The heartfelt action-adventure game Embracer teased remake and sequel plans for classic Square Enix games, a GOTG sequel is more in doubt.
Since Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was a licensed game from Marvel Comics the new publisher might have to renegotiate the licensing agreement. Despite its high quality and largely favorable reviews, the game’s sales also failed to meet Square Enix’s expectations. The end of GOTG set the stage for an exciting new take on the Guardians that has not been featured in films or games previously, but it remains to be seen whether the underdog crew can beat the odds once again and receive a video game sequel.
Many fans were doubtful of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, thanks in part to low expectations set by the Square Enix-published Marvel’s Avengers. Fortunately, Marvel’s GOTG avoided many of Avengers' missteps, with its focus on a strong single-player campaign instead of the messy live-service multiplayer of the prior licensed title. Marvel video games need distance from the MCU, and both GOTG and Avengers regrettably capitalized on the popularity of the cinematic universe at the expense of their own original stories. Unlike Marvel's Avengers, however, Marvel's GOTG did ultimately go beyond the movie version of the team.
Marvel's GOTG Evolved To Be More Than A MCU Cash-In
While the initial cast of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy looked like a recast version of the team seen in the popular films, by the end of the game it successfully set itself apart. The game introduced Adam Warlock, one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes, and adapted a key story arc for the messianic comic character. In the comics, Adam Warlock clashed with the Universal Church of Truth and its leader Magus. He later learned that Magus was his own corrupt future self.
In Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, the Universal Church of Truth was used as the primary antagonist, and Magus was reimagined from a time-traveling Adam Warlock to Warlock’s repressed dark half. Marvel’s GOTG foreshadowed a playable Adam Warlock for a potential sequel, and it also introduced a new version of the 1970s-era Guardians of the Galaxy character Nikki Gold, now envisioned as a surrogate daughter figure for Peter Quill. The game included branching choices in its story, adding elements of The Telltale Series version of Guardians of the Galaxy to combat that outshone Marvel’s Avengers.
Despite its commendable achievements, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was far from perfect. Players who did not progress far in the story may have been turned off by what appeared to be a fan film version of the Guardians’ James Gunn-directed movies. Although the absence of a live service endgame let Eidos-Montreal focus on a quality single-player experience, the combat was noticeably clunkier than other games of its generation. Graphical glitches, particularly in the game’s numerous sequences of sliding down steep slopes, set Marvel’s GOTG apart from more polished AAA games in a negative way.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 Needs To Happen
Many fans and reviewers found that Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy had enough heart to make up for its shortcomings. The video game’s rendition of Star-Lord was better than the MCU’s, thanks to his dynamic arc and superior character development. The genuine bonds formed by the team, complete with immersion-breaking huddle sequences mid-battle, gave the game the unpretentious charm of an ‘80s action movie. Just as with the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, the game exceeded many players' expectations, embodying the underdog team’s ability to succeed despite all odds.
With the game’s ending setting the stage for a new chapter for the Guardians, whose roster added Nikki Gold and Adam Warlock, most would have assumed a sequel was a safe bet, prior to the sale of Eidos-Montreal to its new parent company. The game established itself as more than a cash-in on a popular IP, leaving fans eager to see more of the heroes (as well as breakout ing characters like Cosmo, the psychic Soviet dog). A Marvel’s GOTG sequel is well-deserved, but fans might need to set realistic expectations. It's possible that Embracer Group is likely to focus on revitalizing dormant franchises like Deus Ex and Legacy of Kain over a sequel to a licensed game like Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which could leave Star-Lord’s debut album a one-hit-wonder.
