Whenever anyone thinks about Wolverine, the same images come to mind. Adamantium claws. Unbridled rage. Tearing his enemies limb from limb, often at the cost of his own body. Hugh Jackman. And you can’t really blame them – some of his most iconic moments are those where he either wreaks untold havoc or faces situations which would kill most other mutants. But there’s also his unrelenting focus and his ability to fight through the pain without completely ignoring it. As good as giving into those rampage-fueled urges can feel, his trying to be better comes across as relatable and human.
However, when most people remember his adventures, they probably won’t stray too far from remembering just those fights. Far be it from Marvel’s Wolverine not to lean into that – after all, this is an action-adventure title. Much like with Marvel’s Spider-Man, you’re not just picking this up for James “Logan” Howlett and his tribulations but for the rabid Wolverine.
Insomniac isn’t shying away from serving up a buffet of carnage either. If the enemy is human, then – assuming you haven’t turned off the gore due to squeamishness – they’re ripped apart in a spectacular display. We haven’t seen too many non-human enemies, besides bits of an imposing Sentinel. However, the development team has reaffirmed that even the environment won’t emerge unscathed when Wolverine lets loose, since most objects are destructible.
And yet, the question emerges, as always: What else? Because as much as some fans have tired of PlayStation’s open worlds, there is the fear that Marvel’s Wolverine could end up fairly repetitive. Or that its linear, narrative-focused adventure may offer little more than an excuse to rip and tear until it is done.
Which is funny, because some people act like Insomniac hasn’t dipped its toes into anything other than the open-world genre. That the Ratchet and Clank series never happened. Even if the focus there is more on futuristic firearms, this is a team that knows how to deliver a worthwhile adventure without drowning you in checklists.
But beyond that, the answer lies in a good portion of what Logan has showcased in his own stories. Scoping out and stalking targets before getting the drop on them. Investigating scenes, gathering information and most importantly, talking to people, kindly or otherwise, for leads. He’s often putting in the legwork because his keen senses might find something others missed. It’s easy to forget his reputation as a tracker who takes in his surroundings before inevitably taking them apart.
You may think that sounds boring, and you would be wrong. Without that set-up, we wouldn’t have the world-building, the characterization or even the satisfaction that combat ultimately brings (especially given how Insomniac has designed the Rage system). Based on all the previews thus far, it seems Marvel’s Wolverine has faithfully captured those aspects, introducing some much-needed variety within a linear structure.
For instance, Logan doesn’t just interact with other characters to learn more about them, although I can see the potential spice that playing Never Have I Ever with Mystique could hold, especially given their chequered pasts. Instead, he can use his enhanced senses to eavesdrop on conversations. Maybe he’ll learn more about what they think of him, for better or worse. It also reinforces a key aspect of his character – as much as he yearns for kinship among his fellow mutants, there’s always that sense of others tiptoeing around glass when speaking to him. Perhaps listening in on them, for better or worse, is just his way of knowing what they really think of him.
But that’s not all. Picking up on a familiar melody, or an ally’s scent, could lead him to different places. As noted by the PlayStation Blog, this can involve secrets, including something from a familiar card-slinging rogue. There are various hidden rooms like this to discover, and they may reveal even more details than you realize.
Of course, when he’s not pouncing on enemies who were one day away from retirement, Logan can also explore locations and discover materials that can unlock new suits. Then there are Nightmare Doors, special time trials which essentially bring out Logan’s inner horrors across reimagined locations. Story-wise, they’re the key to unlocking his memories, but in terms of gameplay, they’re like the Gates from Kingdom Hearts 3. As noted by IGN, depending on how well you perform, you can earn Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum rankings, receiving new upgrades in the process.
Which will be very helpful in keeping combat fresh, but based on everything seen thus far, it’s clear that Insomniac’s gameplay loop feeds into Logan’s aggression. You’ll need to constantly attack enemies, whether it’s unleashing active abilities to mow them down quickly or simply dishing out pain. Accomplish all that, and you’ll reach tier 2 of Rage, which allows Logan to self-revive, further encouraging aggression and beginning the cycle anew if you fall.
But then there’s tier 3. It’s probably best described as the ultimate realization of Berserker Rage. Besides instantly shredding lesser threats, Wolverine deals much more damage. It sounds more temporary than anything else, but those who manage to stay alive, harnessing their Rage rather than letting it overwhelm them, will see massive benefits.
And yet, even after depicting Logan’s battle prowess so well, the gameplay incorporates aspects of his more covert talents, especially when Trask has means to inhibit his healing factor. Stealth is what’s called for, but there also seems to be a time crunch, since the adamantium in his bones will otherwise kill him, just like in the comics. Time will tell how these stealth sections work out, but that they offer meaningful alternatives to simply rushing in is intriguing, especially if Jean Grey or Mystique get involved.
While Insomniac hasn’t said anything about the overall length of Marvel’s Wolverine, it’s a given that linear adventures like this won’t offer the same playtime as an open-world adventure. And that’s perfectly fine, as long as the focus is on a cohesive, well-presented narrative (which, by all accounts, appears to be the case so far). For those who really want to get their money’s worth, New Game Plus lets you run through the story again with all your unlocks. Besides fundamentally changing how combat works out of the gate, since more abilities become immediately available, there are also Adaptations.
These are interesting because while they’re used to upgrade your total health and Rage meter, they’ve also been described as buffs that can, head of technology Mike Fitzgerald told IGN, “amp up the difficulty.” Conversely, they can also turn Logan into a “much more powerful and aggressive character,” and some Adaptations are exclusive to New Game Plus. We’ll have to wait and see how all this works, but I’m personally hoping for a system similar to Saros, which allows for a more granular experience.
Whatever your thoughts may be on Marvel’s Wolverine, whether it’s exhaustion at Insomniac still handling superhero titles or excitement at finally embodying arguably the most well-known anti-hero in comic books, it’s clear that this isn’t just corridor crawl. There’s real depth to Logan’s story, and it goes beyond simply opening up more spaces or having things to collect. For being the best he is at what he does, I want everything that goes into his most memorable stories – even the not-so-nice parts.
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