Highlights
- Marvel’s Wolverine should earn a mature rating to accurately depict the character’s violent nature and include blood and language like the X-Men Origins: Wolverine game.
- The game should be set in an open-world environment, allowing players to explore and giving Wolverine a motorcycle for traversal, similar to the concept in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
- Marvel’s Wolverine should feature upgrade paths, emphasizing stealth gameplay, and incorporating RPG elements like the Spider-Man games, while also pitting Wolverine against classic mutants like Sabretooth.
Marvel’s Spider-Man has to be the most popular game Insomniac has ever put out. That’s no shade to Ratchet and Clank or any of their other games, but Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game came out at just the right time. 2018 was also the same year as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, so Spider-Man fever was high.
It’s been a while since Wolverine lit up the video game or movie screen, let alone any members of the X-Men team. Hopefully, Marvel’s Wolverine will prove to be just as popular as the movies. The upcoming game can certainly learn a lot from the latest release, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and maybe even improve on it. There will be spoilers.
6 Earn A Mature Rating
Wolverine Is No Stranger To Violence
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is rated T for Teen, which isn’t a bad thing because it doesn’t talk down to players. However, in a game that is largely about Venom, the lack of blood and carnage is a bit disappointing. This is especially true when Venom devours Kraven after their final encounter.
The movie tie-in game to X-Men Origins: Wolverine got it right by making the game rated M for Mature. Wolverine uses blades to tear through enemies in the comics, so, of course, there should be blood in Marvel’s Wolverine too. The game doesn’t have to be a gore-fest like Mortal Kombat 1, but there should be no barriers on blood or language either.
5 Set The Game In An Open-World
Wolverine Needs A Motorcycle
One of the best things about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and the rest of Insomniac’s Spider-Man games is the traversal. The various boroughs of New York City aren’t endlessly huge like the entirety of Starfield’s open-universe concept, but the size in all three games is decent. There is a lot to explore and do without ever giving players an overbearing sense of commitment.
Marvel’s Wolverine should have an open world too. It probably won’t be set in a city because that’s not the type of hero Wolverine is. Wherever the game takes him, it would be great if Wolverine had a motorcycle for traversal as he so often does in the comics. The game could even be a bit like the open-world concept of Days Gone in this regard.
4 Keep The Upgrade Paths
Make Marvel’s Wolverine Feel Like An RPG
Insomniac has done a good job at giving players a good number of upgrade paths in their Spider-Man games. In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, players can unlock abilities for the game’s two main heroes, buy them costumes, and tweak their gadgets. It gave the game some good RPG elements without ever feeling like a standard RPG akin to the Final Fantasy or The Witcher franchises.
Wolverine should get an upgrade path as well in Marvel’s Wolverine, although it wouldn’t make sense to give him gadgets. Stealth could be more emphasized as it was only a small part of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Imagine Wolverine sneaking up on enemies in a jungle setting and dispatching them with his claws one by one. Also, wild costume choices are a must for Wolverine.
3 Pit Wolverine Against Classic Mutants
Every Good Hero Needs A Villain
From the first game to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac has given players a lot of villainous fan service over the years. There aren’t a lot of high-profile villains left for them to cover except for the Green Goblin which is almost certain to appear in Marvel’s Spider-Man 3. That’s the kind of commitment that Marvel’s Wolverine needs as well.
The most obvious villain for Wolverine to face in the game is Sabretooth, as they are lifelong rivals in the comics. Other good choices would include Juggernaut, Lady Deathstrike, and Silver Samurai. Magneto seems like a villain that is too high profile for Wolverine to face without his fellow X-Men behind him. Magneto could be controlling things behind the scenes though.
2 Give Wolverine A Partner
Deadpool Or X-23
Wolverine is part of the X-Men, so he technically has had a lot of teammates over the years. However, Wolverine has also gone solo on some adventures. Some past partners include The Hulk, Captain America, and even Spider-Man. Marvel’s Wolverine could tie into the third Deadpool movie, which is supposed to have Wolverine in it.
A Wolverine/Deadpool combo would be cool to see in a game. Marvel’s Wolverine could also follow the route of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 by having Wolverine train a younger hero, aka X-23. It could be the same type of relationship that blossoms between Peter and Miles. Also, if another character is added, then co-op would be a nice improvement over Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
1 Connect Universes
More Marvel Characters Need To Appear
Insomniac has already come out and said that Marvel’s Wolverine will take place in the same universe as the Spider-Man games. It seems like Insomniac, and Sony overall, want to create a PlayStation version of the MCU. Perhaps they could call it the Insomniac Marvel Universe, or the IMU.
While no one outside of Spider-Man’s comic universe has appeared, there are hints that there is a bigger world out there. There’s The Avengers Tower in New York City, along with Black Cat being in contact with Dr. Strange and Wong offscreen. It would be great if Marvel’s Wolverine did something beyond teasing for fans. An appearance from a Spider-Man character would be nice, although it wouldn’t have to be either Peter or Miles.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Platform(s)
- PS5
- Released
- October 20, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure
