Wolverine’s New Design Sparks Mixed Reactions: Fans Say He Looks Nothing Like the Iconic Character

We recently got a fresh glimpse of Insomniac’s upcoming Wolverine game, igniting conversations about the studio’s ongoing exploration of photorealism and the peculiarities in their superhero character designs.

This isn’t a new topic for Insomniac, which has previously released three Spider-Man titles. After the first game, they made the controversial decision to alter Peter Parker’s face, seemingly to make him resemble MCU actor Tom Holland more closely. This change introduced an uncanny quality to the character, making him look like a version of Holland that’s legally distinct. As time has passed, Holland has aged, further distancing the character from his likeness. In Wolverine, the titular character is voiced by Liam McIntyre, who also shares a resemblance with the character, but not everyone is on board with the final design.

In a recent interview, McIntyre shared his enthusiasm for the role, revealing that he studied videos of aggressive dogs to capture Logan’s “feral” essence, resulting in what his team described as “terrifying” performances. “I guess that’s good, right? Being terrifying,” he remarked. “But, suddenly, I was like, ‘I’m really scared to go all out with this,’ but they’re such a good team that you feel safe. They will help me if it’s not gonna work. They will tell me. They won’t just let it happen. So I got to take some really huge swings with my character as a result of being able to trust them so much.”

While the interview provided some insights, the exclusive screenshots of an unmasked Logan have stirred mixed reactions among fans.

Some comments reflect frustration with the character designs: “They’ve gotta stop setting up the actors like this man. The faces aren’t the issue; it’s the fact Insomniac can’t seem to style their characters to save their lives.”

Another fan expressed their love for Insomniac but noted, “Wolverine lacks whimsy so far, and everyone looks even more regular than a regular person. I didn’t know it was possible.”

Although this isn’t the first time Logan has been shown without his mask, these particular images have raised eyebrows. Critics argue that Logan appears too ordinary, and that Insomniac’s Marvel games seem to lack the vibrant visual flair of the comic book origins. While Spider-Man and Wolverine look fantastic in their costumes, the unmasked versions come off as somewhat generic, making even Logan’s iconic sideburns and mutton chops appear less impressive.

There’s a good chance that Logan’s appearance will be more appealing in motion, and McIntyre’s performance may help infuse the character with more personality. In the meantime, fans have taken it upon themselves to make some adjustments to his look, with one modification featuring thicker eyebrows that some felt was an improvement.

Wolverine is set to launch on PS5 on September 15.