Honestly, most people have completely forgotten that Telltale Games ever touched the Marvel universe. When you think of space-faring misfits in gaming, your mind probably jumps straight to the 2021 Eidos-Montréal masterpiece. It’s understandable. That game was a neon-soaked, high-octane joyride. But if you look back at 2017, there’s this weird, melancholic, and surprisingly deep experience called Guardians of the Galaxy Telltale that basically vanished from the face of the earth.
It’s delisted now. You can't just hop on Steam or the PlayStation Store and buy it. It’s a ghost in the machine, a digital relic of a studio that was falling apart while trying to tell a story about a family coming together.
The Eternity Forge and the Choice That Actually Hurt
The core of the plot revolves around something called the Eternity Forge. It’s a classic MacGuffin, but with a Telltale twist: it can bring back the dead. In the first episode, you do the unthinkable. You kill Thanos. Like, actually kill him. It’s not a fake-out. You’re left with his massive purple corpse and a weird artifact that starts whispering to every member of the team.
This is where the game gets its claws into you. Every Guardian has someone they’ve lost. Drax wants his daughter Kamaria back. Rocket is haunted by Lylla. Peter Quill—well, we all know about his mom. The game forces you to decide if you’re going to use this power or destroy it. Unlike the movies, where the "right" choice is usually clear, Telltale makes you feel like an absolute jerk for being "moral." If you choose to destroy the forge, you aren’t just saving the universe; you’re looking your best friends in the eye and telling them they can’t have their families back.
It’s brutal.
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Why the tone felt "off" to some players
There’s a bit of industry tea behind why the game feels the way it does. Former Telltale narrative designer Emily Grace Buck has spoken openly about how the executive team at the time was convinced that "dark and sad" was what players wanted. They actually mandated 90% rewrites to make the first two episodes less funny.
Think about that. They took the Guardians of the Galaxy—a franchise built on banter and "O-o-h Child"—and tried to turn it into a gritty tragedy. You can feel that tension in the final product. It’s a game caught between two identities: the "goofy" MCU vibe and a somber meditation on grief.
- Peter Quill: Voiced by Scott Porter, he’s a bit more weary than Chris Pratt’s version.
- Rocket Raccoon: Nolan North (yes, Nathan Drake himself) gives a performance that is surprisingly heartbreaking.
- Hala the Accuser: The main villain, a Kree fanatic who wants the forge to resurrect her entire race.
The "Delisted" Problem: How Do You Even Play It?
If you’re reading this in 2026 and want to check it out, you’re going to have to do some legwork. Since the original Telltale went bankrupt and the rights reverted to Marvel, the digital versions are gone. You can't buy it on the Xbox Store. You can't buy it on PSN.
But there’s a loophole.
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If you can track down a physical "Season Pass Disc" for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, it usually still works. Even though the store says the game is gone, the disc acts as a "key." When you put it in, the console recognizes you own the license and allows you to download episodes 2 through 5 from the servers. It’s a bit of a gamble, and prices on eBay for these discs have been creeping up, but it’s the only "legit" way left for console players.
PC players have it harder. Unless you bought it years ago, you’re looking at grey-market key resellers charging astronomical prices or... well, the high seas.
Is it actually better than the Eidos game?
Better? Probably not. The Eidos-Montréal game has better combat, better graphics, and a more consistent script. But the Guardians of the Galaxy Telltale version does something the other game doesn't: it lets you fail.
In the Telltale version, your relationships with the team can actually fracture. You can end the game with certain members absolutely hating your guts. It captures the "dysfunctional" part of the family dynamic better than almost any other medium. Plus, the soundtrack—while smaller than the 2021 game—uses songs like "Dancing in the Moonlight" in ways that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
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Technical Gremlins and the Telltale Tool
We have to be honest here. The game was built on an engine that was basically held together by duct tape and hope. Even in 2026, on a high-end PC or a modern console, you’re going to see "Telltale jank."
- Characters will occasionally T-pose into the sunset.
- Frame rates might dip during "intense" walk-and-talk segments.
- The lip-syncing is... let's call it "expressive."
Despite the bugs, the art direction is solid. It leans more into the comic book aesthetic than the photorealistic look of later Marvel games. It has a specific charm that feels like a Saturday morning cartoon with a $100 million budget and a drinking problem.
What most people get wrong about the ending
A lot of players complain that Telltale choices don't matter. In this game, that’s only half true. While the broad strokes of the finale stay the same, the emotional state of the team is entirely up to you. You can choose to resurrect one person at the end. Just one. Deciding between Rocket’s happiness and Drax’s closure is one of the most stressful things I've ever done in a point-and-click adventure.
How to experience the story today
If you can’t find a disc or a key, honestly? Watch a "No Commentary" playthrough on YouTube. I know, I know—it’s not the same. But the writing in the back half of the season (especially episodes 3 and 4) is some of the strongest work Telltale ever did before they shuttered.
It’s a fascinating time capsule of a specific era in gaming history. It was a time when every major IP was getting a "choice-based" adaptation, for better or worse. In the case of the Guardians, it was a bit of both.
Next Steps for the Aspiring Galaxy Saver:
- Check local used game stores: Look specifically for the "Season Pass Disc" for PS4 or Xbox One. Ensure it's the physical version, not a digital code.
- Verify your region: Telltale discs can sometimes be finicky with DLC downloads if the disc region doesn't match your account region.
- Commit to the "Jerk" run: If you do play it, try making the choices you’d never normally make. The branching dialogue for an "unlikable" Star-Lord is surprisingly well-written.