I’m late to the party, but Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is absolutely an underrated gem.

There is so much to like about this game from its fun story to dynamic characters. Personally, I loved how tight the story was as it never overstayed its welcome but still felt big enough. I agree with the sentiment that it is a top tier superhero game.

Once I rolled credits, I started pondering on what made it such an enjoyable experience. Gameplay wasn’t anything overly unique and as much as I enjoyed the world, it still felt like many other science-fiction games.

Then it hit me: the game demonstrated some of the best writing I have seen in a video game.

All games include writers. These writers tend to shine more in more narrative-driven games such as RPGs or action-adventure titles. Like a good TV show or movie, a good narrative in a game isn’t possible without solid writing.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy exemplified that in the way it developed the characters and the dialogue they provided throughout the game.

Upon playing the game, you will notice that the characters are constantly talking. The battle chatter is constant but, to me, it wasn’t annoying. Rather, it felt witty and sharp.

Of course, it wasn’t extremely diverse, but it felt varied enough that the chatter never felt annoying. Furthermore, this chatter felt like a consistent extension of the characters developed throughout gameplay.

Character development can be hard to do in an ensemble game, but Guardians of the Galaxy thrived in this respect. Each character took you on an emotional roller coaster that led each one to highs and lows.

Their dialogue was a big reason for that, but it was also the general writing that really took the time to develop these characters. What was really fun to see was at different parts of the story, the basic dialogue would change such as when you needed Rocket to use the workbench.

There are many other aspects where this game thrived in the writing department. All of that added into a solid game that exceeds all expectations going into it. It also helps set a standard for writing.

In an age where some developers are turning to generative AI to write parts of their games, Guardians of the Galaxy shows the importance of human writing.

AI does seem to be getting better, but it still can’t match the level of relatability a human writer can bring to the audience. I am constantly telling my high school English students to keep their audiences in mind as they write. That is something AI doesn’t do well.

If AI were to take over in game development, we could lose dialogue and character development like what is on display in Guardians of the Galaxy. I wholeheartedly believe that without human writers, the game wouldn’t be nearly as good as it is now.

Writing will always be subjective and the quality will also fluctuate from game to game. That said, stellar writing will always stand out. Its effects are noticeable and it helps bridge a connection between the game and the players.

Guardians of the Galaxy has shown how this is done. It’s now time for the next game to see if it can continue building on those skills.

What about you? What did you think of the writing in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy? What video game do you think has the best writing? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.

Featured Image: Eidos-Montreal (via Edmund Wu)

Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games

The Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games – is the flagship show of the Boss Rush Network and Boss Rush Media. Each week, hosts⁠ Corey Dirrig and LeRon Dawkins⁠ are joined by friends, fellow creators, indie developers, and industry veterans to discuss the latest in the world of video games, including news, rumors, new releases, and what they’ve been playing. They also answer listener questions, debate important industry topics and Boss Rush Banter discussion points, and feature a rotating weekly segment. New episodes post every Monday.

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