When it comes to Marvel superheroes, Wolverine and Spider-Man reign supreme in the hearts of gaming fans. When it came time to give Wolverine his own title, there was no surprise that Insomniac Games, the studio behind the three recent, excellent Spider-Man games, were tapped to continue the love affair between PlayStation and Marvel and give Wolverine the game he always deserved with Marvel’s Wolverine.
In the Spider-Man games, Insomniac proved the developer understands how to translate beloved comic book characters into cinematically satisfying interactive experiences. Wolverine is an entirely different beast, though. Where Spider-Man is colorful, acrobatic and optimistic, Logan’s world is darker, bloodier and infinitely more brooding.
Insomniac has fundamentally embraced that difference. Instead of simply applying its Spider-Man formula to a new hero, they have built a Wolverine experience around the fast, aggressive and ferocious combat that is a hallmark of the character while also giving his famously complex internal struggle a spotlight.
That might be the biggest surprise of the game. Marvel’s Wolverine is deep. Beneath the blood, claws and dismemberment is an emotionally charged narrative about identity, loyalty, survival and the parts of Logan’s past that refuse to stay buried. The game’s completely original story puts Wolverine at the center of a crisis threatening mutantkind while forcing him to confront his own complicated history. It is the kind of character-driven material Wolverine deserves, giving the action genuine stakes and making the quieter moments hit surprisingly hard.
The game also takes full advantage of Wolverine’s enormous comic book history. The adventure features a substantial cast pulled from across Logan’s world, including familiar allies and enemies such as Jean Grey, Mystique, Sabretooth, Omega Red (who is far too often forgotten) and more. Rather than feeling like a parade of obligatory cameos, these characters help make the game feel connected to the larger mythology that has made Wolverine one of Marvel’s most enduring figures for decades.
Visually, the game is spectacular and absolutely sings on PlayStation’s hardware. From snow-covered wilderness and neon-lit city streets to the seedy corners of Madripoor, Marvel’s Wolverine delivers the kind of graphical showcase expected from one of PlayStation 5’s biggest releases. The environments are richly detailed, the captivating cinematics have genuine weight and Logan himself is particularly impressive, whether he’s quietly uncovering the details of his past or regenerating after being turned into a skeleton during a particularly taxing melee.
Interestingly, the world itself is one of the major differences between Insomniac’s treatment of Wolverine when compared to Spider-Man. An open-world suits Spidey with his high-flying webslinging but Wolverine requires something more…intimate. As such, the linear level approach makes much more sense here, always keeping forward motion but not without nooks and crannies to explore. It’s much more akin to the recent 007 First Light in that respect and the game benefits from the choice in a huge way.
Then there is the combat, which is exactly as savage as Wolverine fans would hope. Logan’s claws tear through enemies with feral brutality, and the violence is bloody, visceral and frequently over the top. To its credit, controlling the action has more depth than simply mashing buttons until everyone in the room is dismembered.
Players can unlock and equip different techniques from Logan’s skill tree, while a deep system of Adaptations allows them to customize his strengths around their preferred playstyle. Using the game’s rage mechanics, parries and Wolverine’s famous healing factor require and reward actual skill and add further layers to the experience, ensuring that the carnage stays satisfying without becoming repetitive.
Finally, no Insomniac comic book game would be complete without some finishing touches. Dozens of unlockable costumes (and claws!) make Wolvie customizable throughout the gameplay and a photo mode that pauses the action and allows for posing makes for a lot of fun when the action ramps up. Many of these costumes are unlocked through challenges that are hidden among the levels. These challenges are replayable for a high score (Adamantium is S-tier here) and knocking them out doesn’t just award customizations but also forgotten memories that help unravel the mystery of Logan’s erased past.
This combination of spectacle, depth and respect for the source material is what makes Marvel’s Wolverine feel so special. Insomniac clearly understands that Logan is more than claws, a healing factor and a bad attitude. He is one of Marvel’s most complicated and compelling heroes and this game gives him a world, story and combat system worthy of that status. It is gory when it needs to be, emotional when it matters and addictively fun throughout.
After years of waiting for Wolverine to receive a truly modern blockbuster game, Insomniac has done more than simply give Marvel’s clawed icon another adventure. Marvel’s Wolverine feels like the definitive Wolverine game, a blood-soaked, visually stunning and surprisingly human experience that handles one of Marvel’s greatest heroes with exactly the kind of care and reverence he deserves.