# Marvel's Wolverine review deep dive: why critics love Logan but split on the game

**September 15, 2026 · Perthro**

Marvel's Wolverine is out today on PS5, and it arrives with the lowest score of any Insomniac Marvel game. The Marvel's Wolverine reviews, which went live on September 10, agree on two things almost without exception: the combat feels great, and Liam McIntyre's Logan is excellent. Where they part ways is everything built around those two things.

Some critics see a focused, brutal, 15-hour action game that knows exactly what it is. Others see a linear, repetitive throwback that coasts on Insomniac's reputation. Here's how the scores break down and what each side is arguing.

## Marvel's Wolverine review scores: 76 on Metacritic

Marvel's Wolverine is developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, exclusively on PS5, and launches September 15, 2026. Metacritic lists it at 76 from 138 critics, with 90 positive reviews, 44 mixed and none negative, after review-day tallies had it at 77 to 78. OpenCritic has it at a 78 Top Critic Average from 122 reviews, with 66% of critics recommending it and a "Strong" rating.

It's an original story set in Insomniac's Marvel universe. Logan rejoins the mutant task force Team X three years after walking out on it, to stop Bolivar Trask from kidnapping mutants, with missions across Canada, Japan and the island nation of Madripoor. Unlike the Spider-Man games, it isn't open world: it's a linear, mission-based action game built around claw combat and a Rage meter.

- **Hardcore Gamer:** 5/5
- **GamingBolt:** 10/10
- **Game Informer:** 8.5/10
- **DualShockers:** 8.5/10
- **TheGamer:** 4/5
- **Push Square:** 8/10
- **Destructoid:** 8/10
- **PlayStation LifeStyle:** 7/10
- **Metro GameCentral:** 7/10
- **IGN:** 6/10
- **GameSpot:** 6/10
- **Eurogamer:** 3/5
- **VGC:** 3/5
- **Giant Bomb:** 2.5/5

![Marvel's Wolverine screenshot: Logan with claws out on a neon-lit street at night](https://perthro.io/assets/blog/5f21f16e88410cc9.jpg)

### What critics love: the combat and Logan

The fighting is the headline in nearly every positive review. Game Informer (8.5/10) says it "plays like a dream," comparing its "taut, tightly animated combat" to God of War. TheGamer (4/5) praises "brutally satisfying combat that distills the core of the character down to every snikt and claw pop." Even Metro, at 7/10, says "the enjoyable combat has blood and guts in equal measure."

The performance is the other constant. PlayUA credits "Liam McIntyre's outstanding performance," and Hardcore Gamer (5/5) goes furthest, ranking his Logan above every take on the character since Hugh Jackman's.

> "Marvel's Wolverine is an absolute triumph in nearly every category, doing for the character what Marvel's Spider-Man did for Spider-Man." (Hardcore Gamer)

Critics also praise the presentation. VGC, one of the harsher reviews, still calls the visuals "best-in-class," and Push Square highlights "superb visuals, amazing character performances, and nice location variety."

### Where reviews split: structure, enemy variety and story

The lower scores all describe the same problem: the combat is great for a few hours, then the game stops giving it anything new. IGN (6/10) says the action "wears thin well before the conclusion," adding that "the combat shows its hand early on and the level design plays it safe more often than not." Player 2 says "a lack of combat diversity" makes even its 16 to 18 hours feel "a bit excessive."

The linear structure is the second complaint, especially after three open-world Spider-Man games. Push Square, which still gave it 8/10, says the campaign "can be overly restrictive and the story quite dull." VGC (3/5) calls it "a game out of time, full of dated quest design," and Eurogamer (3/5) describes an "underwhelming, old-school romp that reminds us how far action games have come."

![Marvel's Wolverine screenshot: Logan attacking a giant armored robot](https://perthro.io/assets/blog/4aaab56bca9bb1ee.jpg)

The story splits critics too. Hardcore Gamer and TheGamer loved it. Giant Bomb (2.5/5) found "mediocre storytelling, poor pacing, and an underwhelming amount of player agency." Polygon, which doesn't score reviews, says it feels "born from a directive to make a game like God of War, rather than to make a Wolverine game."

GameSpot's 6/10 sums up the middle ground: "there's nothing outright wrong or bad about it," but it's "a barebones third-person action game executed in a no-frills way, with no real surprises."

## How Marvel's Wolverine compares to Insomniac's Spider-Man games

The gap to Insomniac's earlier Marvel games is what made the reviews a story. All three Spider-Man games scored 85 or better on Metacritic.

| **Game** | **Year** | **Metascore** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PS5) | 2023 | 90 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man (PS4) | 2018 | 87 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5) | 2020 | 85 |
| Marvel's Wolverine (PS5) | 2026 | 76 |

A 76 is still a green, "generally favorable" Metascore. It just sits nine points below Miles Morales and 14 below Spider-Man 2. If you want to know what those colour bands and averages actually mean, our explainer on [how Metacritic and OpenCritic scores work](/blog/2026-09-14-how-metacritic-opencritic-scores-work) covers it.

## How long is Marvel's Wolverine?

Reviewers report campaign lengths from about 13 hours to 25. IGN puts it at 15 hours and Player 2 at 16 to 18, Eurogamer Portugal calls it a 13-hour game, and PlayUA describes a 25-hour campaign. Unlike the Spider-Man games, there's little open-world side content to stretch that out, which Gaming Age counts against it at $70.

## Should you play Marvel's Wolverine?

It depends on what you want from Insomniac.

**Play it now if** you want a straight-line, story-driven action game with some of the best-feeling melee combat on PS5 and a strong lead performance. If you liked the recent God of War games or went looking for more after [Saros](/blog/2026-06-05-saros-review-critics-action-story), the combat alone will likely carry you through. Kotaku, which didn't score it, at least credits it as "a structural throwback to a simpler time when games didn't have to consume your entire life."

**Wait for a sale if** what you loved about Spider-Man was the open city, the side activities and swinging between them. There's very little of that here. Gaming Age points out that at $70, the "lack of collectibles, side quests, and the linear nature of the game" make it "a tough adamantium pill to swallow."

Whichever camp you land in, it's a game where your own taste matters more than the average. Rate it on [Perthro](https://apps.apple.com/app/perthro/id6764673686) once the credits roll and jot down whether the combat held up for you to the end. That's the question these reviews can't answer for you.

### Sources

- [Metacritic: Marvel's Wolverine](https://www.metacritic.com/game/marvels-wolverine/)
- [OpenCritic: Marvel's Wolverine](https://opencritic.com/game/17842/marvels-wolverine)
- [PlayStation Blog: Marvel's Wolverine developers discuss capturing the essence of Logan](https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/14/marvels-wolverine-developers-discuss-capturing-the-essence-of-logan-out-september-15/)
- [IGN: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.ign.com/articles/marvels-wolverine-review)
- [GameSpot: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wolverine-only-aims-as-high-as-its-stout-hero/)
- [Game Informer: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://gameinformer.com/review/marvels-wolverine/relentless-momentum)
- [Hardcore Gamer: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://hardcoregamer.com/review-marvels-wolverine/)
- [TheGamer: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.thegamer.com/marvels-wolverine-review/)
- [Push Square: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps5/marvels-wolverine)
- [VGC: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/review/marvels-wolverine-review-uninspired-gameplay-leaves-logan-feeling-declawed-despite-a-strong-narrative/)
- [Eurogamer: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.eurogamer.net/marvels-wolverine-review)
- [Giant Bomb: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://giantbomb.com/reviews/marvels-wolverine-review)
- [Polygon: Marvel's Wolverine review](https://www.polygon.com/marvels-wolverine-review/)
- [Metacritic: Marvel's Spider-Man 2](https://www.metacritic.com/game/marvels-spider-man-2/)