Claws out! 15 facts about "Marvel's Wolverine"
In Berlin, I was able to play an almost finished version of Insomniac's new superhero epic. Here are the most important findings regarding the story, combat system, and Logan's height.
Berlin. A place of longing for all post-hipsters, wannabe DJs, night owls, and—for one day—Marvel fans. This is where Insomniac gave an exclusive look at its new game: Marvel's Wolverine on August 19th. While my colleagues are sweating in the Digitec dungeons at 30 degrees, it's a pleasant 20 degrees here. But there's no time to enjoy it: Logan is ready for me, and I don't want to keep a man with his temperament waiting.
My date with the grumpiest Canadian of all time lasts about two hours. I experience the intro of the action-adventure as well as the finale of the first act, getting the full spectrum of the action. Similar to Wolverine's opponents, just with less blood loss. Afterwards, I get to ask Game Director Mike Daly a few questions.
Here are the 15 most important takeaways.
1. It's not an origin story
In Marvel's Spider-Man, Uncle Ben has been in the ground for a while before the start screen, and it's similar here. After a very brief glimpse into Wolverine's past, the game starts with a rescue mission by Team X. Together with Sabertooth and Mystique, Logan is supposed to rescue the kidnapped Nathaniel Essex. Logan is already over 100 years old at this point, but due to amnesia, he can only partially remember his past.
2. The X-Men don't exist (yet?)
Speaking of Spidey: Marvel's Wolverine is set in the same universe, on Earth-1048. However, according to Daly, there won't be any crossover. "Wolverine is Logan's game," says the developer. Consequently, the X-Men don't exist yet either. But the ingredients for a later mutant team are ready, and the rumor mill has been bubbling hotter than Walter White's meth lab for several years now.
3. Mutants among themselves
Wolverine still gets support, though. In addition to the aforementioned superheroes, other Marvel characters appear. Jean Grey is there, as is the young Leech, whom some might remember from the cartoon series. In the preview, I also run into Nature Girl (deep cut!) and find a teaser for another hero, whom I don't want to spoil here.
4. The villains
Logan desperately needs support. He is faced by a whole range of adversaries, including Omega Red, Lady Deathstrike, and the mutant-hater Bolivar Trask.
The trio promises three very different kinds of trouble: Omega Red is the result of a Soviet super-soldier program and drains the life energy out of his victims, Lady Deathstrike has a very personal score to settle with Logan in the comics, and Trask is the stereotypical industrial mutant-racist.
Source: Insomniac
5. 50 years of homework
For their research, Daly and his team plowed through 50 years of comic history. The most important reference work for their interpretation is the 1982 mini-series. Numerous elements from it can also be found in Marvel's Wolverine—above all, Logan's time in Japan and his conflict with the villainous organization The Hand.
Walt Williams is responsible for the story. With Spec Ops: The Line in 2012, the man delivered one of the best plot twists in gaming.
6. No open world
Insomniac has consciously decided on a linear game. "I believe we can tell a better story that way," explains Daly. "In an open-world game, players are quickly distracted. When they return to the narrative, the context is often missing. That can't happen here."
That doesn't mean Wolverine only runs through tube-like levels. The linear sections are repeatedly supplemented by open areas that provide variety.
7. Madripoor is calling
Speaking of variety: Logan is a globetrotter, and the game stays true to this tradition. So far, North America, Japan, and Madripoor have been confirmed. The latter, in particular, has captured my interest. The island nation is one of the most important settings in Wolverine lore. It is the grimy counterpart to Singapore and a refuge for homeless mutants. Here they can go into hiding, drink, and brawl. Madripoor is basically Logan's natural habitat.
Source: Insomniac
8. A shorter playtime?
Despite the international terrain, Marvel's Wolverine will likely be a bit shorter than Insomniac's previous titles. Mike Daly is holding back with concrete statements, but reveals that the game has about the same number of missions as Marvel's Spider-Man. This info allows for a rough estimate: it will probably take about 12 to 16 hours to reach the credits.
In times of bloated open-world games and overcrowded Ubisoft maps, I find that very pleasant. "Short" is not necessarily a weakness, but can also be a feature. I wish more developers would realize that.
9. Collectibles
Whether your playtime lands on the higher or lower end of the scale also depends on the optional content. Attentive players will find whiskey bottles that help Logan with his amnesia. Funny, for me, whiskey has the exact opposite effect.
Also hidden are material crates. Their raw materials can be invested in new costumes. There are about 20 of them (depending on the edition), and one of them is quite sexy according to Mike Daly. I hope you like chest hair.
10. Logan takes no prisoners
If you've seen the trailer, you know what's up. I still want to state it clearly once more: Wolverine is bloody and brutal. Logan tears through hordes of enemies like a souped-up combine harvester, letting arms, legs, and heads fly. Anyone standing in his way is guaranteed not to have an open casket.
According to Daly, the explicit depiction of violence was a done deal from the start: "We wanted to create an authentic Wolverine experience. That meant it's definitely not a game for children."
Source: Insomniac
11. "THIS IS SPARTA!"
Wolverine's combat system is based on the friendly neighborhood spider, but proceeds far less gracefully, as befits the character. Logan weighs 300 pounds, and I feel that mass with every blow. The clawed man is not the least bit sluggish because of it. On the contrary: as soon as one enemy is shredded, I jump to the next and kick him (or her, justice is unisex in Wolverine) off a cliff or into the forks of a forklift with a Sparta-kick.
There is also a rather simple combo system that fills a rage meter. You can choose to use it for healing or for going on a rampage. I mostly chose the latter. Self-care my ass.
12. The skill tree
No Sony character-action game without a skill tree. It is largely predictable: with every level-up, new moves, more efficient stealth kills, and more can be unlocked. What I saw during the preview seems a bit more compact than the competition.
Mike Daly promises that the fights will still feel fresh until the credits because Wolverine's adversaries are very diverse. The cyber-mercenaries of Bolivar Trask, for example, require a different strategy than the nimble ninjas of the Hand.
Source: Insomniac
13. The voice talent
Wolverine is voiced by Liam McIntyre. The Australian stands out pleasantly from Hugh Jackman's interpretation but remains true to the original. Incidentally, McIntyre played the title role in the TV series Spartacus. So the man knows how to sell a Sparta-kick.
Brett Gipson also delivers a great performance as Sabretooth. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, Troy Baker is of course also involved. Troy Baker is the Pedro Pascal of the video game scene. He's in every game, even in Tetris. Yes, the Tetris from 1989. He played the line piece, true story.
14. All hail the Short King
Wolverine is 1.60 meters tall. At least in the comic original. The films have consistently ignored this fact so far: Hugh Jackman measures 1.88 meters, towering over his drawn role model by almost 30 centimeters. Comic purists have been annoyed by this since the year 2000. Insomniac has listened. Logan looks downright cute and small next to the massive Sabretooth.
15. No Marvel humor
During my two hours with the game, there isn't a single one-liner. Logan is cynical, Mystique is quick-witted, Jean Grey is reserved. But no one defuses dramatic moments with a funny quip. The often misplaced comedy that has dominated pop culture for the last 15 years has no place in this dark adventure.
With this, Wolverine also distinguishes itself from Insomniac's own Spider-Man titles, in which Peter Parker, as is well known, doesn't shut his mouth for a second. Tonally, the game is much closer to films like Logan than to the MCU.
Source: Insomniac
Business as usual
We like to celebrate the consistently good output of Capcom on this platform, and rightly so. However, I am of the opinion that Insomniac plays in a similar league to the Japanese developers. For more than a decade, the Californians have been delivering reliably, and Marvel's Wolverine will continue this success story.
For all the advance praise, it must be mentioned: the game rarely surprised me. Insomniac is a well-rehearsed team; the developers know their strengths and know what works. Relying on that is generally a good idea.
But especially in times when criticism of Sony's very similar first-party games is getting louder, a little more courage would be desirable. Logan has self-healing powers; he could have withstood a bit more friction.
In the early 90s, my older brother gave me his NES with The Legend of Zelda on it. It was the start of an obsession that continues to this day.
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