Review by C.J. Bunce
You are Star-Lord in the new Eidos-Montreal video game based on the infamous Marvel Comics band of misfits, the Guardians of the Galaxy. The third person, action-adventure has players calling the shots as the team tries to save the universe again, but not before you cause a chain of events to make it all unravel. Guardians of the Galaxy–the game–is space fantasy action with comedy notes, available now at Amazon for PS4, PS5, XBox, and more. There’s even a purple llama. And if you like the game, or you want to know what it’s like to be a voice actor for video games, don’t miss the behind-the-scenes guidebook, Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Game, just out from Titan Books.
Unlike previously reviewed art books and books about the making of games, Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Game discusses the role of actors in creating a game, being cast for their roles, how they worked as motion capture players, and how they attempted to make these famous characters all their own.
Led by art director Bruno Gauthier-Leblanc and senior creative director Jean-François Dugas, readers will find this group of Guardians looks and feels a bit different from the popular movie version. The production team discuss how it pulled its ideas, places, and subplots from the comics, and why and where the developers chose to veer away from the source material.
From a visual standpoint, the colorful concept artwork from a dozen creators will appeal to any fan of space fantasy art, the best of which are the various alien landscapes (especially Knowhere) and unusual their lifeforms the game brings to life.
And you will even get a look at Pip, a troll character brought into the game, most recently played by Patton Oswalt at the end of the Eternals movie, plus Adam Warlock, Kammy, Cosmo, and Lady Hellbender. Readers will also revisit the ship the Milano, and find Easter eggs and throwbacks on nearly every page.
Actors interviewed include Jon McLaren (Star-Lord), Kimberly-Sue Murray (Gamora), Alex Weiner (Rocket), Jason Cavalier (Drax), Robert Montcalm (Groot), and more.
For fans of the game, the characters, or anyone wanting to learn more about the production of a major franchise video game, check out Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Game, now available in a slick hardcover, coffee table style book, here at Amazon from Titan Books.
