Marvel’s Wolverine Reviews Revealed – Ratings Are Lower Than Expected

Next week will bring the release of another major PlayStation 5 exclusive—Marvel's Wolverine—from Insomniac Games. But the review embargo has already been lifted, and players can draw some conclusions about the upcoming title. Based on first impressions, the game is still getting decent reviews, though it was expected to score a bit higher.

Marvel's Wolverine currently has a Metacritic score of 78. By comparison, Insomniac's previous titles, Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man 2, received scores of 87 and 90, respectively. On OpenCritic, the picture is pretty much similar—an 81 Top Critic Average and an 79% Critics Recommend. Overall, critics praise the combat system, which stands out from the Spider-Man games due to its brutality, as well as the high level of direction, similar to Uncharted and God of War, the presentation of Logan’s personal story, and the linear structure, which made the narrative more consistent and cohesive. As for the shortcomings, the most frequently cited issues are boring and repetitive gameplay, a lack of genre-specific ideas, and stealth mechanics that aren’t particularly engaging—overall, almost all of these points were already mentioned in the previews released last month. You can check out some of the brief reviews from gaming publications below:

Hardcore Gamer – 100/100:

Marvel’s Wolverine is an absolute triumph in nearly every category, doing for the character what Marvel’s Spider-Man did for Spider-Man. The story is exceptional through its deep dive into Logan’s complex character, using both allies and villains and an overarching plot to deliver the best Wolverine performance since Hugh Jackman first stepped into the role.

GamingBolt – 100/100:

Marvel’s Wolverine is a brutal, focused and surprisingly heartfelt adventure with superb combat, excellent performances, spectacular set pieces and top-tier presentation. Its minor flaws do little to stop this from feeling like the definitive Wolverine game.

PlayStation Universe – 90/100:

Jettisoning the open-world shenanigans of its previous comic-book games, the proudly linear violence of Marvel’s Wolverine feels like a refreshing throwback in all the best ways, albeit one that has been lavishly encased in Insomniac Games' reliably premium audiovisual presentation. Boasting some of the most satisfying, if not especially inventive, third-person combat to come along in ages and a truly propulsive narrative that feels as furious and engaging as its titular hero, this is everything you could want from a game about The Man That Says Bub A Lot.

DualShockers – 85/100:

Marvel’s Wolverine is a great addition to Insomniac Games’ Marvel catalog, with a fantastic story that slowly uncovers Logan’s trauma in clever and fascinating ways. The combat is some of the best the developer has put out, delivering nonstop, adrenaline-inducing action that will keep players hooked from beginning to end.

Game Informer – 85/100:

Insomniac’s latest action opus is beautiful to look at and listen to, and it plays like a dream. Whether you’re a fan of the wily mutant lead or you simply gravitate to taut, tightly animated combat like what you’d find in God of War or Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Wolverine is an intense and unrelenting ride. It may not hit a lot of notes, but like Logan himself, it nails the vitals where it counts.

Gamereactor UK – 80/100:

It's a treat to play, runs smoothly, and is thoroughly entertaining. It captures Wolverine as a character both mechanically and narratively, making it truly satisfying to step into his shoes. But it's also a tad unambitious. I wish Insomniac had pushed themselves a bit further when it comes to combat scenarios, set pieces and level design, and let their imagination run wild with the platforming. That would have made Marvel's Wolverine a top-class action game. As it stands, it has to settle for being a really good one of its kind.

• ScreenHub – 10/10
• Gameliner – 9/10
• GameSpew – 9/10
• MonsterVine – 9/10
• GamingTrend – 9/10
• Destructoid – 8/10
• PSX Brazil – 8/10
• TheGamer – 8/10
• Press Start – 8/10
• Push Square – 8/10
• CGM – 7/10
• PSLS – 7/10
• IGN – 6/10
• Gamespot – 6/10

Despite the generally positive reception, social media users also noted that they had expected Marvel's Wolverine to receive a higher rating. As a result, Logan's project became Insomniac's lowest-rated game, but that doesn't mean the game is bad or a flop. However, it’s unlikely to be in the running for “Game of the Year” or other major awards. You can also check out which characters might appear or be mentioned in the game.

Marvel’s Wolverine will release on September 15 exclusively on PlayStation 5.