The countdown to Marvel’s Wolverine, with its action-packed take on the legendary anti-hero, continues, and we’re stoked, to put it mildly. To help with the wait, aside from other notable details from hands-on previews, not to mention just how playable that physical disc really is (spoiler: Very much so), Insomniac released a new trailer with even more interesting tidbits.
Note: This article includes only officially revealed information.
Here are 15 more things you should know about Marvel’s Wolverine before its September 15th launch on PS5, starting with…
An “Emotionally Deep” M-Rated Story
From the start, it was clear that Wolverine would be a much darker, bloodier story within the Insomniac Marvel-verse. And while the team has certainly pulled off an M-rated title (to say the least), creative director Marcus Smith says it’s also about telling “a more emotionally deep storyline.” “There will be twists and turns, and what he wants in the beginning might not always stay true. And by winning he loses and by losing he wins,” he told IGN. If that’s a little cryptic, well, you’re not wrong, but at least Smith promises “all of those things that you could expect from a Wolverine storyline.”
A Grounded World
We’ve also heard plenty about how this is the “ultimate Wolverine fantasy” (not to be confused with the fantasy of Ultimate Wolverine). However, Insomniac also aimed for a “grounded world with believable things that happen,” per game director Mike Daly. It’s avoiding going over the top, though you probably shouldn’t count out a few shocking surprises.
The Essex Institute
Case in point, at least on a lesser scale, is the Essex Institute. Nathaniel Essex, the once-and-future Mister Sinister, hasn’t entered his villain arc yet – in fact, he has to be saved by Wolverine and Team X at one point, based on the Story trailer. But his Institute is one of the locations players can traverse between missions, vaguely looking like another school for gifted mutants. You’ll likely meet others to converse with and probably discover some secrets; it’s the future implications that have us most intrigued.
More Adaptations Revealed
As you probably know by now, Adaptations function as passives that significantly alter your playstyle. Thanks to the new Game Features trailer, we’ve learned about a few more, like Enraged Recharge. It causes Rage to hasten the recharge rate on Special Techniques at Tier 2, with Tier 3 being more substantial. There’s also Parry Recharge, where successfully parrying an opponent will recharge a Technique mapped to L2 + X. You can even have Logan attempt to deflect bullets with his claws, adding some tankiness to the equation.
Abilities and Upgrades
Previews thus far have enlightened us on Logan’s Techniques, but the latest trailer showcased a few more, plus some upgrades. The Knee Breaker is a tool for staggering enemies and can interrupt all attacks – jury’s out on whether that applies to Sentinels. Of course, upgrading Tornado Spin increases its duration while also interrupting “most” attacks and breaking an opponent’s guard. Choose wisely though, because you can only equip four Techniques at a time.
New Game Plus Details
New Game Plus is available on day one – a great change from the Spider-Man titles which usually offered it post-launch. However, besides exclusive Adaptations, it also includes an increased level cap and exclusive Techniques. So not only is there an incentive to carve through enemies and take on optional challenges once more, but you can take on other abilities that couldn’t fit in the previous playthrough alongside the new additions.
Suits and Claws Revealed
As coy as it’s been about suits thus far, Insomniac finally opened up to reveal more. Old Man Logan, Ultimate Wolverine, Weapon X and Patch are some of the inspirations, but you can also go with a simple tank top and leather jacket, or engage in a different type of covert ops with the X Force suit. Claws can be customized separately and include everything from reflective and curved options to more natural bone claws.
Removing Cowls and Hats
Since Wolverine doesn’t have to protect his secret identity, you can remove cowls from certain suits. You can also ditch his hat in a few, and let his unkempt hair breathe free. It’s all for the sake of customization, but feels pretty much in line with what Logan would do anyway.
Collect Suits to Increase Max Health
Even if you don’t want to veer off the main story path and look for suit materials, you probably should. As you craft more suits, Logan’s health will be upgraded by a certain percentage – netting eight of them increases it by 150 percent. So even if you miss out on a few, it’s a good idea to abuse Mission Replay and head back in if you need a health boost.
Pop the Claws
Are you really a Wolverine fan if you haven’t attempted to pretend a bunch of pencils and pens are claws? Or tried to “pop the claws” out as he would? Well, good news, because you can do that by hitting L2 and R2 at any time. Here’s hoping there’s a secret where Logan breaks the fourth wall if you do it too much.
Nightmare Challenges
Insomniac said that Nightmare Doors offered a peek into Wolverine’s mind, presenting unique time-based parkour challenges with different ranks depending on your performance. However, there’s also the mind cabin (though it also pops up occasionally through the story, per GamesRadar). Here, you’ll also take on Nightmare Challenges, which are far more straightforward combat tasks that require eliminating hordes of enemies. And based on impressions, they’ll put your skills to the test.
Day 1 Patch Recommended But Not Mandatory
Unlike many physical releases that are either a download code in the box, or a coaster that requires a hefty download, Marvel’s Wolverine is playable from the disc on day one. Now, there is a day-one patch, and while Insomniac isn’t saying you must, downloading it will ensure players get extra polish and tweaks the team managed to squeeze out in the months leading up to launch.
Photo Mode
The day one patch also includes Photo Mode, and in typical PlayStation Studios fashion, it’s packed with features. Precision, tilt, hero and enemy visibility, visual effects, light types, filters, backgrounds – the list goes on. It’s very extensive – perfect for those who want to flex their digital photography skills.
Why the X-Men Don’t Exist
Besides keeping the focus on Logan, why don’t the X-Men exist at this point in the story? According to narrative director Walt Williams in an interview with IGN, it made sense to go back to his first-ever team in comics history – Team X. However, it’s also about reinforcing how “hard and scary” life is for mutants. “We wanted to bring players back to that mindset that these are characters who exist on the outside. They are not superheroes. They don’t have a safe space. They are people who are living in shadow,” said Williams. Having the X-Men would nullify that. This isn’t to say they won’t appear later, but for now, it’s on Logan, Team X and Jean to protect whoever they can.
Why Wolverine’s Suit Heals Itself
While Williams’ explanation is all well and good, one has to ask: Why does Wolverine’s suit regenerate when he heals? The answer, unsurprisingly, isn’t because of nanomachines. Head of technology Mike Fitzgerald said it was more about practicalities. “You can’t play through most of the game wearing just shredded rags on his body.” It’s a balance between reflecting combat damage and eventually restoring itself for the next encounter. Senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed added, “Early on you would be playing through missions and your clothes are shredded for way too long.” The result is feeling less powerful, but eventually, Insomniac found the “right balance.”
