Sony has released Marvel’s Wolverine, an exclusive title for the PlayStation 5, marking a significant departure from developer Insomniac’s previous superhero games. Unlike the family-friendly Spider-Man titles, Marvel’s Wolverine holds a Pegi-18 rating in the UK due to its considerable levels of blood, gore, and violence.
This higher age rating represents a notable “gamble” for the studio, which is responsible for some of Sony’s most successful games, with its Spider-Man series selling 50 million copies. The game’s director, Mike Daly, accepted that this rating would reduce the potential audience, stating to the BBC, “Even though this character appeals to kids, making a game that is explicitly like, ‘sorry, this is not for kids, you should not play this game’ – it does reduce the scope.” He added that there was “no other way to do it” if they really wanted to set a game with this character in this universe.
Marvel’s Wolverine PS5: Gameplay and Combat
Players take on the role of Logan, also known as Wolverine, navigating through hordes of enemies with his retractable claws. The combat system is described as free-flowing and easy to pick up, allowing Wolverine to stab and slice foes with “copious amounts of blood on display,” according to the BBC. While stealth options are available, players are not penalised for adopting a more direct, claws-out approach.
As players progress, they unlock new abilities and can use accumulated “rage” to regenerate health. The game generally takes about 15 to 20 hours to complete. The Guardian describes the combat as “smooth and empowering,” featuring dodge, parry, shred attacks, and special moves like the “tornado spin” and “spiral strike.” A three-stage rage meter builds, making Wolverine an “almost indestructible machine of carnage” at its peak.
A Shift to Linear Design
A significant change from Insomniac’s Spider-Man games is Marvel’s Wolverine’s linear structure, moving away from the open-world formula. Freelance game critic Emma Kent told the BBC that this represents a “significant shake-up in game design terms,” offering a “more curated path through the game world” with less open exploration. This contrasts sharply with the extensive, freely explorable New York City in Spider-Man.
The Guardian highlighted that while the linear design fits Wolverine’s character as a “rootless… drifter,” it can feel restrictive. The game “thrusts us from set-piece to set-piece” and presents richly detailed cities like Madripoor or Tokyo, only to lock off most areas with “roads closed off and invisible walls,” making the world feel like a “theatrical backdrop.”
Character Portrayal and Critical Reception
Despite some criticisms of the combat and linear level design, the portrayal of Logan is widely praised. Liam McIntyre’s performance brings Wolverine to life as a “flawed, often unwilling hero, capable of extreme brutality and touching vulnerability,” notes The Guardian. Veteran performer Troy Baker also delivers a memorable performance as Nathaniel Essex, with director Mike Daly commending both actors for their investment in their characters.
However, the game’s narrative structure has drawn mixed reactions. The BBC reviewer found the frequent cutscenes, though featuring “top drawer” acting, potentially divisive, wishing for more gameplay. The Guardian criticised some narrative and emotional arcs as having “lapses,” and attempts at puzzles as “hurriedly designed.”
Early player reception for Marvel’s Wolverine appears to be positive, with Forbes reporting that player ratings are “20 points higher than its Metacritic score.” This suggests that while critics have identified some shortcomings, the game resonates well with its audience, much like how Hugh Jackman’s R-rated film appearance as Wolverine in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine achieved a record-breaking opening weekend in the US.
