Superheroes and video games are a perfect match, allowing players to live out their fantasies of being one of the world's most powerful people while using their abilities for good or evil. The chance to fly around a world, seeing it from a perspective no human ever could is one many gamers relish. However, there is something to be said about being a normal person facing off against one of these gods, something that is seen in the Amazon Prime series The Boys.
Based on the comic book of the same name, The Boys focuses on the normal people stuck in a world of superpowered individuals. The "heroes" are not good people and often commit horrifying acts in secret. Hughie, a young man whose girlfriend is murdered by one of the heroes, joins Billy Butcher as he attempts to bring them down. The main characters don't have powers and must use their intelligence and wits to win -- and this premise could provide the perfect inspiration for an open-world game.
The Boys would work as a game because of how combat would have to work. Because the player wouldn't have powers, they would have to come up with new ways to damage their opponents. These could range from simple traps and explosives to more complex and radical plans. For instance, Billy Butcher used a super-powered baby as a weapon in one episode. These tactics would also be affected by which super the player was up against. The show and comic have shown several different powers for each individual, so the methods for dealing with each would have to be different. This variety would allow for interesting battles that test the player. At one moment, they could be racing a super-fast hero and, in the next, battling against someone with super strength.
Open-world games need to have a good method for traveling across the world, and superhero games typically have unique travel mechanics heroes to rely upon. However, a game based on The Boys would have to focus on something else. The player might not be able to move around the world with powers, but individuals that do are in the world for the player to see and to hunt. This would mean players would need to adapt normal modes of travel to counter their opponents, and that attacks could come from any direction and speed.
Additionally, such a game would need and interesting main storyline and side-quests to pursue that influence the plot and world. The Boys could focus the information-gathering quests that allow the protagonist to bring down hero society and further their goals. This could impact the world depending on the public's perception of heroes and the player changes during the game.
A game based on The Boys could focus on the plot of the comic or show, but it could also set itself apart. The main canon has made it apparent that hero society is a worldwide thing, and there are other heroes in the world than Homlander and his ilk. While they are the most powerful group, the smaller heroes are nearly as much of a threat. The player could start small, dealing with heroes who haven't made as much of a name for themselves. It could even present decisions, like using lethal force in pursuit of revenge or showing mercy.
The Boys would be a great opportunity for a game to show a different side to what's expected of the superhero genre. It would allow players to participate in the other side of the fight, one normally reserved for NPCs. With the right developer at the helm, such a game could be the next big open-world hit.