Official Score
Overall - 60%
60%
The second episode of Guardians of the Galaxy does a fair job of setting the stage for future installments. If you can get over the consistency errors and hammy writing, you've got the potential for a b-movie blockbuster full of action, drama, and blue-skinned cyborgs.
Picking up right after the events of the previous episode, the latest chapter of Telltale’s Guardians of the Galaxy series takes a closer look at the secrets behind the Eternity Forge. Should you get ready to explore the galaxy, or is this one mystery better left unsolved?
Guardians of the Galaxy Episode 2 Review
The last episode saw our hero Star-Lord narrowly escaping Hala and her Kree army, Eternity Forge in hand. After getting resurrected by this mysterious relic, both he and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy set out to learn more. It’s a fairly straightforward and cliche tale with clearly defined good guys, bad guys, a quest, and a McGuffin, but it’s still entertaining throughout its 90 minute runtime. If you turn your brain off at the door, you’ll have a good time.
As per most Telltale games, the major gameplay elements come in play with the decisions you can make along the way. Choices don’t really matter though, as almost all of them mean the same thing. Bigger choices, like who to bring along for a mission or what to tackle first, change things up a little bit, but most players will have the same experience. It might seem a bit more linear that way, but it also leads to a more fleshed out story.
Things get a little weird when it comes to crucial decisions. The game is meant to be played a certain way, and deviating beyond that breaks the script. This leads to consistency errors where things don’t make sense. Without spoiling too much, it leads to situations that disregard your choices and feel cheap. Because of it, it feels like the episode was somewhat rushed for its release, no doubt to coincide with the new movie.
There is also some campy acting to accompany everything. Evildoers laugh maniacally and have monologues and there is a lot of cheeky one-liners. Granted, there is similar character actions in the comic and movies, but those mediums handled things with a little more finesse. Rather, the acting here feels similar to that of Telltale’s The Walking Dead series, which doesn’t give the game a unique flair. Rocket Raccoon’s lady friend Lylla is the worst offender – her mannerisms and even way of speaking is a dead ringer for Kate from A New Frontier. It’s a little off-putting, especially for longtime players of their works.
There are some small exploration moments in Guardians of the Galaxy as well. Utilizing the power of flight, along with the ability to see back in time adds some honest-to-goodness gameplay to the game. It’s short-lived, but it’s still a welcome addition nonetheless.
The second episode of Guardians of the Galaxy does a fair job of setting the stage for future installments. If you can get over the consistency errors and hammy writing, you’ve got the potential for a b-movie blockbuster full of action, drama, and blue-skinned cyborgs.
