Despite a mixed reception from critics and fans, one reader insists that Marvel’s Wolverine is the best new game they have played in 2026, both in terms of story and gameplay. The game sold almost 2 million copies in just three days, confirming it was not a flop, and the reader is glad, having enjoyed the game and been upset to see it turned into a punching bag over the last month.
Unfair complaints and the disc policy backlash
The reader notes that many complaints aimed at the game are just as true for almost any other big budget title, including all of developer Insomniac’s previous games. They suggest the criticism has become mixed up with the well-deserved hate over Sony’s no disc policy and some poorly chosen gameplay clips that made the game look like a barely interactive showreel, where you just press ‘A’ to win.
But the reader insists it is not like that at all. It is not Devil May Cry either, but some people don’t enjoy learning long combos or having to take a night course in the game’s combat before being any good at it. Once the internet sees blood in the water, everyone has very strong opinions about a game that’s not even out yet and which afterwards earned a Metacritic of 76. The reader notes that the Deadpool & Wolverine movie, which everyone claims to love, got 56.
Combat, boss battles, and unlockables
The reader, a fan of Wolverine and Insomniac’s two Spider-Man games, was sold the minute the game was announced. They were disappointed when the previews came out, but when they bought and played the game, they didn’t agree with the complaints. The combat is definitely not complicated but it’s not easy or especially repetitive either, with plenty of different enemy types and a constant sense of threat that requires careful thinking to avoid being overwhelmed.
The boss battles have received many complaints, but the reader agrees with GameCentral’s review that only the first two are bad, while the others are fine. The last few are really good, with a neat multi-stage finale that brings everything together. The reader also enjoyed the nightmare doors, especially the survival challenges, which were difficult but rewarding to beat and get the highest score on. There are lots of good unlockables in terms of skins and extra abilities and moves, including those obtained after beating the game.
Story and characters shine
The reader admits that if that was all the game was, it would seem a bit empty, but the story and characters are a huge part of the experience and work great. They say the story was a lot better than Spider-Man 1 and 2, which were kind of all over the place and had the problem that Peter and Miles weren’t really conflicted about anything, except for the 10 minutes Peter was wearing the black suit. In Wolverine, everyone is a lot more complicated, and the majority of characters are what most people know as villains.
The reader thought Mystique was great in particular, far better than the movies and with a great ending that suited what she had done in the game. The best character though is Jean Grey, who is also done much better than the movies, and the relationship between her and Wolverine is done really well. It is a love story but not an easy relationship, keeping the player guessing how it will turn out for the whole game. The reader felt it was real, even though they are crazy superhero characters.
It is definitely the best new game the reader has bought this year, though they admit they haven’t bought that many, so they might not be the best judge. But it’s what they’ve played and enjoyed, and the reputation it has earned seems very unfair. They hope it doesn’t stop the chances of a sequel.
