Episodic Watchmen Game in the Works

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Episodic Watchmen Game in the Works


1Up [http://www.1up.com] has an exclusive first look at Watchmen, the upcoming videogame prequel to the ground-breaking 12-issue comic book series and movie adaptation.

Coming from Watchmen [http://www.wbie.com/] comics, when protagonists Rorschach and Nite Owl are younger and better able to handle the punishing demands of crime fighting. The game can be played in either single-player mode with an A.I.-controlled partner, or in a two-player, split-screen cooperative mode.

The game is described as "bloody and brutal," and well worth an M (Mature) rating from the ESRB [http://www.esrb.org]. The two characters will feature unique fighting styles: Rorschach is a "feral, loose cannon" who uses down-and-dirty street fighting techniques and "psychotic special moves" against his opponents, while Nite Owl employs martial arts finesse and the tools in his utility belt to get the job done. In cooperative mode, the game will also feature numerous puzzle elements that require a combined effort to solve.

And while fans of the series may wonder how a Watchmen prequel will fare without Alan Moore at the wheel, Wolverine [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_Thing] co-creator Len Wein has been brought in to handle the dialog, while Dave Gibbons, the artist on the original Watchmen series, is serving as an advisor. "We're bringing the Watchmen universe to gamers in a distinct episodic game revealing action and combat for a great overall experience for fans," said Samantha Ryan, senior vice president at WBIE. "The team is working to develop a high-quality story as well as match the outstanding visual style of the film."

Few details are available, but 1Up describes the game as "worthy of being a now-generation game, with a lavish, fully-realized night-time city, filled with steamy sewer grates, great lighting effects, convincing Gotham-esque architecture, hazy neon signs and some torrential rain effects." No dates have been given, but the game's launch is expected to coincide with the here [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/].


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HobbesMkii

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza
Jun 7, 2008
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Urggh... I didn't know the spraycan-lighter was Rorschach's "signature combo," considering he only does it that one time in the book. I'm already dreading the movie (from the second the words "Zack Snyder" were uttered) but this may put that dread to shame.

Why is it that people think that their movie-based game will defy all previous explorations of the genre and be good?
 

Thais

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Jun 12, 2008
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Why bother? Both for us and for them. Part of what was different and refreshing about Watchmen was seeing the guys who were past thier prime trying to carry on regardless. (for me anyway) And for them...well, whether we object or not, they're going to go right on ahead and do whatever the fuck they want to with it.

Sympathies to Moore on that count. Of course I hear he's still pissed over what they did to V, so maybe he's decided to just stop caring.


EDIT: "They" being people with money/media connections/"it's not ours so lets ream the hell out of it in the name of dollars in our pockets" axes to grind.
 

fix-the-spade

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Feb 25, 2008
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The_root_of_all_evil said:
Somehow I feel very nervous of the scene of Kovacks turning into Rorschach...

I think the game will be set after that little event. Otherwise the RSPCA might get involved...

I always liked to think Watchmen had been overlooked by the mindless masses because it was too nasty, too grown up and too complicated. It seems they were waiting for when they felt self important enough, shame.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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fix-the-spade said:
The_root_of_all_evil said:
Somehow I feel very nervous of the scene of Kovacks turning into Rorschach...

I think the game will be set after that little event. Otherwise the RSPCA might get involved...
I think the NSPCC will have first dibs on the outrage...
 
Mar 26, 2008
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The_root_of_all_evil said:
fix-the-spade said:
The_root_of_all_evil said:
Somehow I feel very nervous of the scene of Kovacks turning into Rorschach...
I think the game will be set after that little event. Otherwise the RSPCA might get involved...
I think the NSPCC will have first dibs on the outrage...
Here doggy....(chop)

These games could be promising. They should probably steer away from a Dr Manhattan one:

- Press X to teleport to another dimension, Press Y to vaporise entire army.


They could do one where you control the Comedian in the Vietnam War.
 

Zomni42

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Jul 22, 2008
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I'd play "press "x" to teleport to another dimension, Press "Y" to vaporize entire army" provided there were enough armies. and other dimensions... with more armies.

And we could always hope the game won't be a terrible disappointment.
 

Eagle Est1986

That One Guy
Nov 21, 2007
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Well it's probably going to be rubbish...... but I'm willing to employ blind hope for my favourite comic!
 

fix-the-spade

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Feb 25, 2008
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The_root_of_all_evil said:
I think the NSPCC will have first dibs on the outrage...
Ah, but that's only ever implied. We never actually see it happen, just the pooch with it's bone and Kovaks draws the conclusions for us from there...
 

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Jarrid said:
Why do developers feel it's their goddamned right to make movie tie-in games in the first place?
Don't blame the developers alone for this. More often than not, they're contracted by a movie studio to make the tie-in in order to provide another source of marketing for the movie - not to mention another revenue stream. It's really no different than action figures, trading cards and lunch boxes. (It also explains why movie-based games are almost universally shitty.)
 

Slycne

Tank Ninja
Feb 19, 2006
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Yeah not exactly having high hopes for this right now, but we have all been surprised by games in the past. I guess that is what is so great about this industry sometimes. We get blindsided by a game we thought was going to be terrible or never even heard about.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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fix-the-spade said:
The_root_of_all_evil said:
I think the NSPCC will have first dibs on the outrage...
Ah, but that's only ever implied. We never actually see it happen, just the pooch with it's bone and Kovaks draws the conclusions for us from there...
True, but Moore is the master of implication. There's a number of focal points (dress, chopping board, lack of corpse...)
 

Copter400

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Sep 14, 2007
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Programmed_For_Damage said:
These games could be promising. They should probably steer away from a Dr Manhattan one:

- Press X to teleport to another dimension, Press Y to vaporise entire army.
In a similar vein, stay away from a Silk Spectre one.

- Press B to make love to a blue man. Press A to happily retire from adventuring.
 

blackcherry

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Apr 9, 2008
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I do have to pop the question. Why? More importantly, am I the only one to hear the phrases 'multi-player', 'unique fighting styles' and 'bloody and brutal' and think of a poor streets of rage?