We’re currently working on our review for Marvel’s Wolverine, which is set to launch this month on PlayStation 5. Insomniac Games is no stranger to superhero games at this point, and they’re back to flesh out Earth-1048 with a new game featuring one of Canada’s greatest fictional heroes.
Speaking to Gavin Goulden, Insomniac’s senior art director, to discuss bringing one of the most iconic comic book characters to life. While we’ve had many games featuring Wolverine, Insomniac is giving him the spotlight and room to show us more than his brutal side.
Goulden’s answers prove that Insomniac’s team understands the character. He might thrive on rage when in costume, but there’s more to Logan than his desire to cause havoc against threats and all sorts of obstacles.
Q: As the Art Director, how do you decide which direction you want to take a character like Wolverine – he’s an established Marvel character in comics and film- so do you look at what’s out in the wild and decide?
Gavin: When designing worlds and characters for Marvel’s Wolverine, we always look at the history but keep our eyes on the future. How do we create our own unique universe? We are all massive fans of Wolverine, and while we will always appreciate the character in other media, we strive to create something memorable that stands out as our own. Much of that comes from retaining recognizable features of the character, such as the colour blocking of his suits, the claws, and the stripes, and then translating them to best fit our world.
We consider how the suit functions, the materials it’s crafted from, and how those elements fit within our universe. Personally, Wolverine ’88 comes to mind for me. While that may seem unlike anything we have in the game, it’s a major source of inspiration and a formative memory for me from when I was much younger.
Q: How does Insomniac differentiate between Marvel character games? As a studio, you’ve shipped three Spider-Man games now; how does the studio try to shake up the formula without overlapping?
Gavin: The most important thing for us is to always do what is right for the character, which naturally helps them stand out and feel distinct. For example, while Spider-Man may be your friendly neighbourhood hero,
Wolverine is a globetrotter who is constantly being called to action. He’s a character shaped by violence and forced to survive in a gritty, mature world. Beyond that, we also made conscious decisions to best represent Wolverine in his own unique way. His combat style is animalistic and aggressive, featuring fast, fluid and ferocious claw combat. We capture the weight of Wolverine in his movement, and we pull the camera in closer to create a more intimate experience.
Q: Wolverine is a Canadian superhero – how much does the game actually lean into this aspect of the character and are there any ideas you wanted to include but cut?
Gavin: Being Canadian is a critical part of Wolverine’s character and his overall history. Being Canadian myself, it’s also incredibly important to me that we bring him back to his home country and authentically represent a place that means so much to me.
Throughout Marvel’s Wolverine, you’ll see Wolverine travel to a number of locations, including North Vancouver. While we take artistic liberties to best serve our gameplay and narrative needs, it was important to capture the spirit of the region and showcase the incredible beauty British Columbia has to offer. From fighting your way through the Sulphur Pile to travelling along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, players will experience a uniquely Canadian setting while also exploring the frosted wilderness of Canada, which plays an important role in Logan’s journey.
Q: Can you detail the process your team goes through when deciding on which costumes are added?
Gavin: When deciding which suits to include in Marvel’s Wolverine, we always strive to strike a balance between classic outfits that fans will instantly recognize, deeper cuts from the character’s history, and even original designs created specifically for our game.
We also aim to provide enough variety across the collection to keep choices interesting and fresh, while giving players meaningful ways to express themselves, including swapping claws alongside their chosen suit. As I mentioned, Wolverine ’88 has been a major inspiration for me personally, and we had the opportunity to collaborate with the artist behind that iconic cover, Adam Kubert, on a unique design for Marvel’s Wolverine. It really was a childhood dream come true to work with an artist I admire like Adam and collaborate on the Savage Suit for Marvel’s Wolverine.
Q: How do you decide/approach which levels are included and then the style of these locations?
Gavin: Artistically, we always want to present our narrative and gameplay moments in the best way possible and do what we feel is right for the character. Knowing that Wolverine is a nomadic character who travels the globe throughout his adventures, it’s important to showcase an authentic, diverse range of locations, each with its own identity and atmosphere.
When it comes to style, mood, and overall atmosphere, we take artistic liberties within these locations to help make them memorable and iconic, while giving real-world locations a more dynamic feel that best supports our story and game.
