Gamora and the ever-positive yet short-worded Groot. The team is up to their usual money-hustling heists when a bad job quickly devolves into a quest to stop an intergalactic cult from assimilating the universe in the name of a tyrannical god. It’s got all the Marvel quips and humorous zeal, but the game takes its time to have quieter, more human moments with its cast. Cynical banter and doubt amongst the team and the hard-decisions the player must make add gravity to the unfolding situation, as the villainous Church of Universal Truth provides a genuinely intimidating force as its power grows across the story. You’ll travel to familiar locations like the sleazy crime world of Knowhere and new exotic worlds full of cosmic weirdness. It’s a storyline that perfectly captures the spunk that makes the guardians the beloved comic they are.

Star-Lord is the only playable character, which disappointed  fans in the run up to this game’s release. This design decision was very focused, however, as Quill packs a diverse set of moves on top of quick ability to command other guardians to attack with their own move set. While the system gets a bit stale in its the final hours, it is relieved by the great sense of pace the story brings you on. It never grows dull with endless encounters, but it gives enough combat between dialogue to get some explosive fun in. 

Overall, the game is a rare breed of AAA games that was never delayed, single-player focused in its entirety, a great adventure and that provided the complete package on day one. In a year of disastrous game launches where every AAA game receives some form of delay and respected studios like Rockstar have blown it with terribly uncooked releases, it is a relief to have a game like this now. Absolutely go out and check it out if you want some cosmic fun this season.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC. 

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