Guardians of the Galaxy game release date: Launch time, rating and Metacritic score
Square Enix and Eidos Montreal reveal an awesome-looking GOTG game.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy are here but they are swapping the big screen for the video game world! The whole gang of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot, Rocket Racoon and Mantis are all set to appear in this virtual adventure that is out this week.
We have already played the game and if you want to know what we thought of it, check out our Guardians of the Galaxy game review!
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy comes from Square Enix and Eidos Montreal, the same team as the Marvel's Avengers game and this is a separate world from what we have seen of the characters in the MCU.
When does the Guardians of the Galaxy game come out, though, and what have those who have already played it said about it so far? Keep on reading for all we know about the game!
When is the Guardians of the Galaxy game release date?
The Guardians of the Galaxy game release date is taking place on Tuesday, 26th October 2021 - that's the day on which the GotG game will launch into the world and we'll all be able to play it. You'd better start clearing some space in your diary, then!
Guardians of the Galaxy game launch time
There will be no hanging about to play this time! The Guardians of the Galaxy game launch time will occur at midnight wherever you are in the world. So here in the UK, that 00.00 am BST on 26th October - that's the time at which British fans will be able to jump into the game.
Which consoles and platforms is the Guardians of the Galaxy game on?
The Guardians of the Galaxy game is slated to launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Windows 10 PC. The game will also launch on Nintendo Switch (as a recent Nintendo Direct showcase confirmed), and we wouldn't be surprised to see the GotG game showing up on Google Stadia at some point down the road (lots of previous Square Enix games have).
Can I pre-order the Guardians of the Galaxy game?
Yes, pre-orders have begun for the Guardians of the Galaxy game, although some retailers haven't got their product pages live yet. If it's a physical version that you're after, GAME will sell you the standard boxed version of the game for £59.99, and they'll even throw in an exclusive steelbook.
If you want to show some more love to the Guardians, GAME also has the Cosmic Deluxe edition - an upgraded version of the physical release which includes some extra goodies - but it does cost £79.99.
If you're more of a digital download sort of person, you'll find the option to pre-order Guardians of the Galaxy on Sony's PlayStation store and Microsoft's Xbox store. Or if you're a PC player, you can choose between Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Guardians of the Galaxy game rating
The Guardians of the Galaxy game has been given an age rating of 16+ here in the UK - so expect moderate violence and, knowing the Guardians, some colourful language along the way.
Guardians of the Galaxy game Metacritic
Now the reviews are out, what are people saying?
Over on Metacritic, the Guardians of the Galaxy game currently has a score of 81/100 which means it has been generally well-received. Most are praising the story and the characters while admitting that combat is fun yet basic while certain flaws stop it from being an outright classic.
As for our review, we said that "if you had any doubts that Marvel characters could make for great gaming experiences – after the Avengers game, perhaps – this thrill ride should quell them. Oh, and the soundtrack is superb too."
Guardians of the Galaxy game versions
If you're wondering what the difference is between the different versions of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy game, the answer to that question is pretty simple. The standard version only gets you the game itself, while the Digital Deluxe Edition throws in these extra goodies:
- Sun-Lord Outfit for Star-Lord (Early Unlock)
- City-Lord Outfit for Star-Lord (Early Unlock)
- Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Hits - Original Video Game Soundtrack (Digital Download)
- Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Game Mini Artbook (Digital Download)
The Cosmic Deluxe Edition includes all of the above plus a steelbox case and a physical version of the Mini Artbook. That's the fanciest version, basically, but buying it won't really change your gameplay experience very much. The outfits are cool, though, as you can see in the picture above.
What is the story of the Guardians of the Galaxy game?
The official Guardians of the Galaxy game synopsis doesn't give much away in terms of story specifics, saying: "Your newly-formed band of legendary misfits is set to save the universe in this fresh but faithful take on the Guardians of the Galaxy. Somehow, you set off a chain of catastrophic events, leading to a wild ride through mind-blowing worlds inhabited by iconic and original Marvel characters. Turn up the all-star ‘80s mixtape and get ready to kick it."
The gameplay footage we've seen indicates that there is a mission where you have to try and sell off either Groot or Rocket Raccoon in order to make some quick cash, before going back later to bust your buddy out again. In the gameplay footage, our heroes also battles Lady Hellbender and met up with Cosmo the Space Dog.
There seem to be quite a lot of decisions for you to make, with your teammates remembering your choices and vocally judging you, while you play as Star-Lord and try to guide this team of misfits through various missions and battles.
It's also been teased that were will be familiar Marvel villains in the game, ranging from famous foes to lesser-known nasties. And it sounds like the main hurdle you need to overcome may be a mess of the Guardians' own making, which sounds about right!
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Which songs are on the Guardians of the Galaxy game soundtrack?
The Guardians of the Galaxy game soundtrack is full of absolute bangers, and these songs have all been confirmed:
- I Ran (So Far Away) - Flock of Seagulls
- Take On Me - A-Ha
- Turn Up The Radio - Autograph
- White Wedding - Billy Idol
- Call Me - Blondie
- (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
- Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
- Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler
- I'll Tumble 4 Ya - Culture Club
- Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) - Def Leppard
- The Final Countdown - Europe
- Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
- Cars - Gary Numan
- Every 1's A Winner - Hot Chocolate
- Where Eagles Dare - Iron Maiden
- Bad Reputation - Joan Jett
- I Love It Loud - Kiss
- Turn Me Loose - Loverboy
- Kickstart My Heart - Mötley Crüe
- Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block
- Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
- Since You Been Gone - Rainbow
- Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
- The Warrior - Scandal ft. Patty Smyth
- Love Song - Simple Minds
- Tainted Love - Soft Cell
- We Built This City - Starship
- Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
- We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
- Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
- Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!
- Zero To Hero - Star-Lord
- Space Riders (With No Names) - Star-Lord
- Ghost - Star-Lord
- Watch Me Shine - Star-Lord
- We're Here - Star-Lord
- All For One - Star-Lord
- No Guts No Glory - Star-Lord
- Solar Skies - Star-Lord
- The Darkness Inside - Star-Lord
There will be original songs in the game, with what the website describes as tracks from "Peter Quill's favourite rock band, Star-Lord, and their legendary album Space Rider." Check out the album artwork in the screenshot below.
Who are the actors in the Guardians of the Galaxy game cast?
Since this is set in a different universe to the movies, we can pretty confidently say that Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista and Vin Diesel will not appear in the Guardians of the Galaxy game.
The main cast for the game is:
- Jon McClaren as Star-Lord
- Kimberly-Sue Murray as Gamora
- Brandon Paul Eells as Drax
- Adam Harrington as Groot
Can I watch some Guardians of the Galaxy gameplay footage?
From the start menu all the way through to some big battles, via some key decisions, Square Enix has shown us 11 minutes of gameplay footage from the Guardians of the Galaxy game. You can take a look below and get a good feel for what this game will play like:
Do you only play as Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy game?
The gameplay footage makes it pretty clear that Star-Lord is the only playable character in the Guardians of the Galaxy game, with players experiencing the story and combat from his point of view. You can use his twin blasters and his jet boots to cause chaos on the battlefield.
You can also give instructions to Gamora, Groot, Drax and Rocket Raccoon, so it's not like they'll just be standing there doing nothing. There is no Guardians of the Galaxy game multiplayer mode, though.
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
Is there a trailer for the Guardians of the Galaxy game?
As shown during Square Enix's slot in the E3 2021 schedule, the reveal trailer for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy really does a great job of showcasing the tone and feel of the game. And it's all boosted by Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out for a Hero. What more could you want? Check it out below, and get yourself hyped for the Guardians of the Galaxy game's release date on 26th October 2021.
Read more on the Guardians of the Galaxy game:
- How long is the Guardians of the Galaxy game?
- Guardians of the Galaxy game outfits - full list of skins/costumes
- Why you can only play as Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy game
- Guardians of the Galaxy game multiplayer - why there's no online co-op
- Guardians of the Galaxy game PC requirements & settings
- Guardians of the galaxy game soundtrack
- Guardians of the Galaxy game trophy list
- Guardians of the Galaxy game review: a superb space opera
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Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.