Sorry James Gunn, But We Think GOTG Video Game Made a Better Version of Mantis Than MCU

There is one thing that the MCU film Guardians of the Galaxy fails to finesse that the game manages to capture with precision: the characterization of the popular comic book character Mantis.

The film highly undermines this character and fails to give her the depth and design necessary to help the audience resonate with her. However, the game, on the other hand, does a great job of building her from the ground up and doing justice to her skills and other attributes.

Mantis is portrayed way better in the game than in the film

James Gunn might be one of the finest directors, but he failed to create a better version of Mantis. The game Guardians of the Galaxy came out in 2021 and surprised everyone with its great narrative structure. The game allows players to interact with Mantis directly and engage in conversations, which helps build a deeper connection with the character.

Mantis is an integral part of the MCU universe and is featured in the Guardians of the Galaxy adventures along with other characters. In the game, she plays an active role in the storyline and adds depth to the narrative as opposed to her lack of impactful contributions in the movies.

The game does a great job of exploring her emotional struggles and dilemmas, making her a character full of conflicts and internal struggles, which helps in showing her as a fully realized character as opposed to the one-dimensional mess she was in the movies. She fails to get fully explored in the films, and Gunn only focuses on making her appear socially awkward for comedic relief. She is not one of Gunn’s best characters.

I’ve seen enough this is my FAVORITE version of Mantis pic.twitter.com/Tpz3c9hBHZ

— PridefulSin🫧 (@ReignOfPride) January 21, 2025

This game is an absolute gem. I played it straight through because I was so addicted.

— TheDailyPanel (@TheDailyPanel_) January 21, 2025

She put him in a blender politely 😆

— Plank🪵🐦‍⬛(12-5) (@TonyPlank3) January 21, 2025

Brother in Christ, this is the best GOTG we will ever get lmfao

— Chris Architect (@_ChrisArchitect) January 21, 2025

The game failed to get the recognition it deserved at the time; however, it slowly found its niche audience and is currently slowly getting the attention it truly deserves.

GOTG video game is slowly getting a lot of attention

The Guardians of the Galaxy video game went under the radar when it was released in 2021, and not many people know about it; however, the MCU universe fans who managed to get their hands on it have always praised the game. Despite the success, the game was not free from development hell.

Mantis’ humor is treated with respect in the game, where she comes across as witty, which compliments her mysticism and unpredictability. She appears more charming. Whereas, in the films, her humor often indicated her naivety and social awkwardness, which makes the character feel one-dimensional.

Video games seem to be doing a great job at expanding the reach of the audiovisual medium in current times, and there is a high chance we might see more of such instances in the future where a game manages to take flawed pieces out of a film and make it better. What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below.