Talking about a new superhero game from Insomniac Games has inevitably meant talking about Spider-Man. The studio found a formula that worked brilliantly with Peter Parker, expanded it with Miles Morales, and pushed it even further with Spider-Man 2.
So when Insomniac finally decided to put Wolverine in the spotlight, the obvious question was: are we getting another Spider-Man with claws, or something that can actually build its own identity?
The answer is more interesting than it might seem. Marvel’s Wolverine shares some ideas with Insomniac’s previous games, but it doesn’t appear interested in turning Logan into a copy of Peter Parker. In fact, that would probably have been the wrong approach.
Wolverine doesn’t need to swing between skyscrapers, stop petty crimes every few minutes, or fill a massive city with endless side activities. What he needs is to fight, explore and make every encounter feel like you are controlling an unstoppable force.
That is where the game seems to find its strongest identity. Rather than relying entirely on a huge open world, Insomniac can focus on a more directed adventure, with environments designed around action and cinematic moments.
That might disappoint players expecting another Spider-Man-style sandbox, but it also gives the developers much more control over the pacing. There are fewer distractions and more purpose behind each mission.
Combat is arguably the feature that does the most to separate Wolverine from Insomniac’s Spider-Man games. Logan doesn’t have Spider-Man’s incredible mobility, but he doesn’t need it to be spectacular. His claws allow for much more aggressive encounters, while his healing factor and physical strength fit perfectly with a combat system where taking damage can be part of the experience.
The mature tone is another major difference. Wolverine is a character who allows Insomniac to explore situations that simply wouldn’t make sense in a Spider-Man game. The fights can be more brutal and violent, giving Logan a combat style that feels fundamentally different.
It isn't just about adding blood for shock value; the violence helps sell the idea that Wolverine fights in a completely different way.
There are also moments where the game can lean heavily into cinematic action. Chases, collapsing environments, massive enemies and carefully scripted sequences can give the adventure the kind of spectacle Insomniac has become known for.
These are the moments when the game stops worrying about freedom and simply wants the player to enjoy the ride.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Marvel’s Wolverine is that Insomniac doesn’t need to reinvent everything. The studio already has a successful superhero formula, and the challenge is adapting that formula to a character who requires a completely different approach. The result may not feel as revolutionary as the original Spider-Man, but it doesn't have to be.
Wolverine works best when it stops trying to be Spider-Man and fully embraces what makes Logan different. That could ultimately be Insomniac’s biggest achievement: proving that its superhero formula still has plenty of life left, as long as every character gets the freedom to make it their own.
