Summary
While PlayStation Studios is packed with talented developers likeGhost of Tsushimacreator Sucker Punch and Santa Monica, the minds behindGod of War, two names seem to be brought up the most when discussing the brand’s first party content. First, there isNaughty Dog, a studio renowned for its brilliantly written characters, powerful stories, and cutting edge graphics. Then, there is Insomniac Games, a studio that has become a true workhorse for PlayStation.
While Naughty Dog’s upcoming projects beyond the strugglingThe Last of Usmultiplayer game are unclear, fans have a good idea of what is in the pipeline for Insomniac. AfterMarvel’s Spider-Man 2releases later in October, Insomniac is set to deliver a multiplayer game and the heavily anticipatedMarvel’s Wolverine. Intriguingly, it seems like the stars could be aligning forMarvel’s Wolverineto become Insomniac Games’ equivalent toThe Last of Us.
Marvel’s Wolverine Looks To Be a Mature Game Focused on Storytelling
Beyond being phenomenal developers, Naughty Dog and Insomniac have matured in a similar way. The former started with the child-friendlyCrash BandicootandJak and Daxterbefore moving on toUnchartedand thenThe Last of Us. The latter rose in prominence withSpyro The DragonandRatchet and Clankbefore releasing games likeSunset OverdriveandMarvel’s Spider-Man. While Insomniac has a bit of experience with mature titles thanks to itsResistanceseries,Marvel’s Wolverinewill be the first time in a while where the developer has focused on an older audience.
Insomniac hiringSpec Ops: The Line’s writer forMarvel’s Wolverinesuggests that fans are in for an impactful story.Spec Ops: The Lineoffered a surprisingly strong story that highlighted the darkest aspects of war, elevating the title’s average gameplay due to the good writing. If a similarly serious story is offered inMarvel’s Wolverinethat is matched with exceptional gameplay and performances, Insomniac Games could have a critical darling on its hands. Just likeThe Last of Usbrought in hundreds of awards, Insomniac might be set to rack up many achievements withMarvel’s Wolverine.
The other side of this comparison isMarvel’s Spider-Man, which feels a lot likeNaughty Dog’sUnchartedfranchise. BothUnchartedandMarvel’s Spider-Manboast T ratings, allowing them to reach the biggest possible audiences via their palatable stories. And while theMarvel’s Spider-Mangames are terrific, they do not review quite as well as other PlayStation exclusives likeGod of War RagnarokandThe Last of Us. Similarly,The Last of Usis where Naughty Dog found unparalleled critical success, even if theUnchartedfranchise was a monster in terms of sales and reviewed well itself.
Ultimately, this could be a winning combo for Insomniac Games. While Naughty Dog has retiredUncharted, there was a brief window where it was releasingUnchartedandThe Last of Usgames back to back. Insomniac Games could end up doing the same withMarvel’s Spider-ManandMarvel’s Wolverine, delivering commercial hits with the wall-crawler and critical darlings starring Logan. This is not to say thatMarvel’s Wolverinewill not sell well, but few if any heroes are iconic asMarvel’s Spider-Man, so it will likely remain Insomniac’s bestseller.Marvel’s Wolverinecould be the place where Insomniac Games really starts to showcase its storytelling chops, just like Naughty Dog did withThe Last of Us.
It would be quite the feat if Insomniac Games managed to deliver its best story yet withMarvel’s Wolverine, as the studio has already been incredibly consistent over the last few years. WithRatchet and Clank: Rift ApartandSpider-Man: Miles Moraleselevating the PS5 in its early months, andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2now pushing the console to its limits, the studio has been on fire for a long time. Hopefully, the momentum continues withMarvel’s Wolverine. Much like the focus on mature themes allowed Naughty Dog to do new things and tell its best story yet,Marvel’s Wolverinecould help Insomniac Games deliver a game unlike anything it has released thus far.
Marvel’s Wolverineis currently in development for PS5.
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