Summary
Highly anticipated and mysterious,Marvel’s Wolverineis set to be Insomniac’s next foray into a superhero IP. With the upcoming release ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2and the success of the first game and itsMiles Moralesstandalone expansion, the world of gaming has never looked more hopeful for Marvel’s cast of heroes. As theSpider-Mantitles have evolved over time, however, one source of controversy has persisted within the community.Marvel’s Wolverinemay still be far away, but Insomniac would be wise to handle one aspect of its adaptation with a lot of discretion.
AlthoughSpider-Manhas been featured in a multitude of video game releases over the years,Marvel’s Spider-Mantruly brought the character to life in the PS4 era. One of the most accurate adaptations of Peter Parker’s complicated life,Spider-Manset a precedent that has fans more excited than ever for both its sequel and the upcomingWolverine. Despite a cinematic trailer and alleged mature rating that seem truer to the story of Logan than ever, there is still one area that some players have cause to be wary of.
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The Most Divisive Change to Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-ManandMiles Moraleshave both been praised for nearly every feature they bring to the table, but the remastered version of the original game generated a controversy that even gotthe voice actor for Peter Parkerinvolved. With the remastered edition ofSpider-Manthat launched on PS5, Insomniac made the choice to completely recast the facial model for Peter Parker and significantly alter his appearance as a result. The developer stated that it served to better support the facial animations of actor Yuri Lowenthal’s voice lines, but this didn’t serve to quell the negative discourse that arose.
While the original appearance of Peter Parker inSpider-Manwas praised by fans who felt that it fit his age in the timeline, his new face was criticized for seeming younger and less experienced. While still a believable look for the iconically youthful hero, his newer face has been compared to his high school MCU counterpart rather than that of a 23-year-old scientist. Lowenthal has spoken up in support of the change following the continued discourse, and the newer face design has ultimately stuck around and made it intoSpider-Man 2. Wolverine’s full look still has yet to be revealed, but it’s already clear how it can avoid the same issues.
Insomniac’s Wolverine Needs a Consistent Design
While many actors have taken up the mantle of Spider-Man and made it their own over the years, the same cannot be said for Wolverine. With Hugh Jackman heavily associated with the character andreprising the Wolverine role inDeadpool 3for what is set to be another “final appearance”, the image of Wolverine is likely to take a lot of influence from Jackman’s portrayal. Even if it forgoes this in favor of adapting the stocky Logan of the comics more accurately, Insomniac would be better off sticking to one design consistently this time around.
Seemingly in no rush to release,Marvel’s Wolverineis likely to remain mostly a mystery until quite some time afterMarvel’s Spider-Man 2gets to properly shine. WithDeadpool 3set to revitalize the character one last time next year, the image fans have of Wolverine could end up shifting drastically with an exploration of the multiverse. There’s no telling what may end up becomingLogan’s most iconic Wolverine lookin the future, but whichever one Insomniac chooses to adapt has far more potential if the studio commits to it.
Marvel’s Wolverineis currently in development for PlayStation 5.
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