- Primary Subject: Marvel's Wolverine (Summer Game Fest Extended Gameplay Demo)
- Key Update: Following the highly anticipated extended gameplay reveal at Summer Game Fest in early June 2026, fans are deeply divided over the title's rigid combat pacing and conservative approach to environmental gore.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: June 9, 2026
- Quick Answer: Marvel's Wolverine is an upcoming mature-rated action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games, scheduled to release on September 15, 2026, exclusively for PlayStation 5.
Sony's most recent State of Play graced us with many great reveals, and fans have every right to be happy. Many attention-grabbing game announcements were made, such as God of War Laufey, Until Dawn 2, and Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis, just to name a few.
However, among them, there is one that many looked forward to more than the rest, given that it was teased since 2021 and has finally become more public since: Marvel's Wolverine. During the event, an official gameplay reveal trailer for the game was shown, and, looks-wise, it is visually stunning.
There's no doubt that it's eye-catching, but I believe that's the only thing that it has going for it. After watching the gameplay trailer, I can confidently say that there are signs that Marvel's Wolverine will likely be something completely mediocre instead of a game that would make us want more.
Now, what were the things that signal potential disappointment? First, it's the combat. During the gameplay trailer, Wolverine is seen taking on a bunch of mooks to showcase the kind of fights we should expect throughout our playthrough in the future. While the titular character proves that he can dish out a beating, the problem is that the way he does so feels a little stiff.
When he engages the enemy, instead of a fluid motion of swipes and punches that you probably might expect, he doles out blows one at a time. In between the hits he deals, there is a very brief pause, and while that may not seem like a big deal to most people, I believe it heavily impacts the overall combat flow.
Again, with how brutal Wolverine's fighting style is expected to be, you would think that you would be enjoying smooth fights that make it feel like you're in a constant state of frenzy. Instead, it seems that we will be getting a combat system that requires you to layer in a series of inputs to deal the most damage possible, given the short delays between blows.
Perhaps it's to make the combat system akin to stringing together combos in fighting games, and while that can lead to some cool moments, it can also ruin the enjoyment. Again, it affects the overall flow, as instead of going all out, you have to time inputs or seriously consider which moves you need to layer together to deal the most damage. With the likelihood of people not wanting to do that, given the commonly known combat style of the character, they'll likely just pick whatever allows them to fight without thinking too much, which can be limiting, and even boring and repetitive in the long run.
The next sign is the overall violence. It is great that Marvel's Wolverine didn't hold back on the blood that you expect from a character that's known to drown so much in, but that's the most gore you can expect. Yes, you get to stick your claws into people during combat, but the way you do so feels like Insomniac Games is still playing it safe, despite the mature rating.
You would think that you would be able to slice open different parts of an opponent's body, or rip them off clean, or even mangle them so badly they would be unrecognizable, given the living weapon that is Wolverine. That's not what happens, and instead, you just inflict repeated stab wounds, with the gushes of blood being the most obvious indication that you're doing so.
Sure, you get to see a few wounds here and there on the bodies, but it's not the gory mess you should be making with the Adamantium claws. Some of the cutscenes seem to depict the violence that the gameplay sorely lacks, which makes it more confusing and disappointing as to why we didn't get to see that during the trailer's combat, if it's even going to be there at all.
The last sign that makes me believe Marvel's Wolverine will be a disappointment is the comeback mechanic. When watching the gameplay trailer, you'll notice that there is a three-barred meter. You build it up by simply attacking enemies, and the more you do so, the more damage you deal at the cost of lowering your healing factor.
It also has another benefit, which is being able to use one of the filled bars to give you a second chance should your health be fully depleted. So, it essentially means that you have three opportunities to prevent a game over. This can be seen as a good thing by fans, but I believe it will work against the overall experience.
Due to the multiple chances and how easy it seems to fill the bars, players can go ham without thinking too much of the consequences. This goes against the designed combat system, where you're supposed to think more about how to layer your actions for maximum efficiency, making it feel pointless.
It can also make the game much easier than intended, given that players won't exactly have to worry too much about starting over with the ease with which they can gain multiple lives. Perhaps there will be modes that make the difficulty much harder, but even then, the comeback mechanic may be too strong that they won't matter.
We were given a lot to show what to expect from Marvel's Wolverine, and it's a shame that what we received is a trailer that makes us think of what's wrong with it instead of what we should be happy about. Perhaps the experience will be much better than what was shown, but for now, I can only dread what's coming.
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