7 Key Insights About Insomniac’s Wolverine from Recent Previews

Marvel’s Wolverine is just around the corner, set to launch on PlayStation 5, and players have had the chance to dive into Insomniac’s latest superhero adventure. Here’s a roundup of key insights we’ve gathered ahead of its September 15 release.

Fans of Insomniac’s Spider-Man series are familiar with the less thrilling segments where you switch from swinging through the city as Spidey to sneaking around as Mary Jane. Fortunately, Wolverine is sticking to a single playable character, with Insomniac confirming that Logan is the only hero you’ll control this time.

While familiar faces like Jean Grey, Mystique, and Sabretooth will appear, the game is set before the formation of the X-Men. So, don’t expect to hear much from Charles Xavier or Magneto discussing the future of mutants, nor will you hear Cyclops rallying his team. Instead, this isn’t an origin story; Logan has established ties with characters from Team X, a group led by Nathaniel Essex, better known to fans as Mr. Sinister.

“Though Wolverine may be crafted from familiar elements, Insomniac is assembling them in unexpected ways,” notes a preview. The game opens with a serene moment where a wise figure discovers a feral Logan in the wild and offers assistance. If you thought this figure was Charles Xavier, think again; it’s Nathaniel Essex, the future antagonist of the X-Men.

Essex, voiced by a well-known actor, is primarily a villain in the comics but starts off as an ally to Logan, having founded Team X alongside Mystique and Sabretooth. It remains uncertain whether he will maintain this alliance throughout the narrative.

“If Essex is destined to become the antagonist, that twist will likely come later in the story,” suggests another preview. Insomniac has a history of crafting dramatic character turns, as seen with Otto Octavius in the 2018 Spider-Man game, which could serve as a template for this storyline.

The combat in the Spider-Man games is known for its variety, but some players feel Wolverine’s gameplay might lack that same flair. Logan’s adamantium claws, rage-fueled strength, and healing abilities are effective for dispatching foes, yet compared to Spidey’s acrobatic moves and symbiote enhancements, Wolverine may come off as somewhat straightforward.

“My overall impression of the combat is that it’s solid and satisfying, capturing Wolverine’s essence, but it feels like it could use more creative options,” one player remarked. “In Spider-Man, there were numerous fun ways to engage in combat that broke the monotony, like wall-bouncing and weapon yanking. Wolverine primarily relies on brute force, and while he excels at it, I wish there was more variety in his approach.”

There’s hope that the skill tree will provide Logan with additional combat options, but how much this will enhance player creativity is still to be determined.

In addition to the action-packed sequences, the preview showcased quieter moments where Logan explores a town, interacts with fellow mutants, and takes a breather from the chaos.

“While much of the demo featured Wolverine in intense combat, one segment stood out for its calmness and became my favorite part of the gameplay,” a preview noted. “In this section, Wolverine roams through Lowtown, a safe haven for mutants. I engaged in conversations with other mutants, had a not-so-friendly arm wrestling match with Sabretooth, played a revealing game of Never Have I Ever with Mystique, and discovered hidden Easter eggs. It was a refreshing change of pace, and I hope to see more moments like this that deepen the character interactions.”

In a discussion about the game’s narrative, Insomniac emphasized the importance of focusing on Logan’s character. This is why they chose a timeline before the X-Men’s formation, leading to the exclusion of some characters in earlier drafts.

“It was crucial for us to start with a story that highlights Wolverine,” the Creative Director explained. “Introducing the X-Men would overshadow him, so we focused on what makes the best Wolverine game. We identified key locations and characters, then crafted a story arc that centers on his knowledge and interactions with others.”

Wolverine is known for his troubled past, and Insomniac is not shying away from that complexity. Some of his darker secrets will be revealed through completing Nightmare Doors, which are timed challenges that blend combat and platforming with lore insights.

“Nightmare Doors represent Logan’s struggle to confront his chaotic mind and unlock hidden memories,” the Game Director shared. “These optional challenges add an extra layer of depth to the main narrative, offering players a chance to explore his past beyond the cinematic reveals.”