Marvel’s Wolverine Hands-on Preview

Marvel’s Wolverine has the speed and ferocity I expected, but my two-hour demo featured quite a few surprises; read on in my full review.

Ever since Insomniac Games revealed Marvel’s Wolverine in 2021, I have wondered how the studio would move from Spider-Man’s acrobatic heroism to Logan’s much darker side of the Marvel universe. Both characters are fast, physical and instantly recognizable, but that is where the similarities end. Wolverine meets a threat head-on, absorbs the punishment and makes sure his opponent regrets standing in his way.

Ahead of the game’s September 15^th, 2026 release, PlayStation Canada invited me to spend two hours with a hands-on demo running on PS5 Pro. The session included a large opening assault, stealth sections, time in Madripoor’s Lowtown district, optional activities and several story sequences. Afterwards, I sat down with Insomniac Games Art Director Gavin Goulden to discuss the team’s approach to Logan, and the Canadian details woven into the adventure. Let’s dive into my full preview, claws out, and explore what makes this one of my most anticipated titles of 2026.

Marvel’s Wolverine details

Platforms: PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro Previewed on: PlayStation 5 Pro

Developer: Insomniac Games

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Genre: Single-player action-adventure

ESRB rating: M for Mature 17+

Release date: September 15^th, 2026

A Weathered Wolverine with a Complicated Past

Insomniac is not using this game to retell how Logan received his adamantium skeleton or first extended his claws. When the story begins, Wolverine is already a dangerous and experienced fighter with a trail of carnage and damaged relationships behind him. The X-Men have not yet formed, however, and mutants remain largely unknown to the wider public.

"When the story begins, Wolverine is already a dangerous and experienced fighter with a trail of carnage and damaged relationships behind him."

That gives the game a compelling position in its version of Marvel history: Logan is fully formed as a weapon, but the world around him has not yet decided what mutants represent.

Team X Marks the Spot

His past is closely tied to Team X, a mutant task force created by Nathaniel Essex. Wolverine once served alongside Mystique and Sabretooth before leaving the group under circumstances the demo intentionally kept vague. He is drawn back when billionaire industrialist Bolivar Trask begins abducting and experimenting on mutants. After Essex is captured, the remaining members of Team X mount a rescue operation at Trask’s compound on the island of Telambang.

A Fresh Take on Familiar Characters

Comic fans will recognize the major players, but the setup does not rely on encyclopedic knowledge of the Marvel universe. Insomniac is borrowing familiar names and relationships while rearranging them around its own continuity. It reminded me of the studio’s decision to introduce an established Peter Parker in Marvel’s Spider-Man. Skipping the well-worn origin story lets the action begin immediately, while Logan’s missing memories and strained relationships create mysteries that can be uncovered over time.

Team X Carries Old Scars

That approach also gives every interaction a useful sense of history. Wolverine, Mystique and Sabretooth do not speak like strangers assembled for the player’s benefit. Their conversations have an edge to them, as if an old disagreement could surface at any moment. I left the demo with several questions about why Logan abandoned Team X and what it will take for these damaged allies to trust one another again, and I look forward to piecing it all together.

"I left the demo with several questions about why Logan abandoned Team X and what it will take for these damaged allies to trust one another again, and I look forward to piecing it all together."

The Action-packed Opening Assault Sets the Stage 

My demo began with Team X descending on Telambang, and the mission wasted little time getting Logan’s claws out. I skydived toward the island as Trask’s private army prepared for the attack, landed inside hostile territory and was quickly pushed into a series of escalating fights.

It’s a great introduction because Wolverine feels enormously powerful without becoming untouchable.

"It’s a great introduction because Wolverine feels enormously powerful without becoming untouchable."

He can tear through individual soldiers with frightening efficiency, but enemies surround him, attack from range, and punish careless button-mashing.

Combat is Built Around Momentum

Wolverine’s basic toolset was easy to understand. Quick strikes let me tear into an opponent, heavier attacks added force, and a powerful kick could stagger a target or create breathing room. The most important move, however, was Logan’s lunge. He can launch himself across a considerable distance and immediately turn a ranged enemy into a close-quarters problem.

The lunge changes the feel of an encounter. Instead of carefully circling a group and waiting for an opening, I was encouraged to identify the most disruptive target and throw Wolverine directly at it.

"The lunge changes the feel of an encounter. Instead of carefully circling a group and waiting for an opening, I was encouraged to identify the most disruptive target and throw Wolverine directly at it."

Once the fight begins, the best defence is often sustained offence. Logan feels most natural when he is moving from one enemy to the next and refusing to let the opposition reset.

There is some familiar Insomniac fluidity in the way Logan transitions between targets, but the sensation is completely different from controlling Spider-Man. Peter Parker fights with elasticity and acrobatic precision. Wolverine moves like a dense, heavy projectile. When he crosses the arena, it feels less like graceful traversal and more like a collision waiting to happen.

The graphic finishers reinforce that difference. They are quick and vicious, leaving little doubt about why the game carries an M rating.

"The graphic finishers reinforce that difference. They are quick and vicious, leaving little doubt about why the game carries an M rating."

Blood and gore can be reduced through the settings, but this is still a mature interpretation of the character rather than a toned-down superhero adventure.

Parries and Special Techniques give the violence a rhythm

Aggression alone was not enough to carry me through every encounter. Pressing L1 at the right moment allowed Logan to parry an incoming blow, counter the attacker and create a new opening. Before long, I found a satisfying rhythm: lunge toward a priority target, unleash a short combination, parry the response and redirect Wolverine toward the next enemy.

Stronger attacks sometimes required me to abandon the parry and roll clear instead, while larger groups made it dangerous to focus too long on a single opponent. Those decisions gave the combat more structure than its initial chaos suggested.

Unlockable Special Techniques add another layer. These abilities can be mapped to the four face buttons and recharge as Logan strings together successive hits. My favourite was Tornado Spin, a violent crowd-clearing attack that hit several nearby enemies and helped me regain control when a group closed in. I only had access to a small selection of techniques, but their recharge conditions encouraged me to stay active and experiment rather than repeat one safe combo.

The full game also includes a broader skill tree with Technique and Adaptation upgrades that are connected to health, Rage, and other attributes. The demo did not provide enough time to evaluate how substantial that progression will become, but I'll share my impressions of the full system once I go hands-on with the final version of the game.

Rage and the Healing Factor are parts of the same risk-reward loop

The most character-specific system I tried was Rage. A three-tier meter fills as Logan attacks, lands parries and maintains a combo. As the meter climbs, his attacks become more powerful. At its highest level, colour fades from the screen, and his movements become faster and more savage, opening the door to devastating Critical Strikes.

It looks spectacular, but the system is more interesting than a conventional damage boost. Rage rewards the behaviour Wolverine is known for: close distance, keep attacking and refuse to back down. Playing cautiously does not simply slow a fight; it prevents Logan from reaching his full potential.

There is also a reason not to spend or chase power blindly.

Rage fuels Wolverine’s Healing Factor through a mechanic called Last Stand. If his health reaches zero while at least one segment of the meter remains, a button prompt gives him an opportunity to pull himself back from defeat. Rapidly pressing the indicated button consumes Rage and restores health. If no Rage remains, Logan falls and the game returns to the previous checkpoint.

Stealth and Ability Inhibitors keep Logan from becoming predictable

Direct combat was the highlight of my session, but it was not the only way through hostile territory. Enhanced Senses reveal patrols and help Logan track movement through the environment. I could stalk isolated soldiers, remove them with stealth takedowns and reduce a group before springing out with claws drawn. Hunting a group from the shadows creates a different kind of tension, and choosing when to abandon subtlety makes the eventual eruption of violence more satisfying.

Trask’s Ability Inhibitors introduce another important wrinkle. These devices suppress mutant powers, including Logan’s Healing Factor, until they are destroyed. Their presence immediately changes target priorities. Charging into a crowd becomes far more dangerous when regeneration is disabled, so I needed to locate the inhibitor, consider the enemies guarding it, and decide whether stealth could provide a safer route.

Quieter Scenes Reveal Logan’s Character

I expected strong combat from the studio behind Marvel’s Spider-Man, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much character development appeared within a two-hour demo. Team X is not treated as a checklist of recognizable cameos. Mystique and Sabretooth have complicated connections to Logan, and their scenes suggest years of shared missions, resentment and unfinished business. I am excited to learn more when the full game releases.

"...I was pleasantly surprised by how much character development appeared within a two-hour demo."

Liam McIntyre gives Wolverine the necessary gravel and fury, yet his restrained moments made the strongest impression on me. He communicates the sense that Logan is constantly containing something dangerous. When that restraint finally breaks during a sequence involving mutants threatened by Trask, the resulting violence feels motivated by fear and protectiveness rather than spectacle alone. It allowed me to enjoy the raw power of controlling Logan without presenting his rage as simple wish fulfillment.

Lowtown Offers an In-Game Social Hub

One of my favourite parts of the demo was not a large battle but a visit to Lowtown, Madripoor’s lower district. After the intensity of Telambang, walking its streets created a welcome change of pace. The area felt more open and social, with side activities, environmental details and conversations that rewarded curiosity.

Enhanced Senses have a role outside combat here. I could follow scents, listen for nearby conversations and investigate points of interest rather than simply move from one objective marker to another. Hidden crates offered upgrade materials, collectible whisky bottles contributed to progression, and the Princess Bar contained several comic-book nods. One detail that immediately caught my attention was an IOU from Remy LeBeau, better known to X-Men fans as Gambit.

I only saw a small portion of the district, so it remains unclear how large or varied these exploratory spaces will be in the complete adventure. Still, I appreciated that Insomniac was willing to slow the pace. Relentless action might sound ideal for Wolverine, but contrast makes that action more impactful. Time spent exploring, listening, and reconnecting with allies makes the claws' return feel sharper.

Canadian details give Logan’s world a welcome sense of place

After the demo, I spoke with Gavin Goulden, Art Director on the game, and we talked about what it means to help shape a new version of one of Marvel’s most famous Canadian characters. For him, the connection is deeply personal. He grew up in a small Nova Scotia town reading Wolverine comics, including Wolverine #88, and now lives near several British Columbia locations represented in the game.

“People throw around the term dream come true so much, and I don’t use it lightly because this really is a one-in-a-million shot for me,” Goulden said. That perspective is evident in the game’s version of Western Canada. Goulden explained that the route featured in the gameplay trailer stretches from North Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, an area he knows firsthand. “All that is pretty much in my backyard. I live about 10 minutes away from all of that,” he told me.

The art team incorporated specific regional details, including Vancouver’s sulphur pile, signs pointing toward Squamish and Whistler, and Squamish-language spellings found on local signage. Individually, these may seem like small touches. Together, they help the landscape feel observed rather than invented. As a Canadian covering the game, I am eager to see how much further that attention extends beyond the locations shown so far.

Final thoughts on my Marvel’s Wolverine Hands-on Preview

After two hours, Marvel’s Wolverine left me eager for more. The demo delivered fast, ferocious combat while showing that Insomniac understands there is more to Logan than claws and rage. Everything I played made a strong impression, and I can’t wait to sink my claws into the full adventure when it launches on September 15^th, 2026. Keep it locked to dappertux.com for my full review in early September.

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About the Author - Matthew "Dapper Tux" Rondina

Matthew has been involved in all things gaming since the 8-bit era. He is a video game and tech industry veteran who has been passionate about technology and gaming for over 20 years. In addition to being the Managing Editor of dappertux.com, he has bylines with Best Buy, Cineplex Entertainment, Mobile Syrup and Walmart. Follow Matthew’s gaming + tech adventures on multiple social platforms with the handle @dapper_tux via X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and join in on the fun!

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