Story and dialogue are a major emphasis in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy used motion capture to bring its outer space outlaws to life, but one of the game's actors luckily had very few lines to memorize.
While Peter Quill is a lovable point-of-view character that players follow throughout the journey, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy spends equal time developing the other four of the cosmic crew. The volatile Rocket, the aggressive Drax, the aloof Gamora and the mysterious Groot Star-Lord to form a hilarious and heartwarming band of heroes. The game's emotional storyline is centered around loss and regret, and these ties bind each member of the Guardians to each other to form a tight narrative. While some players criticized the title's gameplay, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy's story led to high praise from comic fans and critics alike.
An IGN interview with the cast of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy reveals essential aspects of crafting the game's characters, including the barely-vocal Groot. Actor Robert Montcalm portrayed the game's version of the wholesome walking tree, forcing him to repeat the line "I am Groot" a total of 1,630 times. However, Montcalm told IGN that the game's emotional depth meant that every reading of the line reflected a particular situation or feeling. Rocket actor Alex Weiner explains that the intent of Montcalm's line was always clear, and the two actors worked together closely to capture the undying friendship between Groot and Rocket.
While Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy succeeds in creating an authentic new version of the team, sales of the Guardians game disappointed Square Enix. Sales of the action title apparently failed to match the publisher's expectations, though new initiatives were reportedly improving sales growth over time. Critical acclaim for Marvel's GOTG led to several game award nominations and wins, including a win for Best Narrative at the Game Awards 2021, which Square Enix hoped would bolster sales. However, as of now any plans for a sequel have been kept private.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy created an authentic yet original version of the team alongside an emotionally masterful narrative. An outstanding cast of actors is largely responsible for this success, with Robert Montcalm in particular adding depth to each of Groot's identical lines. Thanks to Montcalm's willingness to repeat a single line of dialogue 1,630 times, the talking tree successfully serves as the heart of the Guardians team.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Source: IGN