Where should Insomniac Games take their gaming multiverse after Wolverine? We've got some ideas.
Insomniac has written the formula for how to bring a beloved character's story from the comics to the screen. In this case, we're talking about gaming screens, but the fact remains Insomniac's Spider-Man franchise easily ranks among the best superhero video games ever made. But there's so much more than just a game here. The story told over the first two games (plus the Miles Morales special edition) has been a fantastic Spidey tale that is as good as anything put on screens big and small.
Where Insomniac excels is in its writing. The Spider-Man games are beautifully rendered with amazing performances from its casts. Put it together, and you've got a modern take on a classic character that delivers something new while remaining true to the source material. It's a tough task to accomplish, and Insomniac does it better than anyone else.
Next on Insomniac's agenda is Wolverine. The developers have said this game will be mature, and it could be the studio's best efforts yet.
Once Wolverine and Spider-Man 3 have reached the masses, what will be next on Insomniac's agenda? Here's 10 ideas that could get comic fans drooling.
How do you follow Spider-Man and Wolverine? You have to give your audience something familiar that still provides a unique experience, and the Master of the Mystic Arts would fit that bill.
While Insomniac's gaming universe grounds itself in comic book lore, it certainly doesn't hurt that Doctor Strange is an established part of the MCU. That mass appeal has made the Sorcerer Supreme a household name among non-comic fans. Slapping his name on the title would give it instant mainstream credibility. Although he doesn't have the same icon status as Wolverine or Spider-Man, Doctor Strange's name recognition would go a long way in the marketing department. For that matter, it would be easy to pull other recognizable, magic-based characters into the story, which would add to that broader appeal.
Potentially the best part about a Doctor Strange title is in the actual gameplay. Instead of rehashing the same mechanics from Spider-Man and the upcoming Wolverine, basing a franchise around a magic-based character would be a completely new experience. Plus, with magic, there's almost limitless options for spells and power upgrades.
The icing on the proverbial cake would be the locations. With Doctor Strange, players would not be confined to the real world. He can travel to the Dark Dimension, the Astral Plane, or even Marvel's version of Hell, and each environment could change the gameplay to give players even more variety.
From everything we've seen so far from Wolverine, Insomniac may outsell its Spider-Man games. The latest word is that the actual gameplay will be brutal, which is fitting for a character like Logan. If a mature Marvel title does well, it could pave the way for similar titles, like a bloody, vampire-hunting RPG starring Blade.
Again, it comes down to being familiar but also unique. What we don't want is something too close to Wolverine, and that eliminates most characters in Logan's corner of the Marvel-616, such as Laura Kinney. Certainly, Blade's sword-slashing attacks would feel similar to Wolverine's claws, but it's the Daywalker's supernatural qualities that set him apart.
Like most entries on today's list, much of Blade's appeal is the broader scope of his place in the Marvel Universe. By establishing Blade, the entirety of Marvel's supernatural and horror catalog come along for the ride. As players slash their ways through a vampire-infested NYC, they can run across the likes of Moon Knight, Ghost Rider, Morbius, Werewolf By Night, Satana, and so many more. It could even lead to a Midnight Sons/Suns team-up by the end.
The Hulk has been in his share of games, but none of them have really struck the right chords with fans. Here is a version of the Green Goliath that could finally give him a breakout hit.
Unless Disney/Marvel Studios has a serious change of heart when it comes to true horror in the MCU, we're not going to see Immortal Hulk on screens big or small. For those needing a refresher, Hulk was given a much-needed makeover in 2018. Writer Al Ewing took the Marvel icon in a new direction by injecting a dose of horror with a bit of mystery. Not only did we get a more brutal version of the Hulk with a masterful 50-issue story, but all gamma-based characters were now immortal.
Immortal Hulk could also put a spotlight on Bruce Banner. Not that it hasn't been done before, but playing as Banner then transitioning to Hulk would offer a huge variety between playable characters. Leaning into the mystery of it all, the Banner side of the story could be where the mystery unfolds. What might be even more enticing is Hulk's other personalities, like Joe Fixit, Savage Hulk, or possibly Devil Hulk.
CAPTAIN AMERICA
Here's a story that would span decades, multiple protagonists, and a gripping, conspiracy-driven narrative that echoes Ed Brubaker's stellar Captain America run.
Start with the original Steve Rogers Captain America with a quick retelling of his origin story. Fight some Nazis and the Red Skull in World War II, and get frozen in ice. From there, the perspective shifts to Isaiah Bradley, and that's where players would get something out of the norm for a Cap story.
Much of the plot could take place while Steve is out of action. Following the events of Truth: Red, White, and Black, gamers step into Isaiah's shoes as a Super Solider test subject. Meanwhile, Bucky Barnes is being transformed into the Winter Soldier, and wouldn't it be fun to have a Hit Man-style experience as Bucky on assassination missions?
Fast forward to the modern era, and Steve Rogers is thawed and tossed into the mix. That would bring Sam Wilson into the story, thus positioning him to eventually take up the shield. Piece together a sweeping narrative with some thrilling twists to connect the characters, and you've got a sure-fire hit.
This is the no-brainer of today's list. With Deadpool having entered the MCU in what's been Marvel Studio's biggest hit since Endgame, his popularity is as high as ever. Give him a mature rating for an Insomniac game, and this would be an easy best seller. Truth be known, it's about time the Merc With a Mouth gets a decent game. His one starring role fell flat, so this would be a fitting redemption.
A Deadpool game wouldn't offer many new features as far as game play. Even if the developers were to go with a fourth-wall-break theme for his moves and power-ups, that's nothing gamers haven't seen before. While Deadpool comics and movies are hilarious and fun, the plots are generally forgettable. That could be changed by combining Wade Wilson with some inspiration straight from the comics.
No argument, Wade is a not a hero, nor should he be. He's an anti-hero at best, but the developers could push him into full-fledged villain territory by adapting Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe. Give things a Grand Theft Auto degree of free-roaming and let players find and kill Marvel's most famous faces. Certainly this didn't go over well in the DC realm with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but Deadpool could pull it off, especially since it's all tongue-in-cheek.
Another option that would keep Deadpool in the anti-hero category is What If...?. Forget about Disney Plus and the MCU version of What If...?. No, this would take players into the most famous stories from the comics.. There's so many alternate universe stories to explore in a Multiverse-hopping adventure with Deadpool's sense of humor at the core.
Admittedly, much of today's list is comprised of characters that travel off-planet. While Thor's MCU and comic history puts him directly in the space realm, the more interesting approach would be seeing the God of Thunder traverse the mythological worlds.
In the comics, Thor and Hercules have clashed many times. That could be an opportunity for Thor to share the screen with Herc as a playable character, which means gamers would get to explore both Asgard and Olympus. Of course, there has to be a brawl between the two or fans would riot. Toss Hulk into the fun, and you've got some great encounters.
Marvel has delved into plenty of other mythologies, so bringing those worlds into the fold would only make sense. Thor could encounter the Wakandan deities as well as those from Ancient Egypt, and that could leave an opening for a Moon Knight cameo.
There's no Thor without Loki, who could honestly lead his own title at this point, given his MCU popularity. Whether the God of Mischief is the villain or an anti-hero, he would make for a great playable character. Delving further into Thor's history, there's an entire universe of locations and characters unique to the Thunder God to make for an expansive roster.
Marvel's Royal Family is about to springboard back into the mainstream zeitgeist. It's not an understatement to say the FF built the Marvel Universe. This was the company's first hit comic, and the Human Torch was Marvel's first breakout star. In many ways, Spider-Man owes his early success to the FF. ASM #1 had the team on the front cover, and Spidey was often paired with the mega-popular Johnny Storm.
Marvel Studios' recent efforts have seen more misses than hits, so it's hard to say what kind of product we'll see in the FF movie. However, in Insomniac's capable hands, the FF could be major video game stars. While this wouldn't need to be as mature as Wolverine, there's so much history and creativity at work here. Truly, the imagination would be the only limitation in what could come to the game. After all, the Fantastic Four explore not only the known universe and time travel, but they often journey through the Multiverse, and that alone could give one of the most unique gaming experiences yet.
As for villains, the FF's list is one of the most expansive in all of Marvel, so there would be no shortage of adversaries. Whether it's the Skrulls, Galactus and his Heralds, Marvel Zombies, Kang, and of course Doctor Doom, the stories are near endless. Best of all, you'd get four different playable characters, each with unique powers that would keep the game from feeling stale.
Here's another magic-based character that would offer gamers an amazing experience unlike Wolverine or Spider-Man. Given that Scarlet Witch has the power to manipulate reality itself, there's no end to what she can do. That would leave the game developers with plenty of room for creativity, thus giving players all kinds of surprises to enjoy.
What truly separates a potential Scarlet Witch game from virtually everything else on today's list is her ties to the larger Marvel Universe. She's been connected to both the Avengers and the X-Men since the Silver Age, and the MCU has made her into a solo star in her own right. By combining those elements, we could have a game that delves into her relationship with Magneto and send her to Asteroid M or Krakoa just before encountering Captain America and the Avengers.
The comics offer some engaging stories for Insomniac's inspiration. She could delve into the Dark Hold, journey into Marvel Hell to battle Mephisto, or kick off Avengers Versus X-Men. Here's a thought: have Scarlet Witch bring about House of M, but with her playing the starring role.
Here's something that would be interesting. Instead of playing as a hero (or anti-hero, for that matter), how about letting gamers take on the role of villain?
If we were to play more into the MCU's version of Thanos, that would mean a villain who sees himself as a hero. Mix in some comic lore, specifically from Infinity Gauntlet and "Thanos Wins," and you have the makings of an epic gaming experience that would take players into the mind of the Mad Titan.
Similar to Doctor Strange, a Thanos adventure would journey across the Marvel Universe. Have the story revolve around the Infinity Stones and Death, and you can pull a Kratos by taking down some of Marvel's upper crust of deities. And who wouldn't want to play Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet taking on Galactus? Even better, getting to take down Marvel's all-star superheroes and villains.
This isn't a single character, so Dark Reign strays a bit from the theme. Still, there's so much that could be done by adapting Brian Michael Bendis' massive crossover into an engaging video game experience.
In the comics, this story was the culmination of two previous crossovers, both written by Bendis: Civil War and Secret Invasion. After the Skrulls' plot was uncovered and they were defeated, Norman Osborn was elevated to head of SHIELD, which he rebranded as HAMMER. He then took the Thunderbolts to Avengers Tower, cracked into Tony Stark's armory, and masqueraded villains as the Avengers. Norman, shedding his Green Goblin persona, donned an Iron Man armor and christened himself Iron Patriot.
Whether gamers play as heroes uncovering the plot and exposing the Dark Avengers or take on the role of various villains, this story would be perfect for an Insomniac Games project. What would be interesting is to center the story around Bob Reynolds as he struggles with his alter-egos, Sentry and The Void. Give the title a mature rating, and players could use Sentry to decimate Asgard and tear Ares in half, just as it happened in the comics.
