Monolith has been less than forthcoming about its work-in-progressWonder Womangame, opening the doors wide for speculation. WhileWonder Womanis in this limbo, bereft of finer details, there’s one particular pitfall that Monolith should avoid by following in the footsteps of theArkhamgames.
Monolith’s upcomingWonder Womangame is confirmed to be a single-player, open world title—with additional rumors asserting that the game will be set on Themiscyra and feature Circe as its antagonist. Those latter tidbits will be of great interest to fans of the character and Greek mythology alike, though, being rumors, they should be taken with a healthy measure of salt.
Monolith’s Wonder Woman Should Be More Like Rocksteady’s Arkham, And Less Like The DCEU
In the age of games revolving around superhero teams, such asGotham Knights,Marvel’s Avengers, andKill the Justice League, it’s easy to see how Monolith could be tempted to turnWonder Womaninto the springboard for a full-on Justice League game. Not only is there a huge gap in the market for a game that actually sees the League get together, but it would set Monolith up for future titles. However, this concept is more than a little dicey—especially in a landscape where said team-up games have a shaky track record. Monolith would be wise to stick with its eponymous protagonist, just as Rocksteady kept the lens on Batman and Gotham inBatman: Arkham.
Wonder Woman Deserves Her Solo Outing
Diana of Themiscyra has had a rich history of top billing in comics, TV, and film—with the firstWonder Womanfilm being a highlight of the DCEU. On the other hand, she’s lagged behind the other members of DC’s Trinity in many areas, especially in games.Rocksteady’s take on Batman in itsArkhamseriesis a particular standout, but even Superman has had more airtime in the medium (albeit for more infamous reasons). Wonder Woman doesn’t really have much of a gaming presence, and it’d be a crime to rob her of one.
Upstaging Wonder Woman in this instance would be doing just that, which issomething the DCEU struggled with. Though Diana eventually got ample time in the sun, the universe’s rush for franchise success left many characters in the dust. Cyborg was particularly sidelined, but even theFlash’s standalone movie couldn’t resist being its own ensemble. Wonder Woman herself was introduced as a surprise third wheel inBatman v Superman, something that could occur in reverse if Monolith went down the Justice League road. Of course, that’s not something that’s even been rumored, and could very well be outside consideration, but it’s nonetheless a possibility that should be steered clear of.
Marvel’s Avengers And Kill The Justice League Have Shown The Problems With Team-Up Games
KeepingWonder Woman in her own orbit, containing the game in the character’s lore without broaching into extended DC canon, would also keep Monolith from the spiral undertaken by other big team-up games. Some games likeGotham Knightshave some success with an ensemble superhero cast, but others likeMarvel’s AvengersandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguedidn’t stick the landing.
BothMarvel’s AvengersandKill the Justice Leaguewent down the live-service path, using their team-up concept for a microtransaction-filled multiplayer experience, and both ended up paying the price for failing to make the grade in a competitive ecosystem. It looks as if Monolith’sWonder Womanhas already escaped those particular tribulations, but it would be better for the studio to err with caution and avoid introducing a wider universe. An open-world, singleplayer Wonder Woman game has been promised, and that’s exactly what Monolith should deliver.
