Christmas has come extremely early or a few days late, depending on how you look at it. The Epic Game Store’s free game of the week is Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, an overlooked gem from 2021 and one of my all-time favorite Marvel games. If this one passed you by – and, statistically speaking, it probably did – then you’d be a fool to miss the opportunity. Eidos-Montreal knocked it out of the park with this one and it’s a crime against gaming that it isn’t more beloved.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a linear action-adventure game in the vein of Uncharted or The Last Of Us, but with a number of unique qualities that set it apart. First, its combat system combines platforming, third-person shooting, and squad-based commanding to create frenetic and cinematic battles. As Starlord you can command the other Guardians on the battlefield, using them to thin out the enemies, focus in on threats, or initiate powerful combos. It takes some getting used to because it’s so different from any other combat system you’ve seen before, but once you’ve unlocked a few team attacks and upgrades for Starlord, it becomes impressively engaging.
Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Almost Had A “Human-Size Rocket”
A life sized Rocket Raccoon sounds terrifying.
As a Marvel comics fan, one of my favorite things about the game is how deep it dives into Marvel lore with its characters and locations. From the first mission in the Quarantine Zone to the final gauntlet through Sancrosanct, GotG is packed with fun references and stunning interpretations of famous Marvel locations. You’ll visit famous locations like Knowhere and the Nova Corps’ headquarters on New Xandar, and encounter both famous and niche Marvel comics characters like Adam Warlock, the Blood Brothers, and Lady Hellbender. Some of the coolest characters are such a big surprise for comics fans that I dare not spoil them, because they’re just that good.
Guardians of the Galaxy has an incredible art style.
What makes Guardians of the Galaxy such a special game to me, one that puts it firmly in the pantheon of top-tier superhero games alongside Spider-Man 2, Arkham City, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is its story. Its long-form narrative will make you feel more connected to each member of the team than the entire film trilogy combined, and the story it has to tell about grief, loneliness, and belonging is more nuanced and compelling than what any other comic book game has to offer, including Insomniac’s Spidey trilogy. Whether you’re a Guardians fan or not, this game represents some of the best storytelling you’ll find in triple-A. It has big twists and turns, plenty of laughs, and high emotional stakes – and best of all, your choices have a real impact on how that story unfolds.
All you need is an Epic account and the Epic Game Store launcher on PC, and you can pick this one up anytime between now and 8:00 am PT on January 11. Thankfully, it’s not a particularly demanding game. Ubisoft recommends the GTX 1660 Super and AMD Ryzen 5 1600/Intel Core i7-4790, but you can get away with something as old as a GTX 1060, which is toaster-quality by today’s standards. Epic has given away a lot of great games over the last month, but this is one that absolutely cannot be missed.
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Everyone loves Insomniac’s Spider-Man, but Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is incredible, and right now, it’s free. Read More