One of the bigger announcements made during the recent Square Enix E3 2021 conference was the reveal of their Guardians of the Galaxy vi𝓀deo g💧ame adaptation. Developed by Eidos-Montréal, the project is a single-player action-adventure game that is currently set for release on October 26, 2021. Its showcase had taken up a huge ch🐻unk of their overall presentation, giving fans ample opportunity﷽ to get a feel for the game.
Those same fans had been quick to point out the similarities between the game and th🐭e recent slew of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies featu💟ring the ragtag team. But for all the inspiration the new game appears to have taken from the MCU, it still manages to do quite a lot to set itself apart. Here are some of the differences between the Guardians as depicted in the game and the Guardians in the movies.
10 𝓡 An Original Story 🙈
The new Guardians of the Galaxy game is🧸 set in its own universe that is completely distinct from the one seen in the movies. This means that it is based on a wholly original story that finds the team dealing with a previously unexplored threat, and it takes place not long after their formation.
That threat comes in the aftermath of an intergalactic war as the Guardians go up against Lady Hellbender, a character that is yet to make an appearance in the movies. Players of the game shouldn't expect much (if any) overlap between the two versions, beyond a few nods and visual similarities.
9 A Familiar But Distinct Linಞeup
Much like the movies, and the comic books upon which they were based, the new game would feature the same lineu🌃p of characters. So, fans should be happy to see Star-Lord/Peter Quill, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, anཧd Drax the Destroyer. Except this is not a one-to-one replication of their depictions in the movie.
For starters, their designs appear to draw more heavily from the comic books than from anywhere else. Gamora, for example, has a more hardened appearance that seems more in line with her appearances in the comics. Then there's Rocket Raccoon, who can be seen rocking a sick plaited beard, which is as far away as you can get from the movies without trying too hard.
8 ꦆ It Centers On Star-Lord
In a move that seems somewhat surprising for a game that is going to feature a team of superheroes, the developers have made the decision to allow players to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:take direct control of only Star-Lord. They'll still be able to issue commands to the remaining members of the team though, à la Mass Effect, adding a strategic layer to the game's battles.
The decision is linked to the fact that Star-Lord is meant to act as the emotional core of the game's narrative. In the films, he had fulfilled a similar role, with flashback sequences showing his Earthly origins at the start of both movies. But those movies also had other important storylines that centered on the other characters, like Gamora's relationship with Thanos for example, which was just as integral to the overall narrative.
7 A Self-Contained Adventuꦦre
The movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are known for their interweaving narraꦰtives. So, from the moment the original Guardians of the Galaxy movie had been announced, fans had wondered how their tale would tie into the larger Infinity Saga.
That is not the case with this new Guardians of the Galaxy game, which appears to be a standalone adventure that would have nothing to do with the movies nor its publisher's other game based on a Marvel property. From what could be gleaned from the trailers, it didn't seem like the Guardians have had any kind of contact with the Avengers in this one.
6 There's No Romance Between Star-Lord and Gamora
One of the recurring elements in the MCU Guardian movies is the romance between the characters of Star-Lord and Gamora. That romance would in fact prove integral to the course of the overall Infinity Saga, as this was what had propelled Quill to attempt to singlehandedly take on Thanos after he'd learned what he'd done to Gamora.
In this latest game, there does not appear to be any such romance between the two characters. Gamora is depicted as being even colder and more determined than she was in the movie. Also, Quill can be clearly seen cavorting with a tentacled alien at one point in the trailer, which further suggests that he'll have no romantic ties to Gamora.
5 Th𒉰e Soundtrack
A highlight of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie is the songs that made up 🌱its memorable soundtrack. The movie featured such 60s and 70s classics like Cherry Bomb, I Want You Back, and Escape (The Pina Colada Song).
While this could be co🔯nsidered more of a similar꧃ity than a difference, the fact remains that the new Guardians of the Galaxy game would feature its own distinct soundtrack made up of 80s-hits. Songs like Bad Reputation and Holding Out for a Hero could be heard in the trailers that were shown at E3, hinting at a soundtrack that would be made up of even more licensed music from that era.
4 The Humor
The Guardians of the Galaxy movies are renowned for their sidesplitting humor. Everything from Peter Quill's dancing in the opening montage of the first movie, to Drax's stealthy antics, have kept a smile on viewers' faces. But they've always tended to do that in a toned-down, family-friendly way, being a Disney property and all.
The game's humor, on the other hand, looks like it would be taking on a darker edge. So fans can expect less subtle innuendos sprinkled all over the game's dialogue. There was one scene in particular where Star-Lord has to decide whether or not to let Drax throw Rocket across a wide chasm, to enable them to get to the other side, which serves as a good barometer for the type of humor to expect in the game.
3 The Weapons 🔯
The Guardians of the Galaxy are not really superheroes in the traditional sense of the word. This is why they've always tended to resort to their wits and skills more often than not in the MCU movies. For example, Gamora is a trained assassin, while Rocket is a skilled marksman and a demolitions expert.
But for these characters to truly work in the context of an action-adventure video game, they'll need some serious weapons at their disposal. And this appears to be the case. Star-Lord's signature rocket boots are back in the new game, but in addition to that, he also has Element Blasters. Rocket can also be seen wielding an array of different weapons at various points in the trailers, hinting at a much larger selection than what was featured in the movies.
2 🌊 A Different Origin 🅷
The first Guardians movie had pretty much served as an origin story, introducing audiences to the cast of characters for the very first time. They didn't even take on the title of Guardians of the Galaxy until the very end of the film.
By contrast, the Square Enix game is set sometime after the formation of the team, so whether or not it will explore the details of their formation is unclear at this point. But they were 🌟jokingly referred to as t✃he Gardners of the Galaxy at the start of one of the trailers, which perhaps hints at a whole new origin for the team.
1 A Fresh Take ♏
As of the time of this writing, the Guardians of the Galaxy have been featured in a total of four MCU movies, with at least 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:one more currently in the works. The result is that we've pretty much grown to know the ins and outs of these characters at this point. But this doesn't mean we've seen all that they have to offer.
For the latest video game adaptation, the peop༒le at Marvel have pretty much given the developers carte blanche to realize their own vision — and the publishers have promised that their game would offer a fresh but faithful take. What this entails 🔥exactly remains to be seen, but fans will do well to come along for the ride and see for themselves.