Based on what has been revealed and rumored about Marvel’s Wolverine thus far, fans have good reason to be excited. The game will supposedly have a mature rating, allowing for all the violence one would expect Logan’s claws to inflict. Spec Ops: The Line’s writer will be working on the game’s story, allowing for a dark and emotional tale to be told. The game will also be developed by several members of the team that crafted Spider-Man: Miles Morales, ensuring that its level of quality should be quite high.
However, this might not be the only connection between the Marvel’s Wolverine franchise and Insomniac’s version of the Spider-Man mythos. While some fans have theorized that the two heroes will inhabit the same world - a likely scenario given the popularity of the MCU - and others have argued that Wolverine could get an original costume like Peter, one character trait could be shared between the heroes as well. Just like Insomniac’s Peter Parker is an experienced Spider-Man when players first take control of him, Wolverine could have a few years of crime fighting under his belt as well.
An Experienced Wolverine Would Have the Same Benefits as a Veteran Spider-Man
Insomniac’s version of Spider-Man stood out by being a new take on the character that was already experienced, allowing the studio to feature the wall-crawler in his prime from the very beginning. This meant that he had a number of existing relationships with figures like MJ and villains like Rhino that could be explored, and gameplay-wise it allowed him to have numerous gadgets that could be used in combat. It also allowed Insomniac to skip the Spider-Man origin story that every fan had memorized while also avoiding the concept of a younger Spider-Man, helping it stand out from the MCU.
All of these strengths could apply to a Wolverine video game. Plot-wise, Logan’s origin story is not a must, as Insomniac can show it briefly in flashbacks if it feels the need to feature it at all. With the current-best Wolverine game X-Men Origins: Wolverine featuring his backstory already, like Spider-Man this might just be something to skip entirely. On the other hand, fans will be seeing an older Wolverine in live action with Deadpool 3, a film that will release fairly close to Insomniac’s game. With this in mind, a Wolverine that has been a vigilante for a bit but is not overly experienced could be a perfect balance.
Giving Logan a couple years of time as a superhero would allow some key relationships to be established as well. Perhaps he has already had a run-in with Magneto, a villain that routinely beats down Wolverine with ease due to his metal bones. His familial conflict with Sabretooth could also be established, and Logan may have been in contact with Charles Xavier about a role with the X-Men. Given his outfit in the reveal trailer, Insomniac seems to be taking the loner route with its Wolverine, but making it so he at least considered Xavier’s request could be a nice bit of world building.
Gameplay-wise, the effects of fighting for a few years could be reflected in Logan’s combat. While Wolverine’s gameplay will likely not be as in-depth as Spidey’s due to limited traversal and gadgets being a poor fit for his character, there are a few things that can be integrated into his kit. This Wolverine could have his Berserker Rage under control, for example, triggering it at will like Kratos’ Spartan Rage in God of War. Additionally, he could know how to heat up his claws like in the recent comics, showing he has mastered his most dangerous weapon.
Skipping the origin story that gamers can read in the comics, watch on the big screen, or experience in an older game just feels like the right move, as it gives Insomniac Games more time to tell a fully original tale. This is just one of the benefits that an experienced Wolverine would provide though, as giving Logan some existing relationships and a good number of attacks from the get-go would make storytelling interesting and gameplay more engaging.
Marvel’s Wolverine is currently in development for PS5.