If you’re going to go out, then you might as well go out with a bang. This is exactly what the final episode of the Marvel and Telltale Games was able to pull off.
But this time around, everything isn’t what you would expect it to be.
Platform Played: PC
Platforms Available: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Release Date: November 7, 2017
Price: USD $24.99 / Php 629.95 (Steam)
The fifth episode had a lot of flaws, but that doesn’t mean that it’s all bad. Although, there are a couple of issues that will definitely not go unnoticed. Those who went through the first opening minutes will have most likely felt that certain choices and outcomes of episode 4 felt pointless and possibly even unnecessary. It’ll make players feel a bit cheated that they were presented with a heavy ending in the previous episode, only to have it somewhat washed away within the first couple of scenes.
There were even a few events that felt a tad flat and it was clear wherein that wasn’t supposed to be the case. The reoccurring problem of pointless QTE’s (Quick Time Events) and the exploration sequences are still persistent within the game’s final episode. Other particularly noteworthy issues include having a very particular reveal feel very underwhelming, seemingly important choices feeling unimportant, and a certain Guardian’s character development issue that wasn’t seen in the previous installment of the series.
However, the final battle and the last choice that you had to make definitely made up for the problems that you had to face within the episode’s plot. This time things were off to a rocky start, but the game’s final moments definitely made an amazing statement on how players should feel once everything’s over.
It remains that the best part of this episode, and the entirety of this Telltale game, is the ability to make your own version of Star Lord. You can turn him into a seemingly nice guy, an arrogant jerk, or a manipulative opportunist with the right choices. You can even have him keep his mouth shut from time to time and that’s something that Star Lord usually never does! However, the problems regarding the QTE’s and the exploration sections that have reoccurred in every episode are things that not even your own beloved version of Star Lord will be able to solve.
It would have been nice to shake things up a bit and add a couple of new mechanics, even if it is this far into the game. A good example would have been replacing the exploration sequences with something like a rail shooting sequence wherein you have to blast your way through enemies or asteroids that’s blocking your path to the story’s progression. At least with this, players will actually feel like they’re playing a game rather than just enjoying an interactive comic book movie. Alas, that sadly isn’t the case.
Having to go through QTE’s that may or may not have consequences will just make players feel and realize that they’ve done the same thing over and over from the start to finish. Perhaps that’s what the exploration sequences were meant to abolish and it’s obvious that they placed these in so that players will be reminded that they’re still playing a game, but they just weren’t made and executed in the right way and they can even make players feel even more lethargic than they possibly are.
But make no mistake, the way the game ends is definitely something that the players would want to experience. The final “battle” really gives off that amazing save-the-world vibe where the scenes were beautifully shot, the dialogue is very well written, and let’s not get started on the amazing music that’s played in the background.
However, one of the best things about this episode that definitely made the ending fantastic is the final choice that you’re presented with. You’ll feel torn as the choice you’re going to have to make is one that you’re going to have to think over very carefully.
It helps that the final confrontation between the villain and the heroes really makes you feel like you understand the reason for their motivations and it’ll definitely pull on your emotions, even if it’s just a little bit.
Even if the final episode had its fair share of problems, the experience of playing a Guardian’s of the Galaxy Telltale game’s last hurrah is something that a lot of people are definitely going to enjoy. The way the characters are presented, how the dialogue is written, the music that plays, and even the camera angles used for just about every scene was well done and this is definitely a game that fans of both the comic books and the films should definitely get their hands on.
