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Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy 2021
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2021 action-adventure video game developed by Eidos-Montréal and originally published by Square Enix. This title takes place in an original universe inspired by the Marvel Comics superhero team bearing the same name. The storyline centers on the Guardians as they try to capture a creature for a rich collector, unintentionally causing a disaster that endangers galactic stability. Players control Star-Lord, the self-appointed leader of the group, issuing commands to teammates such as Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot. Certain story moments involve dialogue choices that influence Guardian relationships and alter mission results.
This game represents the second collaboration between Marvel Entertainment and Square Enix. Unlike their earlier effort, Marvel's Avengers, this is a standalone single-player experience with no additional content or microtransactions. The creative team at Eidos worked closely with Marvel to build an original version of the Guardians' world. Although the tone remains light-hearted, the narrative explores trauma and grief as key themes. The musical elements include an original score by Richard Jacques, selected licensed tracks from the 1970s and 1980s, and a 1980s-themed album created by audio director Steve Szczepkowski.
Announced in June 2021, the game launched on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 26, 2021. A Nintendo Switch cloud streaming version released simultaneously. An enhanced port titled Encore Edition with extra material will arrive under the subtitle 2 in November 2026. Although initial expectations were modest due to the weak performance of Marvel's Avengers, the game garnered mostly favorable reviews from critics. It was appreciated for its storytelling, music, character development, and acting, although combat mechanics received divided feedback. The title earned multiple year-end recognition nominations from gaming media and won awards including "Best Narrative" at The Game Awards 2021, as well as "Adventure Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Story" at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Despite critical acclaim, sales did not meet Square Enix's projections.
Crew
- Director
- Jean-François Dugas
- Designer
- Patrick Fortier
- Programmer
- Daniel Letendre
- Artist
- Bruno Gauthier-Leblanc
- Writer
- Mary DeMarle
- Producer
- Olivier Proulx, Hubert Corriveau
- Music
- Richard Jacques
Details
- Developer
- Eidos-Montréal
- Publisher
- Eidos-Montréal (2022–), Square Enix Creative Studio I
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
- Modes
- Single-player
- Engine
- Dawn Engine
