Guardians of the Galaxy Episode 3 Review

https://youtu.be/ZncdTNkJ1GY

Episode three of Telltale Games’ Guardians of the Galaxy promises players that they’ll finally learn more about the mysterious Eternity Forge, the mysterious device that revived Star Lord earlier in the series. It feels almost like a conclusion of sorts, as it winds up answering many of the burning questions I had after the first episode. I’m no longer wondering where it came from and how it was manipulating the memories of the crew.

While many answers are given to the player early on, it also brings with it an important question. One that ends up being one of Telltale’s finest moral dilemmas yet. If you could bring back a loved one, but had to kill someone else to do so, would you do it? That’s the question that both the player and Peter Quill have to answer by the end of More Than A Feeling, and it’s one that I struggled with.

The entire crew of the Milano (that ship name will never stop being funny to me) also struggle with the same question. Much of the second episode was spent learning of Rocket Raccoon’s heartbreak, so it’s only natural that he’d want to use the device to bring back Lylla. It also marks a new hope for Drax, who has struggled to find a reason for continuing on since finally avenging his family. At its core, though, these desires are selfish. To mend their own broken hearts, they’ll have to cause pain and suffering to others. Is bringing loved ones back worth it if you have that blood on your hands?

Responsibility

Beyond the moral dilemma that encompasses More Than A Feeling, the episode also introduces a new character to Telltale’s take on the comic universe. A woman named Mantis ends up being behind the distorted memories, and her psychic empathy carries over from other media. Being able to sense the feelings of others is shown to be an incredible burden early on, and it’s shown early on that Mantis struggles to deal with the Guardians’ infighting.

The inclusion of Mantis also brings in yet another hilarious dynamic to the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy. Her lack of social skills lead to some incredible moments. My favorite was when I decided to flirtingly introduce Peter as “Star Lord, baby,” and then she ended up calling him “Star Lord Baby” for the rest of the episode. It was a small thing, but it made me laugh every single time it was uttered.

Her appearance also brings more flashbacks, which have been one of the season’s strengths. In fact, the episode opens up with some eye-opening scenes detailing the pasts of both Gamora and Peter. I found myself personally impacted more by Peter’s tale (maybe I can just relate more to knowing a loved one will die compared to being the daughter of an evil space tyrant), but both served their purpose of fleshing out the characters.

More Than A Feeling

A lot of heavy themes are dealt within More Than A Feeling, but the series’ signature humor still manages to play even while the squad is bickering with one another. I actually had to pause the game at one point since I was laughing so hard in response to Peter questioning if Rocket could actually understand Groot after Mantis revealed that he purposefully mistranslated what he was saying during an argument. Picturing Rocket just coming up with gibberish the entire time nearly left me in tears, and it’s this sense of light-heartedness that really helps Guardians differentiate itself from the rest of Telltale’s offerings.

I had a great time playing through episode three, but I do have to note that the combat scenes are growing a bit stale. Despite some excellent choreography, it still comes down to waiting to hit some button prompts. None of the gameplay variation seen in Batman: The Enemy Within appears here, and that makes the action seem like more of a middling affair. It’s not a negative (as the scenes are still a ton of fun to watch unfold), but it’s a missed opportunity.

Telltale’s Guardians of the Galaxy has been circumventing my expectations ever since the crew killed Thanos in the very first episode, and that trend continued here. I really have no clue where the series will go next, and that leaves me excited. I’m more than happy to be along for the ride with Star Lord and his ragtag crew.

Guardians of the Galaxy Episode 3 review code purchased by reviewer. Reviewed on PlayStation 4 Pro. For more information on scoring, please read our Review Policy here.