Melanin Gamers

Can Indie Games Save The Gaming Industry? – Copy

I’d Like to Put This on Record: I Thoroughly Enjoyed Marvel’s Wolverine

Insomniac, run me my DLC soon. I’m not asking twice.
 
And honestly? I don’t know what everybody was crying about with those initial reviews.
There was a lot of concern surrounding the game’s handholding, particularly the obvious hidden chests and the scent trail that basically guides Logan straight to his objective. And yes, those features are in the game, but there’s a catch: you have to turn them on in the settings to run automatically.

So if you skipped this thinking Wolverine was going to practically hold your hand through every encounter, you can relax. There’s far more control over the experience than early criticism suggested.

The Quick Time Events are also pretty forgiving, but “forgiving” doesn’t mean impossible to fail. Completely miss one or mess it up badly enough, and you’ll still be restarting the section.

This is where I think some of the critiques miss the point. If Marvel’s Wolverine were an open-world title with traversal mechanics like Marvel’s Spider-Man, I could understand concerns about handholding taking away from exploration.

But Wolverine isn’t that game.

This is an action-packed, cinematic, linear adventure that puts you in the boots, or should I say claws, of the best there is at what he does, letting you carve your way through the story. And honestly? That formula works.

A Different Side of the Marvel Universe

I don’t want to say too much about the narrative because it really ought to be experienced firsthand. While I won’t spoil what the game sets up early on, I will say that Wolverine had my attention from the opening frame and kept me locked in until the credits rolled.

The narrative gets especially interesting when you consider where it sits within Insomniac’s wider Marvel universe.
 
This is the exact same world as Marvel’s Spider-Man, where we’ve already crossed paths with several Avengers and iconic heroes. Yet the mutant dynamic here is entirely different.
There are no mutants running around publicly. At least, not that the general population knows about.

But there’s something very different about the mutant situation.

There are no mutants running around publicly.

At least, not that the general population knows about.

In Wolverine, mutants are few and far between, and those who do exist tend to live in hiding. The public isn’t aware of their existence, and the media hasn’t been reporting on mutant-related incidents.

There’s no Professor X and Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. No Magneto.

So when you start bringing characters like Wolverine, Mystique, Sabretooth and Jean Grey into the same world, it creates a really interesting take on the established continuity.

How did mutants remain hidden for so long?

What happens now that they’re being exposed?

And perhaps more importantly, what does this mean for the future of Insomniac’s Marvel universe?

By the end of the game, I had some answers, a few more questions, and, perhaps most importantly, even more intrigue about where this universe is heading.

Snikt, Snikt, BOOM!

Now let’s talk about the main event: the gameplay.

Wolverine boasts an arsenal of brutal melee attacks and ranged abilities designed to let you absolutely maul waves of enemies. And trust me… there will be hordes. As you progress, the enemy variety cranks up, encounters get tougher, and then you start running into Sentinels.
Yeah. Those things are no joke.
 
I also really enjoyed experimenting with Logan’s X-Gene modifications. Being able to tweak builds — whether focusing on health regeneration, building rage, or tailoring a setup to complement a specific playstyle — adds a great layer of depth to combat. It gives you a genuine reason to experiment rather than sticking to one loadout for the entire campaign.
And when you’re tearing through a room full of mercenaries, claws out, rage maxed, and everything going completely sideways? That’s Wolverine.

The Drip Is Strong With This One

Of course, we can’t review an Insomniac Marvel title without talking about the suits.
There’s a deep closet of outfits to unlock, and while I could always use more (because apparently I have an addiction), the selection here is stellar. Some are fantastic callbacks to Wolverine’s rich history across comics, TV, and movies.
A few highlights for me:
  • The Deadpool & Wolverine suit
  • The Old Man Logan suit
  • And, naturally… THE X-MEN ’97 / ANIMATED SERIES SUIT.
Come on. You already knew that one was getting a shout-out. Insomniac clearly understands that half the fun of these games is letting fans dress their favourite heroes in iconic gear. I will never complain about having more drip.

So, Was It Worth the Wait?

For me? Absolutely.
Marvel’s Wolverine isn’t trying to be another Spider-Man game, and that’s the most important takeaway going in. It’s a focused, action-heavy cinematic adventure that wants you to experience a tight story, throw hands with an unreasonable number of enemies, uncover mutant history within this universe, and occasionally stop to admire how absurdly good it looks.
By the time the credits rolled, I was thoroughly satisfied with the campaign, yet left hungry for what Insomniac has planned next.
And that might be my favorite part. I want more Wolverine. More mutants. More of this universe. And hopefully, a whole lot more X-Men.
Because if Insomniac is building toward what I think they’re building toward… oh, we are EATING.
And speaking of mutants…
I don’t know where he is in this universe. I don’t know when he’s showing up. But when Scott Summers finally turns up?
It’s peak for Scott. You’ll see.

I’m OG Otaku or TJ if you’re familiar. I am the community manager for Melanin Gamers working closely with many of our members on a variety of different projects, as well as working with the MG team to curate enjoyable events and activities for the members of our community to enjoy.

Don't Miss These Posts

Self-care with Videogames in Lockdown

In light of our current circumstances video games can become the way we connect again, find out helpful ways to keep...

Read More

Showcasing People of Colour in the Industry

Our first interview is with Syeknom games CEO and creator of the up-and-coming board game...

Read More

MG Showcase: Nancy Imado - Shadows Edge

Podcast & article with Nancy Imado Join our session with Nancy as we discuss the mental health app Shadows Edge...

Read More

Add Your Heading Text Here

5 1 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted