The Game Awards 2021 revealed several new titles, including the surprise Wonder Woman from Monolith Productions, with the heroine's rogues gallery providing ample opportunities for the studio to craft a rich game. Monolith Productions was acquired by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in August 2004, with the upcoming game being the studio's second foray into DC lore, after 2012's Gotham City Imposters. With Wonder Woman not having a solo game since 2017's mobile and PC game, Wonder Woman: Rise of the Warrior, Monolith's upcoming game could set itself apart from other recent DC titles and forge its own path.
Despite first appearing in All Star Comics #8 in 1941 and headlining movie and television projects, Wonder Woman has only had one solo game of her own. She has appeared in major roles in other DC video games, including the Injustice series and potentially as one of the few non-evil Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League characters. A full-length console game devoted to the Amazonian princess can further explore her history and develop the character beyond current iterations.
Similar to Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man, Monolith's Wonder Woman should draw on her expansive rogues' gallery for inclusion throughout the story. The heroine's history draws heavily from Greco-Roman mythology, and features some of the most powerful adversaries in the entire DC Universe. Some of them have been depicted onscreen in the DC Extended Universe, but the vast majority of her rogues haven't, which presents Monolith with an exciting opportunity. The new game can draw upon Diana's more notable enemies, as well as some of her lesser-known ones.
Monolith's Wonder Woman Game Needs Ares
Wonder Woman enemy Ares is a mainstay in the heroine's rogues gallery, whose inclusion could give the studio the opportunity to develop some truly intense encounters in its Wonder Woman video game. The Greek God of War first appeared in Wonder Woman #1 in 1942 and has cemented his place as one of Wonder Woman's archenemies. While Ares is primarily known for his godly strength, the villain also wields expert knowledge over weapons and combat strategy, which lend themselves perfectly to being a final boss in Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman Game Villains - The Children Of Ares
If Monolith Productions does include Ares as the main villain of its Wonder Woman game, then the God of War's children would work perfectly as mini-bosses leading up to the final confrontation. Twin brothers Deimos and Phobos, the gods of terror and fear respectively, could expand the mythological story of Wonder Woman. Deimos' and Phobos' first appearances in Wonder Woman #183 saw the twins in direct conflict with the heroine, as she was chosen by the gods to oppose Ares' plan.
Other upcoming DC video games are focusing primarily on Batman and more mainstream elements of the DC Universe, but Wonder Woman's relationship to Ares and his children lends itself perfectly to a more unique story that players haven't seen before. In addition to Deimos and Phobos, Monolith could include Ares' daughter Eris. The Goddess of Discord, Eris used her trademark golden apples to invite chaos to a meeting between the Amazons and humans from mans-world.
Setting up Ares as the main villain of the game would allow Monolith Productions to draw from his family members and allies when deciding who Diana should face. However, the studio may also save the God of War for a future installment, leaving one or more of his children to face off against the Amazonian princess in her solo AAA debut. With the roster of villains in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 including both new and returning enemies, Monolith could follow suit by using Ares' children in the first game, while saving Ares himself for a potential sequel.
Circe Could Provide A Magical Threat In Wonder Woman's Game
The sorceress Circe has been giving Wonder Woman a hard time since her first appearance in Wonder Woman #37 and including the femme fatale in the upcoming game could extend that distress to players. Core to the conflict between the two women is a prophecy uttered by Hecate when she transferred her soul to Circe, who believed the prophecy was about Diana. As Circe feared Diana would steal Hecate's soul and power, the sorceress set out to destroy the heroine.
In the comics, Circe showed her prowess by inciting the War of the Gods in an attempt to gain the power of weakened gods in various pantheons in the DC universe. The aforementioned Ares could be an obvious pick for a villain, but just as WB Games Montréal's Gotham Knights doesn't need Joker, it may be that Monolith's Wonder Woman game is better served by focusing on some of her less-spotlighted enemies. By having Circe as one of the main villains of the game, Wonder Woman would give players a challenge by facing a powerful sorceress, and one whose frequently proven to be a worthy adversary of Diana in the comics and other adaptations.
The Wonder Woman Game Needs To Include Cheetah As A Villain
Wonder Woman #6 (1943) introduced the villain Cheetah to Wonder Woman's rogues' gallery, with the most recognizable incarnation of the character debuting 44 years later. After initially not securing the victory in her first battle with Diana, Barbara Ann Minerva's Cheetah shifts her interests to besting Wonder Woman in combat. The villain has also previously worked with Circe and Doctor Psycho, giving Monolith more story to play around with if the character is included in Wonder Woman. The character is no stranger to video games either, with Cheetah having appeared in Injustice 2 and the LEGO DC titles.
The Cheetah's continued desire to defeat Diana would give Wonder Woman an interesting narrative opportunity. The villain could be the first boss battle players face, with the character popping up throughout the story in order to best Diana again. Cheetah's connections with other Wonder Woman and Justice League villains means her inclusion could also open up other opportunities for villainous alliances.
Given the mythological nature of Wonder Woman's source material, Monolith's game could look very different from other DC titles. Hippolyta mentioned a new threat on the shores of Themyscira and how Diana needed to return to help defeat them in the game's debut trailer. It's also rumored that Wonder Woman will provide an open world experience, similar to Monolith's Middle-earth games. This open-world concept for the Justice League member's solo game could scatter various villains from Wonder Woman's rogues' gallery across the map for players to find and battle, with the nemesis system providing further opportunities for players to develop their own unique adventures.