‘Marvel’s Wolverine’ review: Insomniac delivers another knockout superhero game

Video game review

You would think a game in which you play as Wolverine would mostly be about whipping out those adamantium-coated claws and wreaking violent havoc. Yes, there’s plenty of that in “Marvel’s Wolverine,” the latest release from developer Insomniac Games. But much like the character himself, the game runs deep. Underneath the bloodshed and brutality — and there’s plenty of both in this appropriately Mature-rated game — it’s a story about a broken man who cares too much in a world that cares too little; about the power of memory and how the past affects the present; about loneliness and fear and hatred and rage and love. And it’s all told in a viscerally kinetic, visually stunning and viciously thrilling 17 hours, never once slowing down even when the Living Weapon retracts his blood-smeared claws.

Off the jump, “Wolverine,” out Tuesday, feels incredibly similar to Insomniac’s other Marvel games, “Marvel’s Spider-Man” and its sequel and spinoff. (Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, it’s a PlayStation 5 exclusive.) At times, I felt like I was controlling Peter Parker rather than James “Logan” Howlett — minus the web-slinging and with far more blood being spilled. This isn’t a complaint; those are great games, and there’s no need to mess with a winning formula of an engrossing story blended with dopamine-releasing gameplay. 

But unlike the “Spider-Man” games, “Wolverine” is a much more linear adventure, one that takes Logan from frigid Canadian forests to the fictional city-state of Madripoor and the neon-tinged streets of Shinjuku in Tokyo. (No open-world shenanigans here, thank goodness.) The game tells an original story for the legendary X-Man, which, funnily enough, doesn’t involve any X-Men since they don’t exist here. Instead, Logan finds himself back on Team X, a mutant task force led by Nathaniel Essex that also includes Sabretooth and Mystique, after having walked away three years prior. In this world, mutants aren’t known by the greater populace, but that hasn’t stopped Bolivar Trask from hunting them down all the same. His genocidal hatred of anyone with an X-gene, a trait he seems to be infused with in every variation of him, threatens both mutants and humans. And wouldn’t you know it: Logan, with his feral rage, animalistic senses and ability to heal from just about anything, has to save the day, even if he considers himself to be the furthest thing from a hero there is. 

Throughout the story, which expands far beyond Trask’s opening “kill all mutants” gambit, the game dives deep into what makes Logan the lonely, wounded man he is today. His memory is nonexistent — an important element in “Wolverine” — but his eyes reveal a deep, lasting pain. (Liam McIntyre, who provides the protagonist’s voice, motion capture and likeness, delivers a fantastic performance, particularly when Wolverine isn’t slicing up the villains.) Even his relationship with Jean Grey is complicated. This isn’t a man who’s known much comfort, despite being alive for centuries. It’s all summed quite nicely in a line Logan says with supreme self-awareness: “What I do best isn’t very nice.” Honestly, he hasn’t had much choice: That was the only way he could survive.

But that’s OK, because no one wants to play as a nice Wolverine. Unsurprisingly, Logan’s main form of attack are his nigh-indestructible claws, which he uses for both offense (so much slashing, so many body parts flying off in different directions) and defense (the game utilizes a parry system). As you level up, though, you’ll gain access to new ways of using them, like a whirling spin attack or being able to block incoming bullets. (A counterattack you get late in the game that rewards dodging heavy fire quickly became my favorite.) Also unsurprisingly, Logan has a rage meter that’s charged by attacking or parrying; the higher the rage, the more damage Logan does, including some really brutal combo-enders. What was a surprise was how that meter serves as a do-over if you lose all your health: If you’re at least level 2, Logan can expend all of his meter and get back into the fight; if he doesn’t have enough meter, though, you have to restart the fight. So it behooves you to make sure you’re keeping track of it, especially during the boss fights.

Logan also gets access to adaptations, which grants him gameplay perks, like being able to better sense collectibles or faster recharging for special attacks. Speaking of collectibles, the game offers a trio of sorts: The first is whiskey bottles, a favorite of Logan’s. They each come with their own little story and grant adaptation points, which is how you unlock more adaptation strands, cleverly designed as a DNA strand. The second is just called materials, which you need if you want to unlock more of the game’s many Wolverine costumes. (Some automatically become available as you play, but most will cost you materials.) The third are Nightmare Doors, my favorite. They’re basically the trials from “Spider-Man”: race to the end, beat a certain number of enemies, etc. But they each offer adaptation points and, more important, glimpses into Logan’s past. (The voice-acting work here is phenomenal.)

Speaking of phenomenal, “Wolverine” is one of the prettiest games I’ve ever played. The attention to visual detail — the blood dripping off Logan’s claws, the way costumes take damage as you do, the marvelous sense of scale even in a linear, nonopen-world environment — is exemplary. I do wish, though, that that level of finesse was applied to the technical side, which really could have used a bit more polish. There were some minor issues throughout, like text showing up in wrong places and character models bouncing around randomly. Nothing game-ruining, but consistent enough to warrant a mention. 

Insomniac has delivered another knockout superhero game, one with a compelling narrative and enjoyable gameplay. That the game treats Logan as more than just his rage is a sheer delight — did you know he can speak 14 languages?! — even if it makes sure to never let us forget just how much rage he’s holding on to. (Seriously, dude: therapy.) It’s a fantastic addition to Insomniac’s Marvel lineup and a stellar addition to Wolverine’s mythology. Long live the Wolverine.

‘Marvel’s Wolverine’
Developed by Insomniac Games, published by Sony Interactive Entertainment; available on PlayStation 5; rated M for Mature for blood and gore, drug reference, intense violence, partial nudity and strong language; $69.99

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