Marvel’sDoctor Strangehas never received his own video game. While the Sorcerer Supreme has showed up in theMarvel Vs. Capcomseries, and has made appearances in theLEGOgames andUltimate Alliance, he’s never been the titular hero, and the story has never revolved solely around him or his rogues' gallery. For years,Marvel fanshave asked for aDoctor Strangegame, and although there’s no official title confirmed to be in the works right now, the upcomingGhostWire: Tokyomay be able to scratch thatDoctor Strangeitch.
Set to release at the end of March,GhostWire: Tokyolooks like it’s shaping up to be an intriguing blend of hand-to-hand and magic-based combat, paired with a vibrant art style and some otherworldly themes that may branch into the realm of psychological horror. ForDoctor Strangefans,GhostWire: Tokyo’s core premise and mechanics may already sound a little familiar. While there was a leak back in October of last year that Insomniac was working on aDoctor Strangegame, nothing has been confirmed just yet, meaning thatGhostWire: Tokyomight be the closest thing toaDoctor Strangegamefans get, at least for some time.
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GhostWire: Tokyo’s Psychic Abilities Look Like Doctor Strange’s Magic
In the most recent trailer forGhostWire: Tokyo,debuted during PlayStation’s State of Play event, some more of the game’s combat was shown off. In general,GhostWire: Tokyo’s psychic abilities look very similar to Doctor Strange’s magic, especially the version fans have seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
According to the game’s Combat Director, Shinichiro Hara, the combat ofGhostWire: Tokyois designed to essentially be “karate meets magic.” This comes from the game’s attack animations, that show the player-character moving their hands in deliberate, intricate motions to cast psychic spells. Apparently, these hand movements are based on the art of Kuji-kiri, which has been implemented in a number oftraditional Japanese martial arts.
To aDoctor Strangefan, a lot of these hand movements look very similar to theSorcerer Supreme’s on-screen appearances, with individual fingers being used to pull magic/psychic strings that effect the opponents on-screen, and distinct hand gestures being used to pull or push enemies around the arena. The visual appearance of the abilities inGhostWire: Tokyoalso look very reminiscent of the MCU’s Doctor Strange, with the primary color of the spells being gold, and circular shapes being visible when the spell is cast.
Taking On Otherworldly Foes
Though the specific setting and context ofGhostWire: Tokyodoesn’t really match up with any particularDoctor Strangestoryline, the general premise, a man having to ward of otherworldly foes with fantastical abilities, certainly matches up with the bulk of Doctor Strange’s on-screen andon-page presence. In the comics, and a little in the first MCUDoctor Strangemovie, the Sorcerer Supreme can often be seen fighting off demons, spirits, and a variety of enemies capable of possessing humans.
Similarly, the psychological horror elements and overall darker tone of the game also lend themselves quite well to the Doctor Strange character. Though Doctor Strange is often kept pretty lighthearted during team-ups, his own series of comics tends to throw in some more horror-based elements that don’t seem too dissimilar to the imagery shown inGhostWire: Tokyo’s recent trailer. And though the MCU version hasn’t strayed too far into psychological horror territory just yet,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesslooks like it may get closer than the series ever has before.
So, while it may not be an official licensed title, and it’ll undoubtedly have its own unique story and premise that’s worth playing by its own right,GhostWire: Tokyocould give Doctor Strange fans a taste of what a game featuring the Sorcerer Supreme could be like.
GhostWire: Tokyois set to release on Jul 20, 2025, for PC and PS5.
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