For decades, Wolverine has proven to be one of Marvel’s most beloved superheroes. Is it the hair? Or the claws? Maybe it’s the fact that he is pretty much immortal? Whatever the reason, fans are always ready and excited for the next Wolverine movie—or, in this case, video game. And after hearing what was announced at San Diego Comic-Con’s “Marvel’s Wolverine: Deep Cuts” panel, they most certainly have a reason to be.
On Stage: The Creative Team
On the Hall H stage, creative director Marcus Smith from Insomniac Games was joined by game director Mike Daly, narrative director Walt Williams, and senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed. In addition, Liam McIntyre, who will voice Wolverine, and Kiriziya Bajos, who will voice Jean Grey, were also there. The final key member of the panel was executive producer Eric Monacelli from Marvel Games.
After all of the introductions, the team dove right into what fans can expect from the September 15 release. Even better, they released a brand-new trailer to hype up fans who have been waiting for this game since it was first announced in 2021. After the trailer and discussions about characters and gameplay, they announced a surprise crossover that made the audience go wild.
The Trailer
A never-before-seen trailer for the game debuted during the panel, and although it still leaves plenty of mystery, it revealed a lot of interesting details. The first is that the game seems to be heavily focused on Logan as a character rather than just his ability to brutally destroy enemies in battle. It takes place before Logan joins the X-Men and follows him while he operates as part of Team X.
The trailer opens with Jean Grey saying, “Logan, it’s me, wait,” as Wolverine prepares to strike her but manages to stop himself at the last second. Similarly, the opening of the previous extended gameplay trailer begins with Logan stating, “I’m not a violent man… but trouble just has a way of finding me.” Both of these scenes are soon followed by clips showing the battles he is constantly forced into, making it clear that Logan is someone who struggles against his own nature. Liam McIntyre, the voice actor for Wolverine, has also discussed studying animal behavior to portray that internal conflict authentically.
Besides the hinted themes, the trailer also features flashes of familiar faces, including Mystique, Omega Red, the Reavers, and Sentinels. This suggests Wolverine won’t just be facing personal enemies, but also larger mutant-related threats. These battles won’t take place in just one recognizable location either, as the game will feature multiple settings, including Madripoor, Canada, and Japan.
Even though there seems to be a heavy focus on story and character development, this is still a combat-heavy game, and the trailer makes it clear that it will be much more aggressive than some of Insomniac’s prior superhero games. Wolverine’s claws are shown inflicting graphic damage, and his healing factor allows him to endure brutal hits and continue fighting.
A Prequel Comic
While Marvel’s Wolverine: Deep Cuts isn’t technically based on any one comic storyline, it was announced during the panel that a prequel comic will be released alongside the game itself on September 15. The beginning of the game follows Logan after he has been out of the game for a while. The prequel is said to reveal the story of why and how that happened, setting up the events of the game.
The official description states that the comic will follow Wolverine and the Team X mutants as they prepare to infiltrate Sentinel creator Trask’s secret base. Sounds like a pretty action-packed read, and if you are really invested in the story, it may be worth reading before or while starting the game.
The Crossover
Many fans have speculated that because this Wolverine exists in the same universe as Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, there might eventually be a crossover between the two. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the crossover announced at the panel.
But do not fret because the true crossover was still pretty exciting, especially for fans of the game MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls because yep, you guessed it…there’s going to be a Marvel’s Wolverine × MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls Crossover.
So, what does that mean exactly? On launch day, players will be able to unlock a stylized Wolverine suit inspired by MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Additionally, starting September 1, players of MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls will receive the Marvel’s Wolverine “Battle Reborn” suit as a free addition.
And hey—maybe eventually there might be a Spider-Man suit added? Who knows.
Final Thoughts
Insomniac seems to be building a pretty epic Marvel gaming universe, and adding Wolverine is sure to make it even better. The panel did a great job showcasing the darker, more character-driven story they have crafted for one of Marvel’s fiercest heroes.
From the looks of the trailer, the game is set to deliver epic cutscenes and intense battles with characters who are very well-known to Wolverine fans.
In the end, the panel left me so hyped that I might just have to buy a PlayStation by September.
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