Telltale games have returned with yet another new franchise, this time putting their unique spin on a Marvel property in Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series. Star-Lord (Peter Quill), Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot are all present and ready for a new adventure. Episode 1: “Tangled Up in Blue” has Telltale’s signature feel, with some new aspects that makes Guardians stand out from the others.
The game starts with you taking control of the Star-Lord (with his rad mix) and no time is wasted before the Guardians are thrust into action. One of the first things I noticed is that at the point the game begins, the group has been together for years. They have the banter of a family that loves each other but may not like each other much. What gives the game even more of a personal feel is the ability for Peter to use a team communicator to chat with the other Guardians when they are separated. Fight sequences are also a big change from previous games as the action can jump from character to character. The game also maybe Telltale’s best looking but unfortunately, it still suffers from technical glitches from time to time, including hiccups and slow downs. At this point it doesn’t seem like Telltale even cares about upgrading the engine.
The biggest surprise of the episode is the way the story progresses. The initial battle had all the makings of what people may expect from the final showdown as opposed to the introduction. It was a great way to kick off the series and keep players guessing. The majority of the episode involves Peter and the relationship he has with his team. Taking time to talk to each member about how they are feeling and what they may want to do next. It’s a perfect way to start the season, and just when it looks like the episode will end on a slow note a mysterious artifact kicks the story into overdrive.
If you’re a fan of the movies you may not recognize this Guardians team fully. While some aspects of the popular film have been integrated into this version of Guardians of the Galaxy, most notably Star-Lords attire and the prescience of a classic rock sound track, this is a very different team compared to their big screen counterparts. In fact this Guardians iteration is more closely related to the comic book source material. Mainly in the fact that our team has been a family for quite a while, they love and care for each other more than anything else. Their personalities and overall looks differ as well. Gamora is a bit softer here, more understanding but still the hardened warrior and feared combatant that gave her the title “most dangerous woman in the universe.” Drax is pulled straight from the comics with his bright green skin and red tribal tattoos, revenge is still his goal but he isn’t as dense or playing the comedic relief like he is in the movie. Rocket doesn’t differ much from his movie counter part in fact they are probably the most similar, while Groot features a much more overgrown and wild look.
While our big screen Guardians are still trying to find their place in the universe, this team is an established bunch who are much more concerned with helping people and stopping the bad guys than making a quick buck. While you can lean more to the rogue angel with your choices, it doesn’t take away the fact that this is a tight team who would go to the ends of the earth for one another.
The voice acting is superb, Scott Porter as Star-Lord and Nolan North as Rocket especially stand out. The actors have all the chemistry needed to believe they have been a team for years. Top notch voice acting has always been a staple of Telltale games. They always seem to get the most out of their voice actors and they have been great for so long people are starting to take it for granted. This team has been on hundreds of adventures together and your just along for the ride during their latest heroic tale.
Guardians of the Galaxy: A Telltale Series Episode 1 shows exactly why The Guardians were a perfect property for Telltale games. The light heartened, fun story is the perfect complement to the darkness of The Walking Dead games. The episode ends with a cliffhanger in true comic book fashion that will leave most gamers salivating for the next episode.