Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy beginner’s guide

In Polygon’s Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy beginner’s guide, we’ll show you how to get the most of your time as Star-Lord and the gang. This game focuses heavily on exploration and communication, so we’ll give you tips and tricks to see and hear it all. This guide also covers essential strategies for combat so you can learn to fight as a team.

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Explore everywhere

Finding your way around missions in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is easy. Every main objective has a handy waypoint, ensuring that you can always find the way forward. But it also has another use. If you go in any other direction, you’ll most likely find some loot, collectibles, or one of the game’s many unlockable skins.

You’ll know you’re heading down the right path to find a hidden object when one of your companions scolds you for taking a detour. If a teammate mentions going a specific way down the critical path, keep an eye out for areas outside of that. You’ll almost always get rewarded for venturing off, even if someone like Rocket yells at you for ditching them momentarily.

While exploring, you may even find unique items that Star-Lord will bring back to the ship. If you find an item like this, he’ll mention how he’d like to follow up with one of his teammates about that item. These will appear back on the ship, usually in the personal chambers of the associated party member. Interact with those objects when you have a chance to trigger special dialogue and backstory.

Use your scanner to find hidden objects and paths

Star-Lord has a scanner that allows him to ping all sorts of objects. The scanner lets him see his teammates, lore objects, collectibles, enemies, and other things he can interact with. In the game’s opening mission, you’ll need to use the scanner frequently to find things you can destroy to move the story forward, but it’s also helpful for revealing destructible objects to create hidden paths.

Image: Eidos Montreal/Square Enix via Polygon

Every time you enter a new area, turn on your scanner and look for loot. This tactic becomes especially helpful once you get Star-Lord’s Components Localizer perk, which places an icon on the screen when components are near. Enable the scanner, and you can more easily identify loot locations.

Hidden upgrade components and objects that reveal more story elements are scattered across each locale you visit. Just about every area outside of the main path is hiding something, so don’t worry about wandering around much. You’ll most likely be rewarded for doing so.

Your dialogue choices matter

There are dozens of moments in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy when Star-Lord has an opportunity to cut in and say something. These interjections not only move the game’s witty banter forward, but many of the things you choose to say have lasting effects.

Image: Eidos Montreal/Square Enix via Polygon

Siding with certain characters and making big decisions for the group can change how characters feel about you. Certain decisions even affect how entire missions play out. There is so much talking in Guardians of the Galaxy. What you say as the team’s leader often has an impact on how your story plays out.

Talk to everyone

Communicating is just as important as all the fighting that takes place in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Sometimes during missions, your characters stop for a moment before you’re prompted to move on. Take a moment and talk with everyone who has a speech bubble above their head. If you do, you’ll be treated to dialogue that not only reveals more about your crew, but you may even affect the story.

The same goes for the interludes on your ship between missions. Before you set off across the galaxy to make some daring mistakes, explore your ship and talk to all your teammates. Talk to everyone before moving on to your main objective. Certain conversations can only happen on the ship. Don’t miss these opportunities to get more stories out of your band of misfits.

Combo abilities together

In combat, you take full control of Star-Lord. While his blasters and melee attacks can take care of most enemies, he’ll need to call upon his allies to perform special attacks. Each of your teammates has unique abilities and combat functions in battle. Alone, these skills are powerful. In tandem, you can clear waves of enemies and tough bosses easily.

Image: Eidos Montreal/Square Enix via Polygon

Rocket excels at a large, area of effect damage. His special weapons and gadgets can hit multiple enemies at once. The engineer’s abilities are best used when you want to dispatch a large group of weaker enemies.

Groot uses his body to immobilize enemies. Use him to halt the attacks of multiple or single enemies who won’t get off your back. While Groot stops enemies in their tracks, you and your companions can attack them unimpeded.

Drax uses his powerful body to stun large attackers. Some enemies must be staggered before you can chip away at their health. While you and your teammates have some attacks that can cause stun damage, Drax specializes in disabling huge enemies so they can be left vulnerable for the rest of the team to attack.

Gamora’s fast and powerful fighting style lets her deal massive damage to targets. With assassin-like precision, direct her to lay waste to enemies. If you need an enemy taken out quickly, let Gamora handle it.

Each of your fellow Guardians will fight enemies alongside you. However, when you put their abilities to use, you’ll take down foes quicker. The team really shines when you combo their abilities together.

For instance, you can take out a wave of enemies quickly by having Groot immobilize them. Then, you can have Rocket Raccoon follow up with one of his powerful weapons to take out the entangled enemies. When you encounter large enemies that Star-Lord can’t handle, you can have Drax stagger them. Once they’re no longer a threat, call on Gamora to swiftly finish the job.

Source: https://www.polygon.com/guides/22734275/guardians-of-the-galaxy-beginners-tips-tricks