At the September 2021 PlayStation Showcase, many fans had a good feeling Insomniac would announce Marvel's Spider-Man 2 considering the immense success of the first game. While its official reveal certainly made waves within the comic book and gaming communities, Insomniac wasn't ready to stop there. Coming out of left field, the studio formally announced another superhero project in Marvel's Wolverine, an action game centered around the most feral mutant in the X-Men.
The first teaser trailer for Marvel's Wolverine definitely got the hype train rolling, but it was far too brief to offer anything truly substantial. For its interpretation of Spider-Man, Insomniac clearly dived into many versions of the wall crawler over the years, including comic books, past video games, and film adaptations. Wolverine has similarly popped up in many multimedia projects over the years, so there is no shortage of places for Insomniac to look when nailing its narrative and tone. The 2017 film Logan in particular may be the best work to examine to stay true the adamantium clawed superhero.
What Wolverine Does Best Isn't Very Nice
It should go without saying that a superhero with six razor sharp claws coming out of his hands would be prone to violent encounters. Wolverine isn't like Spider-Man, who will safely retain his enemies in a bunch of webbing. Wolverine is an up-close and personal fighter, using his adamantium claws to not only knock opponents down, but keep them down permanently. This is an aspect of the character that was perfectly depicted on the big screen via Hugh Jackman's final outing as the character in Logan.
The opening sequence of the film shows an aging, weary Wolverine, clearly at the end of his ropes. A gang picks a fight with Logan, something that proves to be their last mistake. The action is not flashy or dazzling in any way, like how it was depicted in prior Fox X-Men movies featuring Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. Logan's violence is visceral, and hard to look at, with limbs being dismembered and claws visibly piercing through flesh.
There are few superheroes who encompass such a level of brutal action as Wolverine. Insomniac nailed the sensation of swinging through New York City as Spider-Man, and in order to properly adapt Wolverine, the same measures must be taken to capture the right feel and tone. Marvel's Wolverine is likely to be some kind of action-based game, but the combat system should not be stylized; rather it should be gritty and hard hitting. Outside of comic book inspirations, Insomniac would do well to examine the combat from Naughty Dog's The Last of Us series, as every punch, slam, and gunshot from those games is graphic enough to make players wince.
A Damaged, But Caring Soul
When push comes to shove, Wolverine isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. However, despite his violent history and bad temper, that's not all the character is. If Wolverine was simply a relentless killing machine, this would become repetitive and even boring for the audience. When not slicing up bad guys in a berserker rage, Logan is actually a reserved, peaceful man trying to make his way in the world.
This part of the character is also captured perfectly in Logan, with the film being more of a character study rather than a usual superhero movie fluff. This Logan is sick, aging, and weathered from the many hardships of his life. He is prone to violently snapping from his short temper and suffers from serious trauma. Yet despite all of this damage done to his psyche and heart, he still rises to the occasion and does the right thing to protect Laura, his biological daughter.
Marvel's Spider-Man delivered all the high-flying thrills fans expect from the character, but Insomniac didn't forget to include the human element of the story. Peter Parker is an "every man," just trying to do what's right and struggling with a myriad of personal and real-world issues. Wolverine is no different, and these human traits are what make so many of the Marvel superheroes so endearing to audiences. Logan is the perfect blueprint for how to balance bombastic superhero action scenes with more heartfelt, genuine drama, and themes.
Grounded Storytelling
On the subject of genuine drama and themes, Logan wasn't a typical Marvel film. It had no giant alien invasion, no big blue sky beam, and it wasn't part of a larger interconnected universe. These narrative elements aren't necessarily bad things, but when included they do set up a very different atmosphere. Marvel's Spider-Man relished its comic book origins, featuring bright colors, grand setpieces, and plenty of the charm he is known for.
Wolverine is a different kind of character, and a similar approach may not benefit him the same way it did Spider-Man. Logan is a very personal tale, and if the first teaser for Marvel's Wolverine is anything to go by, the same tone may be present here. The trailer shows Logan in a lonely bar after a conflict has already happened. He sits by himself, enjoying a drink in a quiet, brooding moment. Logan has many moments similar to these, and if Insomniac plays its cards right, can tell a tale just as memorable as Hugh Jackman's final apperance in the role.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development for PS5.