Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series

About

"Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series" is a five-part episodic game where players take on the role of Star-Lord, leading the Guardians in a quest for an artifact of immense power. With a focus on story and player choice, each decision driven adventure unfolds to the beat of awesome music, putting you at the helm of the Milano and pitting you against ruthless enemies. This game includes access to all five action-packed episodes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series screenshot

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 935 reviews

story243 positive mentions

stability13 negative mentions

Captures the humor and spirit of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Engaging story with emotional depth and character development.
Great soundtrack featuring classic 70s and 80s music.

Technical issues, including bugs and performance problems.
Character designs and animations are inconsistent and sometimes awkward.
Choices often feel inconsequential and do not significantly impact the story.

story
571 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
4%
The story of "Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series" is characterized by its humor and engaging character development, often feeling like a blend of comic book lore and cinematic elements. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and unique narrative, others criticize it for being convoluted, predictable, and lacking significant impact from player choices. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit sometimes flawed, storytelling experience that resonates well with fans of the franchise.
- “I really enjoyed this story; if you like Telltale games, this is highly recommended!”
- “The story is well written, and the decisions you can make are simply amazing.”
- “The story was strong, the characters were very well written, and a lot of the choices felt like they held real weight.”
- “The actual story was pretty weak and just felt like a straight line with no plot twists, just expected occurrences; this feels like it is due to Telltale having wanted to tell both an origin story of the Guardians and a story when they're already pretty deep in.”
- “There's barely any decision to make and I couldn't tell if my choices changed the story all that much.”
- “The story is just inferior compared to other Telltale stories - not as emotionally devastating as The Walking Dead, not as funny as Sam and Max, and not as intriguing as The Wolf Among Us.”
music
201 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
42%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic selection of classic 70s and 80s tracks, effectively capturing the essence of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. While some reviewers noted that the soundtrack may not be as iconic as the films, it still enhances the gameplay experience and resonates well with players, making it a standout feature. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
- “Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series is probably one of my favorite games Telltale has ever done with great music choices and a pretty solid story.”
- “The soundtrack alone is just worth buying this game, really.”
- “The music fits perfectly with the soundtrack style you'd expect from the first two movies.”
- “The music that plays throughout the game is also fine but the budget really shows since most of the song choices are all from B or C-list bands, and each song gets used multiple times throughout the game.”
- “Music is meh 2/10; music from the same era, but none of the songs have that Guardians of the Galaxy feel that the movies do.”
- “A**holes of the Galaxy is a weak game with a really weak storyline, weak gameplay, and a weak soundtrack that tries to replicate the soundtrack from the movies.”
humor
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The humor in "Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series" is generally well-received, capturing the quirky and irreverent spirit of the films, with many players noting its witty dialogue and character interactions. While some found the humor hit-or-miss, with occasional awkward moments, the game is praised for its ability to blend comedic elements with emotional depth, making for a fun and engaging experience. Overall, fans of the franchise will likely appreciate the humor, even if it doesn't consistently reach the heights of other Telltale titles.
- “The humor and wordplay between the team is perfect and fits very well with what you'd want from a Guardians game.”
- “An amazingly hilarious game, captures the Guardians perfectly.”
- “The dialogue was incredible and I laughed at nearly every sentence and the plot was absolutely incredible and had me crying and laughing from beginning to end.”
- “Definitely healed any negative perceptions about the movie series due to how unfunny Vol. 2 was.”
- “All the characters in the game were spot on, but the 'Star Lord' character was plain and not funny enough for me.”
- “The dialogue is painfully unfunny, the action scenes are awkward.”
gameplay
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
71%
8%
The gameplay in Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy is largely consistent with the studio's previous titles, featuring minimal interaction primarily through quick time events and dialogue choices. While some players appreciate the narrative depth and character interactions, many criticize the gameplay as dull and lacking innovation, often feeling more like a passive viewing experience than an engaging game. Overall, the focus remains on storytelling, with gameplay taking a backseat, which may appeal to fans of narrative-driven experiences but disappoint those seeking more dynamic gameplay.
- “Like most of the other Telltale games, amazing story-based gameplay, maybe not the best in terms of replayability but it does offer alternative paths which you can explore.”
- “The immersive gameplay allows for choices that can lead to different outcomes, whether you want to romance characters, play as a vigilante seeking justice, or act as a mercenary for money.”
- “Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series is an enjoyable experience to participate in, from the characters we all love like Rocket Raccoon's filthy mouth and Drax's psychotic sense of humor to the story that just leaves you with a good taste in your mouth wanting more.”
- “There is practically no gameplay in this, even less than in the first Walking Dead.”
- “As with all Telltale games since Walking Dead, the gameplay boils down to quick time events to further the story.”
- “This kind of gameplay makes the game stale and boring to play.”
graphics
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
56%
10%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the updated art style and overall aesthetic, while others criticize the character models and animations as outdated or lacking polish. Many players appreciate the blend of comic and film visuals, but note performance issues and bland environments. Overall, while there are improvements in graphical fidelity, the game does not reach AAA standards, leaving some players disappointed.
- “At first I was put off that the game didn't feature the likeness of the film versions of the Guardians, but after spending some time in-game, it really has a nice balance between the comic book and film aesthetics and styles.”
- “The graphics are awesome; they actually fit in very well with the story, and the soundtrack is perfect.”
- “With the updated engine, the graphics look sublime; though at first a bit off-putting, the more mainstream animation fits into the game’s overall aesthetic.”
- “I wasn't expecting a graphical powerhouse, but the environments look bland, the character models are okay at best, and the animations are blocky.”
- “Graphically, this is poor at best.”
- “No wonder Telltale are going bust; a boring game with crap graphics, bad dialogue, and pointless choices.”
emotional
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a blend of heartfelt storytelling, character development, and impactful moments that evoke a range of feelings, from laughter to tears. Players appreciate the emotional depth of the characters, particularly through their backstories and tough choices, although some feel the overall narrative lacks the intensity of other Telltale titles. Despite some criticisms regarding the emotional weight of certain plot points, many reviewers found themselves deeply invested and moved by the game's unique blend of humor and drama.
- “Get ready for a story that puts the 'tail' in telltale, as you guide Star-Lord and the gang through a narrative so heartwarming, it'll make you forget that Groot is essentially just a talking tree with a limited vocabulary.”
- “I found myself getting very emotional at certain parts in the game, which I haven't had happen to me from a video game for a little while now.”
- “This game made me more emotional than The Walking Dead did, and that game completely ripped me apart - and still does to this day.”
- “This is such a boring story; I couldn't make myself reach the end of it.”
- “Telltale's games are known mostly for their cinematic story-based gameplay where you can choose one of four options to say, and how it will go wrong (or possibly right). Most of the time, it still ends up pretty much the same near the end. Other than that, they really do tell a good, practically linear story. You can expect a full 5-hour story to last approximately 8 hours, which is fairly decent for a game that you can get on sale for about $13 or less.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
Character development in the game is generally praised, with many reviewers highlighting a strong emotional connection to the characters, particularly the Guardians, and effective storytelling that enhances their arcs. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in character design, the overall consensus is that the game successfully captures the essence of the characters, offering a mix of humor, action, and emotional depth that resonates with players. The character development is rated positively, with scores ranging from 8/10 to 9/10, indicating a well-executed focus on character relationships and growth throughout the narrative.
- “It has a great mix of humor, action, emotional moments, good character development for almost all the guardians, and a decent main story arc, plus a very cool soundtrack.”
- “So much so, that I would say it rivals the Guardians MCU flicks by providing some great voice acting, character development, and overall storytelling along the way.”
- “With the focus being on character development, I finally found myself caring about most of them.”
- “But the story here is a waste of a license, and character development is mostly a joke.”
- “There's a few colorful moments here and there, but the textures for everything look so muddy and, barring the guardians themselves, most of the character designs range from same-face to straight up ugly or generic.”
- “So just an FYI, if the character design was okay in your opinion, and you didn't know why I griped about it, that might be why.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
93%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent and game-breaking glitches, particularly in specific episodes. While some users experienced minimal issues, the overall consensus highlights a buggy engine that detracts significantly from the gameplay experience. Save file problems and framerate issues further exacerbate the instability, leading many to deem it unfinished.
- “The episode felt a bit shorter than other Telltale games I've played, but I didn't mind it much. It runs great without any issues on my end, so I'm not sure what others are complaining about.”
- “The game has been incredibly stable, with no crashes or bugs during my playthrough.”
- “I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it really enhances the overall experience.”
- “Too buggy to play, and it seems that it was never finished properly.”
- “It is riddled with game-breaking glitches and bugs.”
- “It is absolutely riddled with bugs, framerate issues, and buggy controls.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players noted smooth gameplay at 60fps, many reported significant stuttering and frame drops, particularly during key scenes, which detracted from the experience. Despite the game's captivating elements, the inconsistent performance suggests that it is not well-optimized, especially for those with decent PCs.
- “Only one or two negatives, mainly around performance, the occasional jerky scene but easily ignored when the game is so captivating.”
- “The game itself runs smoothly and looks good, and with it being the GOTG; the music is great too.”
- “+great performance (tested 1080p, 2k and 4k)”
- “The opening scene was fine, but after that the game started stuttering so severely, it was pointless to try and continue.”
- “I experienced quite a few frame drops during episodes 2, 3, 4, and 5, for no reason whatsoever, and there was a lot of stuttering during important scenes throughout the entirety of the game, which was incredibly distracting.”
- “A game like this, should you have a decent PC, should not have performance like this.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game offers notable replayability, primarily due to its branching storylines and multiple endings influenced by player choices, which encourage players to explore different outcomes. While some users express a desire for features like a cutscene skip option to enhance replay value, the overall consensus is that the engaging narrative and varied paths make it worthwhile to replay. Many players plan to experience the game multiple times to fully appreciate its depth and alternative scenarios.
- “Lot's of ways for the game to end which gives it good replay value.”
- “Good replayability, plan to beat the game a few times more with different choices.”
- “To which I respond, 'Okay, well listen you pea-brained idiot, having a skip cutscene feature would make their games 100 times more replayable, because the only reason that one would replay this is to choose the different options and see the different cutscenes and dialogues.'”
- “Like most of the other Telltale games, amazing story-based gameplay, maybe not the best in terms of replayability but it does offer alternative paths which you can explore.”
- “It even looks like there is replayability because during a couple of the intermissions between chapters, the game shows some statistics that suggest there are different outcomes to the story such as deaths or lost acquaintances, etc.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
83%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often seen as excessive and tedious, with some players feeling it requires an unrealistic time commitment. While certain aspects of gameplay, like puzzles, can be enjoyable, they also highlight moments that feel monotonous and detract from the overall experience.
- “There's a lot of grinding involved, but it feels rewarding.”
- “You'll need a second life for all the grinding you'll be doing.”
- “The grinding can be intense, but it really pays off in the end.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “That's not saying it needs work; it's tedious and can be boring at times.”
- “A lot of the puzzles in GOTG are actually quite fun to do, but a few of them - especially one in the final section for episode 3 - were incredibly tedious, and I breathed a sigh of relief after completing each one and progressing the story.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and enjoyable qualities, effectively capturing the essence of the Guardians of the Galaxy. The superb voice acting and carefully selected music enhance the experience, making it appealing to fans of the movies. While some users noted a shift in tone, the overall consensus is that the game successfully replicates the fun and engaging atmosphere expected from the franchise.
- “The voice acting was nothing short of superb and the whole experience was really atmospheric and immersive.”
- “Definitely one of the better Telltale games, captures that Guardians of the Galaxy atmosphere perfectly.”
- “The atmosphere with the carefully picked music in the right moments was a delight.”
- “They've tried to replicate the atmosphere from the movie relatively well and succeeded for the most part.”
- “It captures the atmosphere you expect from the guardians, the voice acting is great.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is perceived as mediocre and primarily a cash grab, lacking the depth and excitement found in other franchises like Batman. Reviewers express disappointment in the limited source material and the overall entertainment value, suggesting that it fails to justify its pricing.
- “Really, this feels mediocre and like a quick cash grab.”
- “I was hoping it would at least come to par with Batman, where they changed a lot of major storylines and plot points to make the story exciting, but Guardians just isn't as recognizable with only two movies and a few comics from the 80s... just a great big cash grab with very little humor or entertainment.”