Marvel’s Wolverine Review: ‘A fun yet chaotic ride in the Insomniac Universe’ 

Insomniac Games has built a sterling reputation on cinematic superhero thrillers, but tackling Marvel’s Wolverine is an entirely different beast compared to slinging webs across Manhattan. We at Business Today have spent a dozen hours now playing this game, and the result is a fierce, bloody, and surprisingly earnest character action ride that stands tall among the studio’s best.  Here is our official review of Marvel’s Wolverine ahead of its official launch on September 15th. 

Graphics

Visually, this is unmistakably an Insomniac production. Character models sport that distinct studio DNA; Jean Grey immediately brings to mind Mary Jane Watson from the Spider-Man titles, while Logan himself is delightfully realised as a comic-accurate short king. He is compact, stocky, and built like an absolute brick wall.

The animations shine, particularly when it comes to Logan’s healing factor. Seeing flesh stitch back together and adamantium-laced bones endure grotesque battle damage genuinely sells his relentless perseverance and raw animalistic rage.

However, visual continuity does hit the odd snag. While combat is appropriately drenched in blood, it vanishes from Logan and the environment almost instantly after an encounter ends. His battle-torn suit also quickly regenerates back to mint condition. The story offers an in-universe explanation for the self-repairing suit, but the sudden cleanup of blood acts as a bit of immersion-breaking whiplash. When Wolverine is in full berserker mode, soaked in enemy gore mid-fight, the presentation hits peak comic perfection… but that makes the abrupt post-fight sterilisation stand out that much more.

Story

The narrative threads together Logan, Nathaniel Essex, Sabretooth, and Mystique in a tense, deeply personal conflict. Without spoiling the story, what we can confidently say is that it serves as a fresh, emotionally resonant origin-adjacent journey that dives straight into the trauma, brotherhood, and weaponisation of mutants. There are some genuinely emotional moments here that make you well up, with our only gripe being that certain characters and their plot points felt unearned and did not feel as impactful as they could have if we had spent slightly more time getting to know them. 

Fans expecting a carbon copy of Hugh Jackman’s cinematic persona should adjust their expectations immediately. Liam McIntyre takes the reins here and makes the character entirely his own. This version of Logan is far more talkative, notably more cavalier in high-stakes situations, and leans unapologetically into dropping a hearty "Bub" on every enemy within earshot. Some people may not instantly take to this version of Logan, but we certainly did. 

Gameplay

When the combo counters climb and Wolverine's abilities sync in rhythm, the combat matches the tactile highs of the Batman: Arkham series and arguably edges out Insomniac’s own Spider-Man combat for pure kinetic punch. Every slash lands with bone-crunching weight, backed by savage grunts and visceral, multi-angle stabbing finishers that make Logan feel like an unstoppable blender.

Combat offers zero handouts. Even on lower difficulties, you won't breeze past foes; in fact, even the weakest grunts soak up at least 5 to 7 solid hits before dropping, while mini-bosses and main bosses have you frantically button-mashing your controller. 

While the encounter loop can flirt with repetition deeper into the runtime, progression remains engaging thanks to "Adaptations", which are tactical mutant upgrades represented neatly on an altering DNA strand UI.

Do not mistake Logan's immortality for an easy ride. Break your combo chain or misread a parry timing, and large mobs will ruthlessly punish you. The game features a clutch "Last Stand" revival mechanic when your health drops to zero, but relying on it requires at least one full charge on your Rage meter. 

Traversal in the game leans heavily into animalistic momentum. Logan bounds, leaps, and lunges through the environment almost like the Hulk, accompanied by an immensely satisfying, heavy thud whenever his boots crash into the dirt. That said, it does not share the buttery, seamless flow of the Spider-Man games. From time to time, especially if your timing on leaps and ledge grabs is slightly off, the momentum stumbles. The fluid animation snaps, leaving Logan awkwardly standing frozen on a precipice before making a jump, completely halting your pace. An early chase sequence showcases this friction firsthand, where a missed rhythm leaves you grounded and out of time to save a kidnapped friend. It’s a ‘race against time’ like mini-game that can get frustrating if you aren't well-timing every jump and grab.

But overall, it's a fun ‘weekend at the video games'. 

Verdict 

Marvel’s Wolverine delivers a gripping, savage spectacle that honours the character’s legacy while establishing its own identity. It is an easy recommendation for action fans and a stellar addition to Insomniac’s catalogue.

The game releases exclusively on PlayStation 5 (with PS5 Pro enhancements) on 15th of September and retails in India at ₹4,999 for the standard edition on the PlayStation Store.