Guardians of the Galaxy Episode 3 Review

Emotions are running hot in the third episode of Telltale’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Should you feel out this experience, or are you better off keeping this title bottled up?

Guardians of the Galaxy Episode 3 Review

Expanding on what happened in the previous two episodes, episode three dives further into the mysteries behind the Eternity Forge. New to the scene is Mantis, a being who can read people’s emotions and make them feel a certain way. This element is played on heavily in relation to the crew of the Milano, and helps you dive into their personalities, desires, and worries. Some of it is played straight, some of it is played for laughs, but these scenes are all a welcome element to the game’s 90 minute run-time.

Mantis also has the ability to allow people to relive previous experiences. This is seen through a number of flashbacks in the game. Though they help to flesh out the backstories of characters like Gamora and Peter, it does not make the story flow as well as it should. It often feels like a detour to the main story, and although these explains some of the motivations behind the characters’ actions, it could have been better organized .

When it comes to the story at hand, the game moves at a slower pace compared to previous chapters. Some of the mysteries from the previous episodes are explained, but the game could have taken the plot a bit further this time around. In addition, though the Guardians are a diverse crew of different personalities, the enemies come off as a little too dastardly and one-sided. Sure, this game will make you hate them with a fiery passion, but they’re not as morally gray or multifaceted as the Guardians proper.

As per Telltale fashion, players are given one of four dialog choices through key scenes in the game. Most choices play out the same, with the game very clearly steering you in a certain direction. Major decisions also have a clear choice in mind, with the opposite choice leading to some awkward scenarios. Those that treat the game as a linear story will appreciate it a lot more than those looking to shape things the way they see fit.

Episode 3 also has some gameplay elements in the form of some light puzzle solving. Peter can traverse the environment at key moments, chat with fellow party members, see past events in the form of a hologram, and even fly around with his handy hoverboots. Though these segments only make up a fraction of the game, they are still nice additions nonetheless.

Though the plot moves slowly in episode 3 of Guardians of the Galaxy, it still sets the stage for something great. Those looking to learn more about the crew of the Milano may enjoy it, but the more impatient among us may see this chapter as a half step.