Among the many heroes who face great challenges, few endure as much as Wolverine. His healing ability and adamantium skeleton make him a relentless fighting machine, but the mutant has already been torn apart by the Ultimate Hulk, had his skeleton ripped off by Magneto and was run over by a locomotive by the Punisher in the comics.
Wolverine’s rich history in the comics has players expecting a much more mature game when booting up Insomniac’s *Marvel’s Wolverine* on PlayStation 5. While many want an R-rated X-Men title, some remain skeptical as to whether the studio behind *Ratchet & Clank* is best suited for the project.
With the arrival of new information and videos about *Marvel’s Wolverine*, critics are intensifying, stating that we already had a far superior game based on the Canadian character in 2009.
Marvel’s Wolverine Critics Praise X-Men Origins: Wolverine Game
Many still remember the time when it was common to release games based on films, with *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*, from 2001, being an example of success. However, most games adapted from films, such as *King Kong – The Official Game of the Movie*, generally did not reach the same quality.
In the case of *X-Men Origins: Wolverine*, it is a rare situation in which the game proved to be far superior to the film of the same name.
The 2009 film, directed by Gavin Hood, suffered from leaks and is widely considered one of the worst superhero films of all time, featuring a performance by Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool that was so criticized that *Deadpool 2* erased it from the timeline.
While the film was rated PG-13 to appeal to a wider audience, the game’s infamous “Uncaged Edition” was exclusive to the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, with an R rating, allowing for much more visceral violence and even real-time dismemberments.
*Marvel’s Wolverine* will also be rated for adults, but with the release of more leaks, critics show a preference for the game *X-Men Origins*.
A leak of a big fight against a Sentinel in *Marvel’s Wolverine*, in particular, brought back memories of Raven Software’s classic adventure. One person simply commented, “The Wolverine Origins game made this fight better.”
Another fan added: “I love how people are comparing Sentry’s spectacular fight from X-Men Origins: Wolverine to this. The fact that there isn’t a remaster of this is almost criminal.”
Other points of criticism include Wolverine’s appearance, which seems closer to voice actor Liam McIntyre than the comics, and the apparent plot of the new game.
One particularly incisive reviewer vented on Platform X, writing, “It’s amazing that, looking at all the material in Marvel’s Wolverine, no amount of blood or dismemberment can hide the weak ‘California soyboy’ energy that Insomniac is putting into Logan. Even when he attacks, you feel the lack of testosterone compared to X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”
A fourth critic questioned the new rage mechanic that takes Logan’s healing factor into account and pondered: “The way Wolverine Origins still has better combat years later…”
Difficulties playing X-Men Origins: Wolverine currently
Unfortunately, *X-Men Origins: Wolverine* was affected by the end of Activision’s licensing deal with Marvel. This means that it, like the beloved game *Deadpool* and *Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2*, is among the “unplayable” titles, absent from all digital stores.
A series of Spider-Man games were also discontinued, with the unfairly forgotten *Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions* also missing from digital platforms.
Even those who purchased the titles digitally cannot simply download them again in some cases. This situation raised the prices of physical versions to very high levels on the collectors market.
Furthermore, PlayStation’s plans for a future without physical media raise concerns about the day when the same will happen with Insomniac games, such as digital versions of *Spider-Man* or *Marvel’s Wolverine*, which may become inaccessible.
The good news is that Insomniac has emphasized that *Marvel’s Wolverine* will have a physical release, which seems to be a counterpoint to *GTA VI*, which was confirmed to be digital-only in 2026.
Currently, the Wii and PS2 versions of *X-Men Origins: Wolverine* can be found at more affordable prices, although there is a listing for the “Uncaged” PS3 version selling for £115 on eBay.
As Logan prepares to unleash his claws on *Marvel’s Wolverine*, the comparisons to *X-Men Origins* are sure to continue when the PlayStation title launches on September 15th.
