Highlights
- The biggest factor in the story of Marvel's Wolverine game is which parts of Logan's past will be adopted.
- Including the X-Men in the game, or leaving them out, will heavily influence the direction of the story and impact the cast's star power.
- The game's planned mature tone suggests that it may focus more on Wolverine's independent era, where he has more brutal adventures, as some of his X-Men teammates may not fit into that environment.
There is one major question surrounding Marvel's Wolverine that could be the biggest factor in how the game's story will play out. With the game starring one of Marvel's most well-known heroes, one would expect a lot of consideration to be put into making the story as strong as possible. Considering Wolverine's history in comics, animation, and film, there are a lot of potential sources that can be drawn from for inspiration. The question is not only what parts of Wolverine's past will be adopted, but how Marvel's Wolverine will be approaching the character in general.
When it was announced that Insomniac is making a Wolverine game, it seemed like a natural idea. Wolverine is easily one of the most famous and recognizable members of the X-Men, to the point that some fans may have learned about him before they learned that he was a part of a team. His razor-sharp claws, nearly indestructible skeleton, and aggressive nature have historically made him one of the X-Men's best fighters, and his gruff personality is equally fitting for such a role. Wolverine caught on so well with fans that he has seen several appearances without the X-Men, including a few solo stories. However, deciding whether to include Logan's allies will undoubtedly determine the direction the story takes.
Marvel's Wolverine Has Two Main Options For its Story
Because Wolverine as a character is so tied to the group, having the X-Men appear in Marvel's Wolverine would be expected by many. After all, most of Wolverine's close friendships can be found within the ranks of the X-Men, not to mention a good bulk of his hero career. Intertwining the X-Men with the game also allows popular characters like Professor X, Phoenix, and Nightcrawler to potentially make appearances in the game, boosting the cast's star power for many Marvel fans. With Wolverine being the X-Men's most popular member, exploring his time on the team is a strong potential direction for the story.
Even though Wolverine is best known for his time in the X-Men, his associations outside the team include arguably the most crucial relationship for Marvel's Wolverine to explore, that being his archenemy Sabretooth. Logan's feud with Sabretooth is one of his most iconic, with the brute being a bigger, meaner version of himself, but without morals. Wolverine's solo outings have given him a wealth of friends and foes that aren't related to the X-Men. Vicious enemies like Sabretooth and Omega Red could be perfect opponents with Wolverine's rabid fighting style, while reconnecting with old friends could flesh Logan out more in the eyes of newer fans.
Although it's impossible to tell for sure which direction the game's story will take, one factor may be more telling than expected. Marvel's Wolverine's planned mature tone could sway the game more toward his more independent era. When on his own, Logan has a tendency to be in more brutal adventures, and some of his X-Men teammates may not fit into such an environment as well. Even the teaser is more reminiscent of Wolverine's solo work. While it isn't in any way a confirmation, a mature rating could play a role in determining which side of Logan's life will be highlighted.
Wolverine is a character that has seen a many in his many decades of existence, any of which could find their way into the game. Marvel's Wolverine must do right by the character, and that could be accomplished through either side of his career. Either as the main bruiser of the X-Men, or as a razor-clawed freelance hero figuring out his past, Logan's life is interesting enough to make a script for multiple games. Whichever direction the story goes, Marvel's Wolverine needs to capture its chosen aspect of Logan's long hero career.
Marvel's Wolverine is in development.