2023 has been a stellar year for video games, with big-name titles and surprise hits coming out all the time. One of the most recent AAA games to join that number isFinal Fantasy 16, an action-heavy take on the old fantasy franchise. In just a few months, it should be joined by more titles likeStarfield,Payday 3, andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2. The latter’s release holds extra meaning, as Insomniac Games also hasMarvel’s Wolverinewaiting in the wings. Fans ofMarvel’s Wolverineare keen to see the prolific developer’s take on another of Marvel’s most popular superheroes.
Currently, there is no release date forMarvel’s Wolverine, but being far off isn’t a big concern. If anything,Wolverinecan take lessons from any titles released in its absence. Not only can it react toMarvel’s Spider-Man 2reception,Wolverinecan also learn lessons from other games likeFinal Fantasy 16. That pair may end up having quite a bit in common, asMarvel’s Wolverinewill likely dip into thehack-and-slash genre of pastWolverinetitlesmore than Insomniac’sSpider-Mangames have. Within that format lies several structural ideas thatFinal Fantasy 16has explored, andMarvel’s Wolverineshould take note of.
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Final Fantasy 16’s Focused Maps Emphasize Its Strengths
Certain trends among big-budget games have formed over the years, such as emphasizing polished visuals or reaching a minimum hour count. Another common element is some degree of non-linearity, sometimes manifesting as a fullopen world gamewhere the player can travel in any direction. They often still need to begin important tasks at specific points within that giant map, but in the meantime they can enjoy the act of traversing such massive environments and finding organic activities or collectibles along the way.
Open world maps are not a requirement, however, and certain games likeGod of War RagnarokandFinal Fantasy 7 Remakesport plenty of side paths and optional activities without one. In fact, both titles become extremely linear at points, mimicking the dungeons and constrained stages commonly found in older games.Final Fantasy 16’s action sequencesfollow this approach so closely that the game features an arcade mode with segmented levels, even while the main game includes expansive areas like any otherFinal Fantasy.
Marvel’s Wolverine Must Walk The Same Line As FF16’s World
It’s this particular formula of several large maps with further segregated smaller levels that could be a lifesaver forMarvel’s Wolverine.Compared to Spider-Man, Wolverine is more grounded; he could theoretically plunge his claws into concrete and swing his way up a building, even surviving a jump off with his healing factor, but Wolverine’s powers just don’t make for organic open world travel. With an almost-guaranteed heavy focus on combat, even compared to the frequent brawling of theSpider-Mangames,Marvel’s Wolverinewould be better suited with a more restrained approach.
The specific wayFinal Fantasy 16approaches its world is perfect forWolverine. Multiple large maps could represent various places inWolverine’s world, as the aged hero is known for traveling the globe. Certain places could support travel-by-motorcycle similarly toFF16’s Chocobos, and there may even be a primary hub paralleling Cid’s Hideaway, perhaps throughWolverine returning to the Xavier Institute. Using the power of the PS5, Clive Rosfield can quickly fast travel between such maps, and get in scuffles within the open world or in more directed action sequences. By using the same model,Marvel’s Wolverineshould be able to stand out fromMarvel’s Spider-Manwithout becoming too linear for its own good.
Marvel’s Wolverineis currently in development for PS5.
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