Marvel’s Wolverine has finally arrived on PlayStation 5, and Insomniac Games has taken a very different approach from its Marvel’s Spider-Man games. Instead of giving us another huge open world, the studio has created a more focused, linear action-adventure built around Wolverine’s claws, rage, and brutal fighting style. Released on 15 September 2026 exclusively for PS5, Marvel’s Wolverine puts Logan at the centre of a darker and considerably more violent Marvel story. The game follows Wolverine as he becomes involved with Team X, alongside characters such as Sabretooth and Mystique, while a wider conflict involving anti-mutant forces begins to unfold. After seeing what Insomniac achieved with Spider-Man, expectations for Wolverine were understandably high. The good news is that the studio did not simply make “Spider-Man with claws.” Wolverine has its own identity, and that identity comes primarily from its combat, atmosphere, and the character of Logan himself.
Wolverine’s Combat Is the Star of the Show
If there is one part of Marvel’s Wolverine that immediately feels right, it is the combat. Logan does not fight like Spider-Man, and Insomniac has clearly designed the combat around his personality. His claws are always at the centre of the action, while his healing ability and rage mechanics encourage an aggressive playstyle. Wolverine can quickly close the distance between himself and enemies, launch powerful attacks and continue fighting even after taking serious damage. His healing ability is an important part of the experience, while building rage allows Logan to become even more dangerous during intense encounters. The result is combat that feels considerably more violent than Insomniac's previous Marvel games. There is blood, dismemberment, and brutal finishing moves, so this is definitely not a superhero game aimed at younger audiences. The violence is not simply there for shock value either. It helps communicate what makes Logan different from many other Marvel heroes.
The Story Takes Wolverine Into a Darker Direction
Insomniac has also made an important choice with the story. Rather than telling another straightforward superhero origin story, Marvel's Wolverine begins with Logan already being an experienced fighter. The story involves Team X, Sabretooth, Mystique and anti-mutant industrialist Bolivar Trask, while the larger conflict takes Logan across several locations. This gives the game a different atmosphere from Spider-Man.
Peter Parker's stories often balance humour, action and emotional drama. Wolverine is much darker. Logan's history, his relationships and the violence surrounding him create a more serious tone. The game also gives players opportunities to learn more about Wolverine through environmental details, conversations and memories rather than simply explaining everything through exposition. That approach works particularly well because Logan is a character with decades of history.
Exploration Is Smaller but Still Worth Doing
Although Marvel's Wolverine is linear, that does not mean there is nothing to discover. During Insomniac's pre-release hands-on demonstration, Wolverine could explore locations such as Madrepore and use his enhanced senses to follow scents, listen for conversations, and discover hidden areas. Players can also find upgrade materials, collectibles, and other details connected to the Marvel universe. There are also Nightmare Doors, which take Logan into special challenge areas where players can complete timed trials. These activities give you a reason to look around rather than simply following the main objective from beginning to end. However, anyone expecting the enormous amount of optional content found in Spider-Man 2 should adjust their expectations. Wolverine is intentionally more compact. And honestly, that is not necessarily a bad thing.
The Cinematic Set Pieces Are Excellent
Another major strength is the game's large action sequences. Marvel's Wolverine frequently moves away from standard combat and puts Logan into cinematic situations involving chases, large battles, and dangerous environments. Reviews have highlighted sequences involving rooftops, motorcycles, boss encounters, and other large-scale moments. These moments help prevent the campaign from becoming a simple sequence of combat arenas. One moment you can be cutting through a group of enemies, and shortly afterwards you can find yourself involved in a much larger action sequence that feels closer to a blockbuster film. This is one area where Insomniac's experience with cinematic superhero games really shows.
The Visuals Are Outstanding
Marvel's Wolverine is also an impressive showcase for the PS5. The environments are detailed, character models are highly polished, and the game's darker atmosphere works particularly well with its lighting. Logan himself looks convincing throughout the adventure, while the game's animations help sell the impact of every attack. The visual quality is not just about having impressive textures. The animation of Wolverine's movement, attacks, and injuries is particularly important because so much of the experience revolves around physical combat. When Logan takes damage, heals himself, and immediately returns to the fight, the animation helps make his abilities feel like part of the character rather than simple gameplay mechanics.
Wolverine's World Feels Different From Spider-Man's New York
One of the most interesting aspects of the game is how Insomniac handles the world. Instead of giving players one huge city to explore, Wolverine travels through different locations. This allows the developers to create environments with very different atmospheres. Madrepore, for example, provides a much darker setting than the bright streets of New York in the Spider-Man games. The game also uses Wolverine's senses to make smaller environments feel more interactive, allowing Logan to notice conversations, scents, and hidden details. The result is a world that feels more like a sequence of carefully designed locations than one enormous playground.
The Campaign Does Not Overstay Its Welcome
One of the biggest differences between Wolverine and many modern AAA games is its length. Depending on how you play, the main campaign can be completed in roughly 13–20 hours, with the exact duration varying depending on how much optional content and exploration you complete. Reviews have reported different playtimes, including around 13 hours for a main campaign and longer sessions for players completing additional content. For me, this is one of the game's more interesting decisions. There are certainly players who will want a much larger adventure, but a focused campaign can be refreshing. Not every game needs to contain 50 or 100 hours of content. Wolverine is built around a simple idea: give players control of Logan and let them experience his story through intense action. The shorter structure helps maintain that momentum.
Where Marvel’s Wolverine Falls Short
The game is not perfect. The biggest weakness is that the linear structure can sometimes make the experience feel restrictive. Some reviews have pointed out that exploration is less interesting than the combat and that certain gameplay sections do not have the same impact as the game's best action sequences. There are also moments where the story can feel predictable, particularly if you have played many modern cinematic action games. The combat is excellent at creating the feeling of being Wolverine, but some reviewers have argued that its deeper systems do not always develop as much as expected over the course of the campaign. This is important because the game is strongest when you are actually fighting. When the action slows down, some sections do not reach the same level of excitement.
My Final Verdict
Marvel's Wolverine is a brutal, cinematic, and focused superhero adventure that successfully gives Logan his own identity.
Insomniac has taken the foundation of its previous Marvel games and changed it significantly. The result is not another Spider-Man-style open world, but a more concentrated action experience built around Wolverine's claws, rage, and healing abilities. The combat is the clear highlight, while the visual presentation, cinematic set pieces, and darker story help make the adventure feel different from other PlayStation superhero games. At the same time, the linear structure, limited exploration and occasional predictable moments prevent it from reaching perfection. If you are a Wolverine fan, the most important question is simple: does the game make you feel like Wolverine?
In my view, that is where Insomniac succeeds most. When Logan is surrounded by enemies, his claws are out, his rage is building, and the fight becomes completely chaotic, the game finally delivers the fantasy fans have been waiting for.