Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Game Is Getting New Content 5 Years After Its Release
Back in the fall of 2021, gamers and Marvel fans were treated to a surprisingly good Guardians of the Galaxy title. Simply, but aptly named Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, the game was a single-player action-adventure that spun an original tale based on the ragtag group of heroes.
But despite securing mostly good reviews, including a 4 out of 5 from ComicBook, the licensed effort – a collaboration between Square Enix and Eidos-Montreal – barely made a blip in the cosmos. Thanks to an upcoming exclusive Nintendo Switch port, called Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Encore Edition, however, the underrated effort will get a second chance to soar like the Milano.
And it arguably deserves another opportunity to prove itself, as the title was somewhat set up for failure the first time around. Launching about a year after Marvel’s Avengers – Square Enix’s disappointing live service venture developed by Crystal Dynamics – Guardians wasn’t exactly released into a market dying to dive into another lackluster superhero entry from the very same publisher.
Marvel’s Avengers benefitted from lots of pre-release hype, but was ultimately brought down by its live service structure and trappings, including audience-alienating micro-transactions. Square Enix made an effort to distance Guardians from Avengers, marketing it as a standalone, single-player experience with no future plans to try and upsell players.
But despite Guardian‘s solid scores – and the fact its release was sandwiched between the popular film franchise’s second and third installments – gamers and Marvel fans just weren’t having it. With the Switch 2 version, releasing November 5th – and with no ties to Square Enix (Eidos-Montreal is publishing the port) – Peter Quill and his team of quirky rogues are trying to win them over again.
New recruits discovering the game for the first time via the Encore Edition can look forward to a fast-paced, action-packed original tale featuring Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, and Groot. From behind Quill’s elemental blasters and jet boots, players fight alien baddies, issue commands to your allies, and add flavor to the narrative via decisions made through a dialogue system. The third-person superhero romp also includes some engaging character progression courtesy of a perk-crafting system.
Sporting a slick, cinematic presentation and a killer soundtrack brimming with ’80s bangers from the likes of Blondie, Kiss, Def Leppard, Rick Astley, Motley Crue, and many more, the game’s a must-play for Marvel fans. The Encore Edition also sweetens the deal, bundling some new, exclusive content in the form of five glam rock-inspired costumes to outfit the colorful crew in.
Beyond those extras, the Switch 2 port includes the full base game and all previously released digital add-ons, as well as some system-specific features. The latter includes mouse support for menu navigation and aiming, and gyroscope motion support for those craving a bit more immersion when piloting the Milano or navigating zero gravity sequences.
If you missed this underappreciated gem the first time around or are seeking a thumb-blistering, action-fueled entry carrying a better review score average than Marvel‘s Wolverine, the Encore Edition is the perfect way to get hooked (on a feeling).