The upcoming Wonder Woman videogame from Monolith Productions will correct a long-standing injustice against Monolith's canceled Batman game. Superman and Batman have starred in several videogames over the years, and now the Amazonian heroine of DC Comics’ “Trinity” of big-name heroes will finally headline her own adventure. Wonder Woman’s game will also get justice for Batman, in a way, as it fulfills the developer’s prior ambition to create a Batman videogame during the era of the Christopher Nolan films based on the character. Monolith, a Warner Brothers-owned studio, can now fulfill their goal of adapting a major DC Comics character, one whose starring role in a videogame is long overdue, thereby giving justice to both Batman and Wonder Woman.
When Monolith pitched a game based on the Christopher Nolan Batman films' universe it was codenamed Project Apollo. More than a decade later this would prove fitting, as Apollo is a god in the Greco-Roman pantheon, the same mythology from which Wonder Woman and the Amazonians of Themyscira are derived. Nolan did not lend his approval to the project, reportedly due to prior failed Batman games based on his version of the character. Some of the concepts and assets developed for Apollo would later be retooled to Monolith’s Lord of the Rings universe game Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor.
Gaming history now comes full circle, as the Nemesis System introduced in Shadow of Mordor will now be used in Wonder Woman. While it is arguable that Warner Brothers’ patent on the Nemesis System makes videogames worse as a whole, the system will likely lend uniqueness to Wonder Woman. Per to a video from Liam Robertson of DidYouKnowGaming?, Project Apollo was intended to showcase the verticality of Gotham’s skyscrapers and allow Batman to approach from stealth and descend from above to engage his enemies. This design was carried over the to the combat of Talion the Ranger in Shadow of Mordor. Wonder Woman is not known for stealth, so fans should not expect that element to persist, but the Nemesis System, wherein foes develop vendettas and return as stronger opponents, will.
Monolith's Batman Game Did Not Go Forward, But A Wonder Woman Game Means More
With an epic story involving clashes of the gods, Wonder Woman could be DC Comics’ videogame answer to God of War. This is far removed from the grounded, realistic approach to superheroes taken by the Nolan Batman movies, so Monolith’s Wonder Woman game will be very different from their original intent for Project Apollo, and perhaps closer to their Mordor series. Where Thor made the Norse pantheon of gods real in the Marvel universe, Wonder Woman made the Greco-Roman gods a part of DC’s setting. A focus on the comic universe’s mythological elements sets Wonder Woman further apart from other upcoming DC videogames like Suicide Squad and Gotham Knights.
The Batman: Arkham series made DC a force to be reckoned with in the videogame world. Marvel Comics-based games have crowded into the spotlight since that time, with the critically acclaimed PlayStation Spider-Man titles and Guardians of the Galaxy, among others. The addition of Monolith’s Wonder Woman game may see DC videogames catching up with Marvel again. It also makes DC the first to provide a modern AAA videogame starring a female superhero. Kamala Khan was the protagonist of the main campaign of Marvel’s Avengers, but not the title character, and that game was presented as an ensemble title, focused on multiplayer endgame. Wonder Woman has been announced as a single-player, open-world action game.
It is unfortunate that Monolith’s Project Apollo never manifested as intended, thereby providing a chance at a truly quality videogame based on the acclaimed Nolan Batman film series. A well-made Wonder Woman videogame is more important, however. Batman has starred in numerous games over the years, ranging from the beloved Arkham series to more forgettable titles like the Batman Begins game. The trailer that revealed the Wonder Woman videogame at the Game Awards did not disclose much about the gameplay itself, which is a work in progress, but the very notion of Warner Brothers pairing a top-tier studio like Monolith with DC's best-known female superhero is reason to be excited for comic fans and gamers alike.
Wonder Woman Can Establish A New Canon, Where Apollo Built On The Nolanverse Batman
The gaming landscape has changed since Project Apollo’s aborted development, and Wonder Woman could learn from God of War as much as Monolith’s own Mordor series. The intersection of comic books and videogames remains relevant, and a quality game could introduce new fans to the character, as well. The mythology of Batman is already well-known and has seen numerous film and game adaptations. The recent Wonder Woman movies have only scratched the surface of the character’s comic book lore, giving the game an opportunity to take a deeper dive into DC’s gods and monsters of legend that may be unfamiliar to many gamers.
Despite the scarce details available at present, there is every reason to have faith in Monolith based on the studio’s track record. Wonder Woman could copy Batman: Arkham’s approach to voice acting, and cast the actress from the DC Animated Universe, or they could go in another direction. It is also unknown whether the game will specifically tie in with the comic books, another rendition of Wonder Woman, or establish its own canon for the character. While tying the game to the DC live-action movies has a certain appeal, or the fondly-remember animated version, an original continuity offers the most opportunity for dynamic storytelling where the game is not beholden to maintain a specific status quo.
A 2022 release is possible for Wonder Woman, based on 2022 release and port rumors from Nvidia leaks. This year could see the dream of Project Apollo reborn, fulfilling with Monolith’s goal of making a DC Comics game. Wonder Woman can provide justice for Monolith and Batman, therefore, but more importantly, a heroine whose time to shine in her own videogame was already long overdue. A game featuring gods and mythological monsters is a far cry from one set in the grounded world of the Batman films starring Christian Bale. Monolith likely never could have predicted that the work begun with Project Apollo would lead to a Wonder Woman game more than a decade later. Apollo’s fulfillment will replace streets of Gotham and the criminally insane cast of Batman rogues with the island of Themyscira and monsters of legend, hopefully in a form that does justice to the storied heroine.
Source: DidYouKnowGaming?/YouTube