The recent data breach Insomniac Games suffered has resulted in confidential information about the studio’s upcoming games leaking online, including Marvel’s Wolverine.
Initially revealed two years ago, Insomniac has remained privvy about the game, presumably as it spent the past couple of years working on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. However, now that the sequel is out, setting records, getting love from the critics, and winning no awards (sorry, Peter Parker!), it was assumed that Marvel’s Wolverine was next on the studio’s docket, except, it’s not.
The recent leak reveals several key details about Marvel’s Wolverine, including its gameplay, cast, potential plot points, and, perhaps, more importantly, release window.
The unfortunate incident confirms an extensive list of familiar comic book characters appearing in Marvel’s Wolverine. The lineup includes Wolverine, voiced by Liam McIntyre and a host of other well-known X-Men and Marvel characters. Fans can look forward to seeing Jean Grey, voiced by Kirzia Bajos, as well as Mister Sinister (Troy Baker), Sabretooth (Brett Gipson), Mystique (Nicole Pacent), and several others. Intriguingly, Jean Grey is also mentioned as a playable character in the game.
The exhaustive list of appearing characters offer hints about the game’s storyline. For instance, Jean Grey is reportedly involved in protecting Leech in a safehouse, and Davina leads a mutant village in Madripoor. Mystique, guising himself as Bolivar Trask, adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, considering Trask’s role in creating the anti-mutant Sentinel program in the comics. The inclusion of Sunfire as a mutant freedom fighter in Tokyo and the dynamic of Mister Sinister being Wolverine’s adoptive father, with Sabretooth as his adopted brother, suggests a rich and original storyline.
The gameplay footage leaked from Insomniac Games showcases Wolverine engaging in combat with Hand soldiers with both his claws and other weapons like katanas. The inclusion of parkour elements, reminiscent of Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, adds to the excitement. Furthermore, the footage teases the player’s ability to control Jean Grey, showcasing her telekinetic powers in action.
Another critical aspect of the leaked gameplay is Wolverine’s “Senses Investigation” feature, which lets players utilize Logan’s heightened senses to uncover clues and progress the narrative. This investigative gameplay, combined with the combat elements and the potential of an expansive storyline, is poised to offer a comprehensive and immersive Wolverine experience.
The setting of the game in Tokyo, as suggested by the concept art, introduces an international dimension to Wolverine’s narrative. The possibility of Jean Grey being under Omega Red’s custody and the subsequent encounter with unmarked planes filled with assassins in Tokyo adds an element of suspense and intrigue to the game.
It’s worth noting that Wolverine spent some time in Tokyo where, in the mainline comic book continuity, he fathered Akihiro, a mutant born with a similar healing factor, with his late Japanese wife, Itsu.
Wolverine’s history with Tokyo played a central role in the critically panned movie, The Wolverine, which came out in 2013 to so-so reviews but still made nearly half a billion at the global box office.
Outside of Marvel’s Wolverine, the ransomware attack on Insomniac Games also revealed information about the studio’s upcoming slate of games, including but not limited to, Venom: Lethal Protector, a spin-off to the Marvel’s Spider-Man series starring the titular character, which will lead up to Marvel’s Spider-Man 3.
In the meantime, Marvel fans can look forward to Wolverine’s return to the big screen with the premiere of Deadpool 3 next year.
