Summary
- Marvel's Wolverine remains a mystery, with no details on release date, villains, or gameplay. The iconic hero's role within the X-Men, or lack thereof, is also unknown.
- Whether the game will be open-world is unclear, but it should not be, as Wolverine's limited traversal abilities may not suit the typical open-world gameplay.
- A smaller-scale approach, similar to Alan Wake 2's open areas, may be better suited for Marvel's Wolverine, allowing for limited exploration and enemy encounters without the need for extensive side quests or collectibles.
Despite being announced all the way back in September 2021 alongside Spider-Man 2, Marvel's Wolverine is still shrouded in complete mystery. As far as official details go, fans know absolutely nothing about Insomniac's upcoming Wolverine game. There have been no hints at a release date, no teases of potential villains, and no confirmed time setting. Insomniac hasn't even revealed anything about this version of the iconic X-Men hero, such as if he's even on the team yet. Fans also know absolutely nothing about Marvel's Wolverine's actual gameplay.
One of the biggest questions surrounding Marvel's Wolverine is whether it's going to be set in an open-world or not. With three Spider-Man games now under its belt, it's clear that Insomniac can handle huge comic book open-worlds, and that has fans convinced that Wolverine will also be using one. However, an open-world isn't necessarily the best choice for Wolverine as a character. Instead, Marvel's Wolverine may want to look to Alan Wake 2 for inspiration in this department.
Alan Wake 2's Open Areas Should Influence Marvel's Wolverine
Wolverine Doesn't Lend Himself Well to a Full Open-World
Both on the page and on the screen, Wolverine doesn't really have the same traversal abilities as characters like Spider-Man, or even Batman. While Wolverine can leap forward a few meters and climb some surfaces with his claws, he's not running up walls, swinging from great heights, zipping through the air at high speeds, or gliding his way through a bustling city. Instead, Wolverine takes a much more grounded approach to movement.
In most comics and movies, Wolverine's main form of traversal is some kind of vehicle, usually a motorbike. While a motorbike would definitely get Wolverine around a big open-world setting, it wouldn't necessarily lead to the most exciting gameplay loop, and Marvel's Wolverine could quickly have an Arkham Knight situation on its hands. Similarly, it's hard to imagine Wolverine doing any of the usual side activities fans have come to expect from an Insomniac open-world, such as interrupting the story to pick up some collectibles or stop a random crime in the city.
Alan Wake 2's Open Areas Would Suit Wolverine Better
Instead of a fully-fledged open-world, Marvel's Wolverine may be suited to a slightly smaller-scale approach, one similar to Alan Wake 2's. In Alan Wake 2, players are given free rein over a handful of larger open areas. These open areas aren't large, but their various winding paths and hidden structures are home to a number of unique collectibles, items, and gear upgrades, all of which incentivize players to explore the area fully before moving on. These open areas evolve over the course of the game, gradually letting players explore more of the map at a steady pace. They are also sprinkled with enemy encounters, keeping players on their toes while exploring.
This approach to small-scale open-world design would suit Marvel's Wolverine perfectly. This way, Insomniac doesn't need to give Wolverine any heightened traversal abilities, but still gives players enough space to explore on their own and run into frequent enemy encounters between main missions. This would also give Insomniac the option to add in a handful of compelling side quests, as opposed to having to fill an entire open-world with multiple side quests, challenges, and collectibles. It also helps that Alan Wake 2's open areas are mostly modeled after dense forests and mountainside towns, ensuring that they already look as though they'd fit perfectly inside a Wolverine game.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development.