We’re going to be getting superhero games for a long time. AlthoughMarvelis currently wobbling andDCis going through a hard reboot, a few years ago superheroes were king, and video games are always a little behind the curve. We knowIron Man,Wonder Woman,Wolverine,Black Panther, and Captain Americagames are in development, and there’s likely plenty more besides. Whenever people ask for a superhero game, they usually just ask for their favourite - hey, I get it. If someone announces a Mystique game, throw this article in the garbage. I never wrote it. All I want is the blue woman. But when it comes to which hero is most suited to a video game, it’s hard for me to look past Scarlet Witch.
Scarlet Witch is at the beginning of her Harley Quinn arc. At the turn of the century, Harley was popular enough amongst comic fans, but only vaguely known to the general public. The Dark Knight, generally agreed to be the best interpretation of the Joker, does not feature her at all. Following her role in the Arkham games, the live-action turns by Margot Robbie, and the Kaley Cuoco cartoon,Harley is at the peak of her powers.
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TheMCUmeanwhile has finally thrust Scarlet Witch into the spotlight (with the multiverse, I expect to see some version of the character again), while Midnight Suns gave her a starring role. I think a lot of superhero media aimed at more casual audiences will include Scarlet Witch from now on. Elizabeth Olsen learned what ‘mother’ means in stan culture thanks to Scarlet Witch, so the character is already iconic. She’s also a fairly underused character in contrast to Batman or Spidey, and even the next rung of characters down like Thor or the Flash. That gives developers a lot of room to play around with fresh ideas.
It’s not just her popularity though. Depending on Olsen’s scheduling and how much the MCU can course correct, that may be more fleeting than the Quinnaisance. It’s that Scarlet Witch is so perfect for a video game. I loved WandaVision, and consider it to be the best MCU show by such a large margin that there’s not even a serious competitor. However, its interpretation of the House of M arc missed out a lot of the comic’s most fascinating moments, likely owing to the lack of Magneto and the fact it needed to form connective tissue between Avengers: Endgame and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
A game tackling House of M may face the same issues with a lack of time to build it up, but a game that uses Wanda’s ability to project reality could be a fascinating foundation for creative level design. So many superhero games are just set in The Big City, and while that works for Spidey’s web slinging, a bit of variety would be nice. Wanda comes with built in variety, to be explored however the devs wish.
Wanda also has telekinesis, which obviously lends itself well to both puzzles and combat, while her levitation offers depth to the traversal without being Superman-style flight. Her ability to invade thoughts or manipulate minds also sets up excellent opportunities for stealth or offers the chance to approach combat scenarios in different ways. Her energy blast powers are her least interesting, but essentially would make the game part-shooter, which is a fairly reliable trope for video games.Control’stone and gameplay with a superhero twist is the one-page pitch I have in my head.
Right on time for the movies to slump at the box office, superhero games have had a tough time of it recently.Marvel’s AvengersandGotham Knightsboth fizzled, and the reception toSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguelookingexactly like them was so badthe game wasdelayed immediately after a huge showcase that rubber stamped its release date. However, I don’t think this is a portent of doom for superhero games overall, only for live-service co-op superhero titles that limit your power in the name of grinding.Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Wonder Woman could each land in the next three years and prove we still have an appetite for superheroes.
Scarlet Witch is perfect to continue this trend, with a power set that’s both ideal for video games and different to what we’ve seen before. I’m sure some studio somewhere is running down the list of heroes and circling names, and hopefully they heed this call. Although if they pick Mystique instead that’s totally fine and this article doesn’t exist.
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