Nerdicon Prime - COMMS Closed

I finished Wolverine. When Insomniac announced in 2021 that the next hero they were going to tackle was Wolverine, everyone had the same thought. Finally, we’ll have the definitive Wolverine interpretation in video game form. After Insomniac’s treatment of Spider-Man, confidence was high that they could provide the same magic for James Logan Howlett. I’m pleased to say that after five years of waiting our confidence has paid off. Liam Mcintyre sinks into the role effortlessly and delivers an award winning performance as Logan. He simultaneously brings the raw anger and understanding warmth that’s needed to make a character like Wolverine feel so compelling. He’s accompanied by a supporting cast that’s also up to the task with memorable interpretations of Jean Grey, Nathaniel Essex, Mystique and many more. The talent isn’t lacking from any member of the cast. This is all sold with ease by stunning visuals and rock solid performance that’s consistent throughout. The most engaging aspect of 2018’s Spider-Man was its narrative and how it was able to weave so many different parts of the characters history into one new story that felt both true to the character and extremely heartfelt. While I thought Miles Morales continued this trend, it was Spider-Man 2 that left many disappointed in its writing, despite being a wonderful game in nearly every other department. Wolverine rights the ship and delivers a narrative that has the same originality and heartfelt center I felt all those years ago playing Insomniac’s first Marvel outing. I had no idea how much I missed it. Gameplay is what you’d expect from a title that lets you play as a feral mutant with Adamantium claws. Levels are mostly linear and at times wide linear with a focus on combat and a healthy side of traversal and stealth. Logan feels properly weighty and packs all the punch you’d expect. Combat feels refined and only really comes up short when you consider that you’ll be nearly half way through the story before enough abilities unlock to make each brawl feel more interesting and diverse. I understand Insomniac’s desire to space out new moves over the course of the story, but it’s at the detriment of combat feeling to plain in the early hours. Perhaps what impressed me the most was the technology behind how Wolverine receives damage to his body and clothing. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it implemented as well as it is here. There will be times where I’m climbing a building after a brutal fight where my clothes are tattered, I’m drenched in blood, my rib cage is exposed and I can see Logan’s skull. Insomniac spared no expense making this the M rated Wolverine we all hoped for and the damage and gore on display sells the power fantasy like you wouldn’t believe. The team deserves a hearty dose of praise for the work done here. If there is any area in which Wolverine falls short it is most certainly the amount of hand holding that runs throughout the entire experience. There is almost always a beacon displayed, a comment from Logan, white paint splotches or the worst offender, a scent trail leading you directly to your objective or bogging down both the left and right sides of your screen. If this wasn’t enough, hidden chests pulsate with light and there’s an optional button you can press to receive even further hints. It’s egregious in ways no other AAA game has matched. This didn’t keep me from enjoying the experience, but it was an unneeded nuisance that could certainly impact others more than it did me. If you had asked me to describe what I pictured Wolverine to be like when it was announced in 2021 this is the game I would have described. The heights were always going to be a bit higher for Logan’s web crawling predecessor, but that didn’t stop Insomniac from creating what I deem to be the definitive video game interpretation of the character. Final score: ⭐️ 8/10 - BUY