As someone who grew up in a dysfunctional family, the Guardians of the Galaxy hold a special place in my heart. While the team all consists of random misfits who would never cut it with the Justice League or The Avengers, they interact like a family of squabbling siblings. This has proven to be an interesting dynamic in both the comic book series, as well as both of James Gunn’s movie adaptations. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series tries to mimic the same interactions and relationships that the movies featured, with varying degrees of success.
In an effort to keep this review as spoiler free as possible, I will not be touching much on the story. I would like to point out that Rocket Raccoon has received more time in the spotlight during episode two. Rocket proved to be the most underused but interesting aspect of the first episode, and it was a pleasant surprise to see more of his backstory as well as actually take control of everyone’s favorite trash panda. Nolan North brings the same snarky tone to the character who is brought to life in the movies by Bradley Cooper. While Telltale has done a respectable attempt at matching the game characters with voice actors close to the movie counterparts, Rocket and Groot are the highlights.
In episode two, we are greeted by a few additional supporting characters from the movies. I particularly enjoyed the cameo from Yondu and felt his time with the group was cut short all too soon. I am hoping Telltale brings him back for future episodes.
Episode two was surprisingly free of the visual bugs that have been an intermittent issue with the recent Telltale offerings. Aside from some occasional lip sync issues, the game played as it should. While episode one suffered from some pacing issues and extended scenes that only felt like a waste of time, this episode is more clear cut and to the point. Most of the events unfold at a steady pace and feature more interactions and less arguing amongst the team. While the first major battle of the game with Thanos took much longer than it should have, the fight scenes have been adjusted in this outing for a more enjoyable experience.
While nothing groundbreaking, this chapter is a welcome addition to the Guardians of the Galaxy lore, featuring the same characters we’ve grown to love in a new medium. While not as long as the previous Telltale episodes, its 80 minute runtime is just long enough to leave you wanting more without overstaying its welcome. Whether you make the jump now or wait for the full season to release, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: A Telltale Series is a worthy addition to your collection.
8 out of 10
Pros
- Writing
- Rocket
- Yondu
Cons
- Not enough Groot, Yondu or Rocket
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series was developed and published by Telltale Games. The second episode launched on PC, PS4, and X1 June 6, 2017 for $4.99, and was made available on mobile devices shortly thereafter. The game was provided to us for review on Xbox One. If you’d like to see more of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series, check out the official site.
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