Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was one of 2021's biggest surprises, as across its 15-to-20 hour journey are dozens of memorable moments and intriguing character interactions. Though there are some familiar Marvel themes throughout, the story was widely accessible to players who have never picked up a comic or lost themselves in the company's film franchises, which is perhaps a significant factor in its continued success. The upcoming Marvel's Wolverine should take notes.
Wolverine is surely known to more audiences as the gruff, straight-talking loner who found mainstream attention thanks to the X-Men films. His comic past is rather detailed, and Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac is scheduled to release a standalone game centered around the character in 2023. On a character level, the anti-social, unwelcoming Wolverine could not be more different from the comedic, care-free Guardians of the Galaxy, but the way in which 2021's Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy handled the past could be something that Marvel's Wolverine learns from.
Recreating the 1980s in Guardians of the Galaxy
The planet-hopping skirmishes presented in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy may have players believe the game is fixated on a futuristic theme, but the overwhelming number of 1980s references makes sure this isn't the case. It's a game that finds much of its presentation steeped in the past, be it the immediately recognizable soundtrack, the pop-art color palette, or the over-the-top costume design. Marvel's Wolverine has no need for studded leather jackets with neon patches, but with James Howlett's alter-ego having seen numerous wars in his lifetime, it would be unwise to not take advantage of such a rich history.
Peter Quill, despite reaching adulthood in the 21st century, is a product of the 80s. His love of glam-rock music is at the center of Guardians of the Galaxy's audio design, with the battlefield often engulfed by Blondie's Call Me or Rainbow's Since You Been Gone. Unlike Wolverine, who often leans on his drinking habit to forget the woes of the past, Peter drenches himself in 80s cheese despite only spending his early years living through the decade. The two characters have a different mindset when it comes to the past, but both have been molded by it. Wolverine's character profile, personality, and backstory indicates that Marvel's Wolverine isn't going to be a chirpy affair, confirmed by the trailer, so digging into Logan's reluctant past could be a wellspring for the game's overall tone.
Insomniac's Experience With Spider-Man
While 2018's Spider-Man was superb, introducing a veteran Peter Parker some eight years into his tenure as Spider-Man, it deliberately avoided the topic of the past. Uncle Ben's death and Peter's commitment to his newfound responsibility is something that movie-goers and comic readers are very familiar with, and Spider-Man's narrative succeeds because it focuses on what's happening rather than what happened all those years ago. Peter Parker rarely has a moment for introspection as he fights to stop both Martin Li and Dr Octopus, but Wolverine's extended history is much riper for analysis.
Marvel's Wolverine has the opportunity to introduce players to an origin story that is eclectic and unknown. What is clear is that it's a history steeped in conflict, and Wolverine has never been one to shy away from the effectiveness of brutality in the trenches of the first World War and the jungles of Vietnam. It is already known that the story will be standalone, and without the X-Men it would be easy for the character to fade into a long line of brooding, loner-type protagonists. His web-slinging counterpart has no such issue, being a force for good and positivity. The crew presented in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy are far more similar to Peter Parker in that regard, and though the story that unfolds in the 2021 release has its roots firmly in the present, it's decorated by references and anecdotes to decades gone by. This is a philosophy that would surely work wonders on Insomniac's Wolverine project.
A Wolverine For All Seasons
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The Wolverine movie in 2013 dug into the character's past with relative success, and though it received a mixed reception from audiences, its reliance on the past was a significant bright spark. Lifting this approach from the film while taking inspiration from the way Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy respects the past - even leans into it - could be a recipe for success in Marvel's Wolverine. Insomniac's take on the seasoned character has seen better days, and surely it would be a misstep to have a decrepit, rundown Logan don his iconic yellow suit and fight villains one-sixth his age.
Instead, the opportunity to play with the character's storied past could offer insight into why his personality is the way it is, while also providing an intriguing narrative thread that many will be unfamiliar with. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy proved that using the past in a game's presentation can result in a great experience, and though Logan himself wouldn't admit it, he could learn a lot from Peter Quill and company.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development for PS5.
