Since 2018 with the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man, a number of different Marvel titles have come to PC and consoles. While Insomniac’s two Spider-Man offerings have been met with praise for their compelling approach to adapting Marvel’s source material, putting their own spin on the comics both narratively and visually speaking, Square Enix’s attempt with 2020’s Marvel’s Avengers was less well-received.
The first reveal trailer for Marvel’s Avengers back in E3 2019 was mocked by fans for its “Avengers at home” vibe, with many declaring the character designs to be poor imitations of the characters’ onscreen counterparts. While response to the publisher’s next Marvel installment, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (which is due to release this month) has been markedly less negative, the signs are still there that Square and Eidos Montreal haven’t learned from the disappointment of Marvel’s Avengers – at least when it comes to the overall tone and aesthetic of their titles, inviting comparisons to an already beloved interpretation of the Marvel Universe.
The E3 2021 showcase for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy showed that it was leaning heavily into an MCU-adjacent aesthetic, even mirroring Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord’s love for seventies and eighties-era music hits – an element director James Gunn introduced specifically for the character in the 2014 film. It’s pretty understandable as to why that’s the case (the influence of Gunn’s films has been felt on the Guardians’ comics for years now) but it’s emblematic of the MCU’s stranglehold when it comes to adapting the Marvel Universe to other mediums.
Marvel’s Avengers may have had plenty of references towards classic comic book costumes, quotes, and storylines, but it still mimicked the MCU’s aesthetic. And while Eidos Montreal has spoken publicly about looking towards the Andy Lanning-Dan Abnett Guardians comic in creating their own vision, those MCU influences are still front and center.
That was always going to be a given, as it was Lanning and Abnett’s reboot of the Avengers during 2007’s Annihilation event that ultimately laid the framework for Gunn’s trailblazing films. Even so, the influence of those comics on Montreal’s game feels less pronounced than the MCU’s does. Eidos’ game uses the exact same team lineup seen in Guardians Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, with Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket and Gamora the key focus, when there was scope to pull inspiration from the other lineups that have graced the comics over the last decade, and further distinguish their game from the films.
Why Marvel’s Video Games Can’t Escape The MCU
The answer comes down to the obscene popularity of the MCU. Square Enix and Marvel Games will be keen to draw in fans who responded so emphatically to the Guardians’ onscreen depiction in the Infinity Saga, hence the MCU-adjacent aesthetic and tone. This isn’t to say that the game will be devoid of any and all comic book influence, or that Eidos are simply parroting what fans have already seen in live action – it’s more just noting the oppressive influence the MCU can have when it comes to adapting Marvel’s comics to other mediums, which has only been made more evident by the presence of Iron Man, Captain America and Captain Marvel in the recently revealed Midnight Suns from Firaxis Games.
In many ways, the Guardians are a victim of circumstance. They wouldn’t even have a video game without Gunn’s films, so they’re less able to withstand the pressure of their influence. It’s doubtful Insomniac would’ve faced the same pressures with Spider-Man, as the character’s popularity transcends that of the MCU’s, thus affording the studio greater freedom to pursue their own interpretation. The same could also be said of Wolverine, who Insomniac will turn their attention to next after Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
All that, however, doesn’t make it any less disappointing to see Square Enix seemingly repeat the mistakes of Marvel’s Avengers. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy may very well be able to carve out its own identity separate to that of the comics and films, but so long as it continues to lean into the MCU, the likelier it’ll end up suffering the same unfavorable comparisons as its predecessor, and be a less unique product overall.
