Ryan Marvel’s Wolverine could be a radical departure from Insomniac’s Spider-Man, and it may provide an opportunity for some positive change.
Marvel’s Spider-Man by Insomniac Games is a revolutionary video game platform. Other developers have taken notice and created games giving Marvel’s characters a new feel. Marvel’s Midnight Suns is an example of this. The game’s heroes thrived in a turn-based strategy environment. Marvel Spider-Man 2 may be in the works. However, Insomniac now has the opportunity to tackle a completely new hero: Marvel Wolverine.
Marvel’s Wolverine already marks a departure from Insomniac Games’ previous efforts. The most notable change will be the inclusion of the Mature rating in the game to create an authentic Wolverine environment. Marvel’s Wolverine requires some significant changes to mechanics than those that were used for the Web-Head. Yet, Marvel’s Spider-Man foundations are easily modifiable and expanded for Wolverine’s gritty adventure.
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Wolverine’s Traversal Could be More Layered – Location
It is unlikely that Wolverine will be able to swing from the web for his destination. However, it would have to be changed significantly to allow players the freedom to explore the world. According to the trailer, the game is likely to be set on Madripoor, a fictional city island. This place has a reputation for being both compact and sprawling. A parkour aspect could be expected in traversal, as Wolverine might use his claws on buildings to climb them and use the rooftops for transport. There is also a technique in God of War, where the map cannot be easily traversed. The city can be explored in sections, which allows for more detailed locations than if you travel too far.
Logan’s Healing Might Revolutionize Combat Stealth
Marvel’s Spider-Man allowed players to rely upon Spider-Sense, superhuman strength and agility, webs and gadgets to stealthily, or combatively clear an area. Wolverine does not have any of these but instead has relied upon his brutality, healing factor, and almost immortality. A combat approach similar to Marvel’s Spider-Man may not work. Wolverine’s tendency to rush head-first into combat makes it difficult for him to use stealth strategies. Instead, he could look to Spider-Man for ideas on distracting and trapping enemies. However, the character could benefit from brutality similar in style to God of War. Because uses his berserker rage as a weapon to stop foes, flair, and combinations won’t be the primary focus. The healing factor means that the goal is to cause as much damage as possible before he takes on too much or becomes unconscious. The style would eventually be replaced by aggressive combat to better capture Wolverine’s essence.
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NPC Interactions Can Open Up Paths To Get Information
Marvel’s Spider-Man had plenty of NPCs which helped keep New York feeling alive. They were more intended to be used by the player to perform side missions or provide brief interaction while walking through the streets. Marvel’s Wolverine may go further by giving Madripoor’s NPCs a more significant role as individuals that can provide information. While the ultimate goal remains to promote the story and do side missions as well, Wolverine could disguise himself as Patch and infiltrate areas to gain information. But if he wanted to go more brutally, interrogation could be a way to get information from NPCs. It would be a goal to allow NPCs to have different results to improve the narrative.
Wolverine’s history could affect player choices
Marvel’s Spider-Man portrayed a straightforward story that allowed its readers to explore it without any surprises. Marvel’s Wolverine offers more options to the player regarding how they work through the game. The game could have different endings depending on whether players opt for Wolverine’s harsher side or prefer to follow the straight and narrow path. This could be related to Logan’s experience as WeaponX and the fact that he can never completely shake the animal within. This could allow players to decide how much of the narrative or Wolverine’s history they wish to learn.