Looking At Wolverine Leaks, I Don't Think A God Of War-Style Camera Suits It

Story Highlights

Insomniac’s tragical leak included a ton of Marvel’s Wolverine info, showing a God of War-style camera.
God of War’s camera angle though troublesome in combat, worked well for the game’s narrative style.
Wolverine on the other hand is a more combat-focused game, and the camera could be a hindrance.

Normalization of the Internet, technological development, and digitization of assets proved highly valuable for the world in general. Things became convenient as well as efficient. Of course, it was the same for the gaming industry. I don’t need to say that gaming has progressed leaps and bounds from what it used to be 2 to 3 decades ago. However, this convenience also created new and improved kinds of problems.

What problems are those? Why, it’s hacking and cyberattacks, of course. In analog times, you had theft of goods, and now in digital times, you have digital theft. No one is safe from these, even big companies in the gaming industry. And the recent example of it is the massive Insomniac leak that created a ton of problems for everyone involved. On top of that, it also led to an influx of info regarding Insomniac’s future products, particularly Marvel’s Wolverine.

Marvel’s Wolverine Leak Was Unfortunate, But That Camera Angle Caught Me Off Guard

As I mentioned before, the Insomniac leak was a big one. Not only did it reveal information about all of the work being done, but also personal info regarding many employees, and I have nothing but condemnation of it. I know leaks like this can cause massive discouragement for everyone pouring their soul into something. That’s why, I won’t go into the details of anything, but will focus only on the gameplay glimpses we saw of Marvel’s Wolverine.

An update regarding Insomniac and Marvel's #WolverinePS5. pic.twitter.com/CMkCCoZwwj

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) December 22, 2023

Although the game is still in pre-alpha state, the leak revealed almost everything done so far. That includes character models and designs, some environments, and gameplay mechanics in their early stages. On top of that, a playable version of this very basic project was also leaked. Seeing all this, I can’t help but be even more excited about the game than I was. I think Insomniac is preparing another brilliant single-player adventure I just can’t wait for.

However, there’s one thing that I found quite peculiar. That is the camera angle Insomniac is opting for. From the screenshots and gameplay, we see that Marvel’s Wolverine is going for a camera style very similar to the God of War reboot. It is a close-up, over-the-shoulder camera orientation, even during combat scenarios. Out of everything revealed, this is the one thing I have mixed feelings for and want to be changed in the finished game.

God Of War’s Camera Was Somewhat Limiting In Combat

I don’t think I need to tell you how big a deal God of War 2018 was. A reboot of one of PlayStation’s strongest franchises became even bigger than it ever was. I was genuinely charmed by this new direction of the series and felt it had a ton of potential. Plus, I wasn’t the only one, the game had universal praise, and for solid reasons. However, there was one thing that had a slightly mixed reception: camera angle. And Marvel’s Wolverine seems to be picking it, too.

God of War – Great game ruined by awful camera during combat
byu/kaagbeni inpatientgamers

People were fairly divided about the camera. Some thought the new angle was an improvement, as it made the gameplay feel a lot more immersive and personal, and added weight to combat. Others found it highly limiting in combat, reducing the field of vision in a third-person action game, and making covering the entire arena clunky. If I am honest, I agree with the latter. As much as I loved GOW 2018, I felt the camera was somewhat awkward.

What is your opinion of this over-the-shoulder camera angle in 3D games? I find it disorienting and frustrating to have a much more limited view of my one side than the other. Do you love it? Hate it? Indifferent? Why?
byu/lrjackson06 ingaming

The problems of the camera appeared when I entered combat. Making the camera this close to Kratos although makes the combos more immersive, but if it comes at the cost of FOV, it limits the overall combat prowess. I had to actively look for attacks off the screen, which became hard to follow even with Mimir shouting “Look out, Brother!” In addition, I think covering only what’s in front of you in a game like this makes the combat a lot more restricted.

God of War's camera angle makes it difficult to keep track of enemies in the heat of battle — God of War’s camera angle makes it difficult to keep track of enemies in the heat of battle

On The Other Hand, The Camera Angle Worked Great Outside Combat

However, all of this applies only if I’m talking about combat in general. Overall, I think this change in camera was for the best. This is because the 2018 God of War is a much different kind of game than what the original series was. Those games are purely hack-and-slash and thrive upon the thrill of taking out enemies quickly and experimenting with various abilities. They were primarily about the fun and variability of combat, just like Marvel’s Wolverine.

The reboot, on the other hand, is a lot more cinematic and story-driven experience. Although hack-and-slash, abilities and plenty of action exist here, too, the game is still a story and context-focused experience first of all. And in a game like this, the over-the-shoulder camera orientation makes the narration a lot more impactful and personal. Since you’re experiencing a beautiful tale, the closer you are to it the better.

Best cutsecne in God of war
byu/Victor_lopez115 inGodofWar

Consider the many cutscenes, the gorgeous Norse realms, and Kratos’ interactions. I think without this camera angle everything would feel a lot more distant and disjointed. This is why I believe the camera change though should have been a little more adjustable, fits the overall theme of the new direction of the series well. Besides, the camera in old games was a little too distant, closing it up did wonders for the narrative, but not so much for combat.

However, A Wolverine Game Is Not A Cinematic Experience

After reading all that, you might be thinking “The camera is great then, what’s the problem?” So, let me put it this way. Just because the camera works in God of War, doesn’t mean it would in Marvel’s Wolverine, too. That’s because these are two very different kinds of games. God of War pulled off the camera alignment by using it as a support for its narrative, but a Wolverine game is less about narrative and more about slashing enemies to shreds.

Wolverine games have always been about combat, and then some more combat

If Insomniac ends up making a cinematic and story-driven Marvel’s Wolverine, I think that’s a whole different problem, but so far I don’t think that’s the case. All the more reason why a very close-up camera would prove to be a hindrance in combat. A Wolverine game is at its best when it allows you to relentlessly and effectively attack everything in your vicinity in the most brutal way possible. Take a look at X-men Origins: Wolverine for example.

That game is what I consider to be the peak of the character’s depiction in video games. Now I don’t think a God of War-style camera can provide that much freedom to the overall combat. I want to just chop up everyone that crosses me, and I feel a camera like that can become a liability for this purpose. If Marvel’s Wolverine was a similar kind of game, I wouldn’t have felt it that odd, but considering the overwhelming focus on combat, I don’t think limiting its scope would be wise.

X-Men: Origins – Wolverine is the perfect template if he ever got added to Avengers. You can’t do Wolverine better than that game did, so the best option is to just copy it.
by inPlayAvengers

How About A Middle Way Out For Marvel’s Wolverine?

Personally, I would want nothing more than for the camera to be changed entirely, but let’s say it doesn’t. There’s still a lot the game can do to mitigate all the problems associated with it. The first thing is to make the camera and FOV manually adjustable in the game. This would cater to the preferences of everyone involved. Both the people who think close-up is personal, and those who find it limiting, as they can adjust it freely.

Similarly, another possibility that is even better for the overall game is adopting an Arkham-style camera approach. In Batman Arkham games, the camera alignment is very similar to what you have in God of War. However, this is when you’re navigating the world. The moment you enter combat, the camera pulls back considerably to give a better view of the whole area. I think this is the best solution to the limitation problem.

Batman Arkham series has a good solution to the camera problem

All in all, there’s one thing you can be sure of, Insomniac doesn’t miss when it comes to single-player adventures. I mean, just look at Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. And considering its expertise, I’m not that much worried about Marvel’s Wolverine, either. It’s just I hope this camera alignment is not final and should be modifiable in some way to make sure you can slice and dice all your foes without worrying about what might be lurking off the screen and constantly turning.