Ever since the character of Wolverine debuted in an Incredible Hulk comic in 1974, this adamantium clawed mutant remained not only one of the most riveting characters on the X-Men team roster, but also one of the most riveting Marvel characters in general, boasting a decades long history of trauma, heartbreak, and heroism spanning multiple forms of media, including comics, movies, and cartoons. In terms of games, Wolverine didn’t have many solo outings before this most recent one besides X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a game released in 2009 and based on the film of the same name. The game was universally praised by those who played it, particularly for its brutality and its hack-and-slash gameplay mechanics. (Many even claim it to be better than the movie it was based on. I’m inclined to agree.) Now, in terms of a modern take of the Wolverine character in video game form, who better to take on the task than Insomniac, the game developers behind the critically acclaimed Spider-Man games? The announcement of this game back in 2021 had me pretty pumped. Now, five years later, it finally arrives. Taking place in the same universe as the Spider-Man games, and before the formation of the X-Men, this game’s story takes a unique approach to the origin story of the titular character, aka James “Logan” Howlett. I have not completed the game yet, but as of halfway through, I’ve gathered that Wolverine begins as a part of Team X, a taskforce of mutants that prioritizes the safety of other mutants and is overseen by none other than Nathaniel Essex. (Not going to spoil anything story wise, but as a comic reader, the name Nathaniel Essex definitely set off some red flags.) As of right now, the game follows Wolverine completing missions with Team X, a team consisting of famous names within X-Men lore such as Sabertooth and Mystique, and encountering other mutants along the way such as Jean Grey, Leech, and others, as he slowly but surely unravels his past that he has mysteriously forgotten. I’m really enjoying the narrative so far. The voice cast is doing an excellent job, especially Liam McIntyre who voices Wolverine. The story is doing a great job capturing the essence of the Wolverine character, from his unbridled rage to his compassion for others. My inner comic nerd is also very much enjoying the obscure references Insomniac decided to throw in. (References to mutants such as Onyxx and Maverick formerly being apart of Team X is such a dope touch.) Speaking of, unbridled rage is a perfect description to describe the gameplay. For starters, as a fan of open world games, especially when it came to the structure that Insomniac previously established with Spider-Man, I had no issue with this game being more linear. Wolverine is historically a wanderer who rarely stays in one place, so a linear game structure was the best way to capture that. The suits that can be found throughout the game for Wolverine to wear are also fun nods to the history of the character in the comics and the movies. (The yellow and brown suit that Wolverine fought the Hulk in during the Hulk’s 80s comic run is a suit that I refused to take off.) Along with traversal sections throughout each level and collectables connecting Wolverine to his past, the combat is incredibly brutal, featuring combos that are satisfying to pull off and feel unapologetically like the character of Wolverine should. (You also battle many iconic Marvel antagonists throughout the game as well, such as Omega Red, the Sentinels, the Hand ninja clan, and others.) This game is unfortunately now infamous for the scathing early reviews it received saying that the combat was too repetitive and the gameplay is too “hand-holdy” despite it already being a linear game. So far on my end, many of these criticisms are partially valid but do not affect my enjoyment of the game in any way. Like I said, I haven’t completed the game yet, but I’m having a blast. All I wanted was a fun Wolverine game that lets me hack-and-slash bad guys to my heart’s content, and that’s exactly what this game it giving me. I’m looking forward to seeing where this story goes, though, and if Insomniac ties this game into their greater Marvel universe.
