Summary
- Watchmen, created by Alan Moore, broke new ground in the superhero genre, setting a standard for mature, critical storytelling.
- Previous video game adaptations of Watchmen have fallen short, lacking depth and failing to capture the essence of the comic.
- With the resurgence of Watchmen in recent years, and an animated movie coming soon, now is the time for a new, fully-fledged video game adaptation.
An industry that's been going for well over 100 years now, there have been countless comic books released out into the world, and some have ended up becoming some of the most iconic pieces of media of all time. While Dark Horse, Image, Valiant, and many other comic publishers have put out their fair share of great books over the decades, Marvel and DC have often been home to the most fondly remembered graphic novels and comic runs, with DC's Watchmen being the perfect example.
Originally released monthly between September 1986 and October 1987, Watchmen is one of the most influential comic books ever created. Written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons and John Higgins, Watchmen was one of the first comic books to deliver a more mature, critical take on the superhero genre, depicting larger-than-life characters in a realistic setting and theorizing how that would change societal structures. It seems fair to say that without Watchmen, series like The Boys might not exist. It's strange, then, that fans are still waiting for a good Watchmen video game adaptation.
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Fans Still Need A Proper Watchmen Video Game Adaptation
Watchmen's Video Game Track Record Has Been Disappointing
In the almost four decades since Watchmen's release, there have been a disappointing total of two video game adaptations, both of which were a far cry from what the influential comic book deserves. Released to coincide with Zack Snyder's cinematic adaptation, these two Watchmen games failed to capture any of the satire or commentary that the source material is so well known for, instead choosing to deliver barebones, surface-level superhero experiences.
The first to release was Watchmen: Justice is Coming, an admittedly ambitious mobile MMO from developer Last Legion. Launched in March 2009, Watchmen: Justice is Coming saw players create their own superhero and take to the streets of New York, where they'd accept missions, help citizens, and take down thugs alongside other players. Unfortunately, Watchmen: Justice is Coming's experimental "cloudMMO" technology wasn't quite stable, leading to endless server issues.
Acting as a prequel to the events of Zack Snyder's movie, Watchmen: The End is Nigh was released on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC in 2009, with its first part dropping in March, and its second part landing in July. Watchmen: The End is Nigh is a fairly simple 3D beat-em-up where players take control of Nite Owl and Rorschach as they fight through prisons, sewers, and other 1970s noir locales. Reviews at the time criticized Watchmen: The End is Nigh for its repetitive combat and lack of challenge.
Watchmen Chapter 1 Should Lead to a New Watchmen Game
While Watchmen has remained popular since its release in the 1980s, it's seen a particular boom in recent years thanks to major crossover comic events like DC's Doomsday Clock limited series that ran from 2017 to 2019, and thanks to the 2019 HBO Watchmen miniseries. Later this year, fans are going to get another major piece of Watchmen media, with an animated adaptation releasing its first part in August.
With Watchmen still very much at the forefront of the comic book industry, it seems like the best time to release a fully-fledged Watchmen video game, something fans have wanted for ages. There's no shortage of possibilities for a potential Watchmen game. The game could focus on the golden age of the Crimebusters, take place years before the events of the comic, or even be a direct adaptation of the Watchmen story, and there are plenty of different gameplay styles that would fit Watchmen's world and characters.
Watchmen: The End Is Nigh
- Released
- March 4, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
The lines between good and bad have been blurred and crime and terror run rampant in the streets. The alleys, rooftops and sewers are crawling with criminals and brutal gangs. And now, Underboss — in a daring escape — has broken out of prison and is ruling with vicious darkness. The city is in need of saviors and only masked hero vigilantes answer the call... You answer the call.
Play as two unique Watchmen characters, each with their own abilities:
Rorschach, a feral, street-wise fighter who can disarm enemies to use their own weapons against them. Nite Owl, a refined fighter who uses martial arts expertise and high-tech wizardry. Fight and watch the blood fly through six chapters of gut-wrenching in your face action.
Intense, visceral — battles fight up to 20 enemies at the same time with bloody, street-fighting moves...Clean up the streets with friends in split screen co-op multiplayer competition or solo.
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
- Kapow, PhysX
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Watchmen
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
- Developer
- Deadline Games
- Genre(s)
- Action, Beat 'Em Up
