There is a lot to consider for what the narrative could look like in Marvel’s Wolverine from Insomniac Games. The stalky Canadian with the mutant ability to self-heal has been prolific in Marvel for the longest time, and to many fans Logan would seem stoic and unchanging. Marvel’s Midnight Suns was only the latest example of an iteration where Logan was much more lighthearted and empathetic than fans may have expected, putting a charming spin on the character that substitutes the blind rage most fans may associate him with.
Based upon what little information has been shared about it thus far, it seems obvious that Marvel's Wolverine will need a mature rating. Combat has not been explicitly detailed, but keywords have been dropped that make it sound like players will be using the character’s iconic claws to shred enemies. Likewise, Insomniac would be able to depict a great amount of incoming damage that players take since Logan’s healing factor would allow him to instantly regenerate that tissue. However, Marvel’s Wolverine would not necessarily need to be rated mature to have a narrative true to Logan’s character.
Insomniac’s Wolverine Can Be T-Rated with the Right Narrative
Marvel’s Wolverine could have a teen rating, but it should not have to make detrimental choices in order to achieve that. If Marvel’s Wolverine succumbs to having 90 percent of enemies be robots, for example, then it may earn a more universal rating, but slashing and stabbing with Logan’s claws might not be nearly as satisfying. It will be interesting to see how Insomniac approaches Marvel’s Wolverine’s narrative, and if Logan has empathetic motivations and goals he will not need to be depicted as a one-note brawler with an adamantium skeleton.
Of course, Wolverine has not always been depicted as a raging killing machine that eviscerates people in a frenzied bloodlust. Logan commonly relies on animalistic rage to get through a lot of different fights, but that is not all the character boils down to. Instead, depending on how connected to the X-Men Marvel’s Wolverine may be, Logan could potentially be a professor who still taps into rage but is able to manage it in a healthy way.
Logan could be more relatable this way with his animalistic nature in check, and the narrative itself would be in service to a more amicable ESRB rating as a result. But with “gouges, severs, and gashes” as was confirmed much earlier, it seems like Marvel’s Wolverine will be a gory and graphic game that would have a difficult time shying away from a mature rating.
Insomniac’s Wolverine Would Unlock Its Full Potential with a Mature Rating
Gameplay could incorporate a lot of bare-knuckle brawling that does not require players to unsheathe Logan’s claws, though that would omit a lot of what makes the character interesting in the first place. Rather, it is undeniable that gameplay could be more gratifying if Logan’s claws can lop off enemy arms and sink into their bodies.
It is also true that Marvel’s Wolverine would not necessarily need to have Logan kill and maim enemies for it to truthfully honor the character, as many popular iterations have proven. The impact of what is not shown on-screen may be similarly exciting, but action-oriented gameplay will have to choose whether it wants to pull Logan’s punches or allow those punches to impale enemies.
There is hardly room for any middling with Logan’s character, and Insomniac may have already decided that Marvel’s Wolverine will be its blood-soaked and M-rated romp while the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise can continue to be a beacon of playful warmth. This makes sense not only to make each franchise diverse, but also to depict these respective characters faithfully.
Logan is not a beacon of innocence and warmth, particularly not in the way that Peter Parker strives to be. Therefore, Marvel’s Wolverine could be rated teen and still maintain the essence of Logan’s character, but it would be a disservice to the character if gameplay was subdued for the sole purpose of a teen rating.
Marvel’s Wolverine is in development for PS5.
