Summary
God of Warand its 2022 sequel are the peak of linear, single-player storytelling, with the pair of games transporting Kratos and Atreus through the nine realms on an epic journey. Both entries also showed that there was life in the franchise afterGod of War: Ascensiondid little to move the needle. Using a largely different gameplay loop and exploration format to the Greek saga, the games adopted an over-the-shoulder perspective, one that Insomniac is expected to use with itsMarvel’sWolverineproject when that hits shelves and digital storefronts in the (hopefully near) future.
Marvel’s Wolverineis thought to be Insomniac’s next game after the highly-anticipatedMarvel’sSpider-Man 2arrives on October 20. It’s a project that was shown off with a teaser trailer at the 2021 PlayStation Showcase, but since then it’s all been rather tight-lipped as Insomniac focuses on its wall-crawler. The silence has brought with it plenty of theories about how it will unfold and how it will take advantage of the lore in the comics, but in the gaming space, there is blueprint that it could follow closely to ensure it is a critical success. Kratos, Atreus, and Santa Monica could be a big inspiration for Insomniac and Logan to help wield positive results.
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God of War’s Combat is Quick, but Brutish
Prior to 2018,God of Warwas a fast-paced, fixed-camera affair that put combos at the forefront of its progression. It closely mimicked games likeBayonettaandDevil May Cryto ensure that it remained fun throughout, but it became clear in the latter half of the 2010s that the franchise needed something new. The reboot kept plenty of core ideas, but used them in a fresh, unique way. Battles are still fast and fluid asKratos hasn’t lost a step, and swarms of enemies are expected to be overcome in arenas all over the story. It relies on the protagonist’s speed, agility, and proficiency with melee weaponry.
This sounds a lot like Wolverine, too. His human form and animalistic instincts make him agile and fierce in combat, but a typical hack-and-slash gameplay loop could run the risk of clashing with the more serious and realistic tone. Lifting a philosophy from the laterGod of Wargames but focusing on gameplay mechanics that better suit Wolverine’s claws rather than Kratos’Leviathan Axeis a sure-fire way to makeMarvel’s Wolverineinstantly engaging.
Wolverine and Kratos are Tough Nuts to Crack
One of the reasons why Wolverine is so compelling is not because of his proficiency in battle, but because of his reluctance to share any kind of emotion, and instead being a closed book, wrapped in a hardened shell. When Logan expresses remorse, joy, love, or desperation it’s far more compelling because it’s going against his nature, and presenting a side of him that is rarely seen. Judging by the limited promotional material,Insomniac’sWolverineprojectis going to explore a serious take on the character, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see it lift cues from James Mangold’sLoganorOld Man Loganin the comics. This particular run would demonstrate obvious similarities to how Kratos is depicted in the Norse mythology.
Kratos had already led a hard life full of dead gods and spilled blood by the time 2018’sGod of Wareven began, so when Baldur knocks on his door early on Kratos already feels like he’s living on borrowed time. It’s a clever way to reuse a pre-existing character while installing new personality traits to keep him interesting, and story moments rely on him being reluctant to show emotion.Marvel’s Wolverinecan still go in any number of directionsbut the similarities between Logan and Kratos in both personality and skill set means that Insomniac can piggyback off of the strides that Santa Monica has made, and continues to make.
Marvel’s Wolverineis in development.
MORE:Why God of War’s Atreus Probably Won’t Really Be Alone on His New Journey
