Insomniac Games has traded Spider-Man's web-slinging for adamantium claws, and the result is a Wolverine game that revels in violence while anchoring itself in a surprisingly tender story of self-acceptance. Marvel's Wolverine, released this month, puts players in control of James «Logan» Howlett as he investigates reports of missing mutants, a mission that sends him across the globe and into the crosshairs of scientist Bolivar Trask.
The game's combat is immediately satisfying. Basic attacks sink smoothly into flesh and steel, with rapid combos, dodges, parries, and special moves that make Logan feel like the unstoppable force fans expect. A rage meter fills as players stay on the offensive, unlocking critical hits and a revive safety net, while his healing factor regenerates health during fights — a smart, lore-appropriate choice that keeps the action flowing. Brutal finishers, from sliced limbs to stabs through jaws, deliver the gory outcomes the character demands.
But the slick combat wears thin well before the campaign concludes. The game struggles to tell its story through mission action, reserving real consequences for cutscenes that bookend levels, creating an uneven, stop-start cadence. What holds the experience together is Logan himself. Liam McIntyre's performance grants the character a sharp, hidden depth, balancing the shadows of his past with the future of mutantkind. His hunched posture in social spaces reflects a vulnerability that clashes with his bulky frame — a physical manifestation of trauma.
The supporting cast is a mixed bag. Krizia Bajos shines as Jean Grey, anchoring much of the emotional weight, and standout moments include a reflective encounter with Mystique in a Madripoor bar and a tense snowy cabin rendezvous. The tension between Logan and Victor «Sabretooth» Creed also lands. Yet outside of Logan and Jean, few characters are given room for their own arcs, often existing only to hinder Wolverine or offer a few words of wisdom before disappearing.
Visually, Insomniac's attention to detail is outstanding. The animation work makes every finisher feel weighty and deliberate, a clear evolution from the studio's Spider-Man titles. The story, which begins decades after Logan first met Nathaniel Essex and joined Team X, hits familiar superhero beats with a few predictable turns, but its closing hours deliver genuinely fun moments.
Marvel's Wolverine is built on a firm skeleton, but what's crafted around it isn't nearly as strong. The character work is excellent, the violence is plentiful, and the emotional beats often land — but the repetitive combat and underdeveloped supporting cast keep it from reaching its full potential. For fans of the X-Men's most famous member, it's a worthy portrayal that understands who Logan is, even if the game around him doesn't always rise to the occasion.