It looks like everything we hoped for.
Marvel's Wolverine was one of those games you just hoped to see at every major event, but it was never shown. After it was first announced in September 2021, fans have been waiting patiently to see what the team behind the recently successful Spider-Man games have been cooking up.
Now, four years later, we could finally get a glimpse of the work Insomniac put into the game about the most brutal, most badass anti-hero of the X-Men. At the recent State of Play, they revealed a trailer and "Behind the Claws"-footage of the game alongside a release of Fall 2026.
A Faithful Approach
Insomniac is not really known for bloody or particularly brutal games. Spider-Man 2 was also announced in September 2021 and didn't feature any major violence to speak of (since it also wouldn't fit the vibe of the character). This led many to fear that Marvel's Wolverine might be too tame for a character of that calibre.
But then came the trailer, and I am excited to say, we have nothing to fear in that regard. James "Logan" Howlett is as brutal as one might hope for. During the trailer, we see his face and body covered in blood, and not a single drop is his own.
After all, it is important to implement the brutality and the animalistic side of Wolverine in order to really tell his story. He is a character with a stark contrast. He is a friend, a teacher and a teammate, but he was also made into a killer who has caused a lot of bloodshed. The darker you draw the shadow of this story, the brighter the light that casts it.
The developers seem to have a good grasp on this contrast as they also talk about it in the "Behind the Claws"-footage that was shown alongside the trailer.
He's this ball of rage and fury. But then, he could turn on a dime and he could be very kind and tender in the next moment.
The game will span across multiple locations including Madripoor, Canada and Tokyo. While not much is known about the plot so far, the locations might suggest that we either get to play his past, way before the X-Men or that he has to revisit his past.
Who Plays Wolverine?
Of course, Wolverine is not played by Hugh Jackman for this adaptation, and it also won't be any other recognizable voice actor we have heard in past shows or games. Instead, the role of the short-tempered superhero will go to Liam McIntyre.
While McIntyre is not new to acting, he only played side characters up until now. He's had roles in TV shows, movies and even games. This is also not the first comic hero he portrays, as he previously voiced Aquaman in the animated trilogy Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, among others.
Looking at the footage that has been shown, the decision for McIntyre was perfect. Everything from the voice to the small glimpses at the performance have been very convincing. Funnily enough, McIntyre is the second Australian actor after Jackman to portray this Canadian hero.
What do you think about Marvel's Wolverine, and what do want to see from the story? This will probably be way more linear than the more open-world Spider-Man games, so the story really has to deliver.