X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review

Raven Software's depiction of Wolverine has more in common with slasher-flick icon Freddy Krueger than the PG-13 hero Marvel Comics has portrayed in its movies and cartoons. Where the two identities differ is in the follow-through of his claw attack. The family-friendly Wolverine has been known to take a life from time to time, but rarely will you see any blood on the adamantium. Raven's version applies real-world consequences to flesh meeting razor-sharp blades. Most fights conclude with impaled faces, cleanly amputated limbs, and environments doused in buckets of blood. Wolverine's healing factor is also explored on a graphic level. Bullets tear holes into his flesh, and a rocket blast exposes bones, muscles, and a mess of organs. As time passes, his wounds heal – a process backed by amazing visual effects.

Violence is the driving force behind this experience. Raven did a fantastic job of exploring the untamed animal in Wolverine, and left few stones unturned in searching for creative ways for him to kill, or in turn, be subject to excruciating pain. I don't think there's been a character in video games that has taken this much punishment. What a strange joy it is watch him rise from a disfigured mess to exact unfettered revenge.

The gameplay that accompanies these acts channels a high level of intensity, and empowers the player with the feeling that nothing can stop a six-clawed crusade. That's not to say the game is easy, but I did find myself doing things that I normally wouldn't in games, simply because I knew Wolverine would regenerate health in seconds. I punched explosive barrels to take out a group of enemies in one blast, and let bosses have their way with me just so I could see the cool beat down animations that accompany their move sets.

Watching Wolverine get his ass kicked is admittedly fun, but doling out the pain is a more satisfying affair. He moves with the grace of a lion and can tap into a number of beautifully orchestrated combos to dispatch enemies. Alternating between buttons forms deadly strings, and charging an attack will launch your enemy into the air, where a killer aerial combo can be initiated. This game also has a satisfying throw mechanic. Enemies don't magically block your throw attempts, and can be dispatched in a number of ways, like being picked up and slammed down on a spike. The most satisfying means of attack comes from Air Wolverine's ability to pounce upon foes from great distances. This action features an easy-to-use lock-on targeting system that allows the player to cover ground quickly, and bounce strategically across the battlefield. Altogether, the combat sizzles with excitement, and proves to be a worthy ­competitor to other games in the genre like God of War and Devil May Cry.

Most of the enemy types are fun to combat, but frustration does sink in when a mid-boss surfaces. The mid-bosses are exercises in repetitive tactics and nipping away at health bars. Fighting them once or twice is fine, but battling them every 15 minutes or so is overkill.

The game also dabbles lightly in puzzles tied to locked doors. Before you let out an earth-shaking groan, it should be noted that most of these puzzles are either creative in composition or so short in their solving that they don't impact the experience. They serve their purpose of breaking up the action, but don't feel like they are included just to give the player a breather.

If this game had a definable Achilles' heel, it would be the storytelling. With flashbacks, flash-forwards, and what might even be flash-sideways, the narrative is a knotted mess. The last two acts, centering on the movie versions of Gambit and Deadpool, are mind-numbing atrocities. If I could play this game again, I would stop playing after the Sentinel battle, as it is a far better conclusion. 

The story jumps the shark, and manages to mangle two of Marvel's most cherished characters in the process. The game may lose steam as it goes, but the excellent combat still makes it worth the price of admission.