Marvel’s Wolverine: We Tested It; It’ll Be Violent, Brutal and Very Adult-Like!

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Marvel’s Wolverine is set to launch exclusively on PS5 on September 15th next year, marking the final stretch before its release, nearly five years after its initial announcement. Insomniac Games, after successfully revisiting Spider-Man’s universe, now turns its attention to another Marvel icon. Wolverine stands as an undisputed fan favorite among the X-Men. This release arrives at a significant time, as the MCU begins introducing mutants to its cinematic world. While the big screen’s new generation of mutants awaits, players can explore Insomniac Games’ vision of Wolverine through the upcoming video game. Having spent over two hours with the game across several segments, these are the impressions of its varied gameplay.

Of all the PlayStation studios, Insomniac Games is the most prolific on the PS5. Between 2020 and 2026, this studio is slated to deliver five games, a pace that highlights its productivity. Marvel’s Wolverine represents an opportunity for Insomniac to evolve its established formula. Logan differs significantly from Peter Parker in age, build, temperament, and abilities. Consequently, the studio moves away from Spider-Man’s verticality and constant mobility, offering a more grounded experience with combat concentrated at ground level. Lacking web-swinging capabilities, Wolverine relies on his agility, adamantium claws, and indestructible skeleton, enabling a combat approach radically different from Spider-Man’s. This more brutal, physical, and visceral approach defines Marvel’s Wolverine’s unique identity within Insomniac’s Marvel portfolio.

Insomniac Games is launching Marvel’s Wolverine on PS5 exclusively next September, five years after its announcement and following their last Spider-Man game. With the MCU preparing to feature more mutants, this title allows players to experience Insomniac’s distinctive take on Wolverine through a tough, impactful gameplay style entirely different from Spider-Man. While some critics note Insomniac’s reliance on familiar patterns, the studio aims to adapt these formulas for Wolverine. They are foregoing high jumps and web-swinging for direct, grounded combat, utilizing Logan’s agility, adamantium claws, and unbreakable skeleton to forge a unique space within their Marvel games. Developers aimed to make Logan feel significantly heavier in movement compared to Peter Parker, a sensation that translates effectively to the controller. The gameplay balances power and brutality for an undeniably fun experience. Logan’s walk is more ponderous and his movements more primal, yet he remains agile and easy to control. The game’s combat mechanics are built for players to string together attacks with ferocity and move between enemies with dizzying agility. Pressing Triangle instantly dashes Logan towards an enemy, even at a distance, a mechanic analogous to Peter Parker’s web-swing attack but powered by claws and raw force.

A significant departure from Spider-Man is Wolverine’s ability to block attacks, a departure from Peter Parker’s reliance on dodging. Pressing L1 allows Logan to guard against incoming attacks and, based on timing, break through an opponent’s defense to launch a counterattack. While initial options are limited, a comprehensive skill tree, promised to be as expansive as Spider-Man’s, will unlock further abilities. Insomniac Games also enhances the cinematic dimension of battles through environmental interactions, allowing Logan to use surroundings to finish opponents, such as slamming them against walls or using set pieces to amplify impact. To match Wolverine’s power, the game features varied foes, including soldiers, durable humanoids, iconic adversaries like the Hand ninjas, and numerous tough bosses. Marvel’s Wolverine heavily draws from X-Men lore and comic book sources. The game showcases Wolverine’s regenerative ability: when Logan sustains critical damage, his injuries can expose flesh and his adamantium skeleton. Players can trigger his healing factor by rapidly pressing the Square button, allowing him to regenerate in real-time. This offers a second chance in combat but can only be used once per critical state.

The game embraces Wolverine’s characteristic brutality, with intense, graphic combat showcasing the destructive potential of his adamantium claws. Expect visceral executions with blood and dismemberment, reflecting the character’s nature. Players can adjust or disable violent effects through settings, allowing for a personalized level of gore. A key structural difference from the Spider-Man games is Marvel’s Wolverine’s linear design. Instead of a vast open world, Insomniac Games opted for a more tightly structured experience, though some areas allow for deviation from the main path. Madripoor serves as an example of a contained environment where players can explore the city and temporarily step away from action. These sections provide brief breaks between intense fights and reinforce Wolverine’s nomadic identity, a stark contrast to Spider-Man’s fixed patrolling of New York. The game’s progression traverses varied and exotic environments, mirroring a global road trip across the X-Men universe.

The hands-on experience with Marvel’s Wolverine confirms Insomniac Games’ mastery of linear action narratives. The game balances intense, nerve-wracking combat with calmer sequences, including infiltration phases that offer a change of pace without reinventing the genre. Stealth is optional; if detected, players can transition directly into action, a flexibility absent in earlier infiltration segments. Insomniac’s signature attention to story and narration is present, offering an original take on Wolverine and his world, much like their approach to the Spider-Man titles.

Insomniac Games’ output between 2020 and 2026 includes five titles, a significant batch. Unlike the height-focused gameplay of Spider-Man, Wolverine emphasizes grounded, close-quarters combat that highlights his agility, claws, and unbreakable skeleton. Players can utilize aggressive moves like instant dashes and blocking with L1 for counters, supported by an extensive skill tree. The game incorporates environmental finishing moves and a health system where severe damage exposes the adamantium skeleton, requiring the use of the healing factor. While default violence is graphic, settings allow players to reduce brutality. The game foregoes a large open world for a linear adventure, honoring Wolverine’s nomadic life through exotic locales rather than fixed areas. Combat is interspersed with optional stealth sequences, offering varied gameplay and a distinct identity true to Wolverine’s character. Some artistic choices regarding characters may be perplexing. Jean Grey and Mystique, encountered during the preview, lacked charisma, despite strong actress performances. Jean Grey’s portrayal, in particular, felt akin to Mary Jane Watson transplanted into Wolverine’s world. In contrast, male characters are more convincing, with Liam McIntyre delivering a solid performance as Logan. McIntyre’s embodiment of Wolverine, through his demeanor, temperament, and physical presence, offers a compelling portrayal.

Other characters leave a strong impression. Sabretooth is a success, exuding a brutal, animalistic presence fitting the game’s framework. Omega Red is visually striking, with his imposing screen presence and unsettling Russian accent adding to his character. Troy Baker portrays Nathaniel Essex, Mister Sinister, a major X-Men antagonist. Baker, who voiced Simon Krieger in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, brings a significant presence to the role. After over two hours with Marvel’s Wolverine, the hands-on experience is highly encouraging. Insomniac Games appears to have found a formula that perfectly suits Logan: exceptionally intense combat, a more linear adventure, a commitment to varying situations, and evident respect for the character and the X-Men universe. The studio’s vision for Wolverine offers a unique take, distinct from existing film or comic interpretations. Further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.

Insomniac’s Wolverine Hands-On Proves Violent And Visceral Promise Delivered By Logan Fanatic Game Preview

The hands-on preview of Marvel’s Wolverine has significantly eased concerns. Insomniac Games has crafted a gameplay experience tailored to Logan, featuring heavier movement, more brutal combat, increased melee engagement, parry mechanics, and violence befitting the character. The linear adventure structure allows for controlled pacing, blending intense fights, functional infiltration, and a story rich with twists. The commitment to telling a true Wolverine tale, populated by compelling X-Men lore characters, generates substantial anticipation. While certain artistic choices raise questions, the initial hands-on experience is undeniably promising. Insomniac Games clearly understands Wolverine’s unique appeal, making Logan feel more brutal, wild, and visceral. The final release will determine if this rhythm sustains throughout the adventure, but after just two hours, the desire to see more is palpable.