X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review

He’s the best at what he does…

X-Men Origins: Wolverine has a lot going for it, especially since the game officially falls into that ill-fated category of movie tie-in. Not only does it let you control one of comic’s greatest anti-heroes but it allows you to do so with a great deal of flair, control, and bloody violence. This is a hero whose entire arsenal is a set of adamantium coated claws and serious attitude, which begs the question; just how many ways can you slice and dice a human opponent?

To this end, the developers utilized a graphics engine that hits home just how insanely dangerous Logan really is as he tears through a literal army of opponents. Kill animations are bloody and amazingly varied with virtually nothing held back as you sever heads, impale chests, gouge eyes and tear enemies completely in half before flinging their bloody entrails at surrounding opponents. Another amazing effect is Logan’s mutant regeneration ability which looks absolutely fantastic on screen. You’ll probably find yourself taking even more damage than you normally would just so you can see how detailed Logan’s innards are while staring in awe as muscle, tissues and skin regenerate before your very eyes.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a set of stainless steel steak knives!

Strangely, while the opening pre-rendered cinematic is gorgeous, throughout the game the developers decide to utilize a grainy and less sharp version of the Unreal Engine to construct cut scenes. Its seems like a really odd move as the in-game cut scenes are flawless while these pre-made bits are so blurry that it seriously takes you out of the game.

Combat is the name of the game here, and this is also where Wolverine really shines. The control system is balanced so that you can get through with simple slice and uppercut combos while still remaining complex enough to execute stunning counters and vicious Fury attacks. You are given an amazing assortment of combat techniques to begin with, with the afore-mentioned Fury attacks unlocking and becoming more powerful as you level up Logan throughout the game. The leveling aspect also plays into character traits (called Mutagens) that you discover throughout the game and activate whenever the situation calls for it. Fell free to swap out a skill enhancing Mutagen mid-fight for a health boosting Mutagen when surrounded by a horde of enemy soldiers while a powerful mini-boss may require you to equip a Rage enhancement that will lengthen Fury attacks. This variety in combat choice coupled with the ability to level up specific attributes as you see fit really enhances the experience and puts the player in control.

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?

If the game has one weakness, it would have to be its cinematic roots. Having not seen the film myself as of yet, everything I’m saying comes from three X-Men movies worth of knowledge and several days spent playing this title. A lot of the story elements are complex and creative, with mission segments interspersed with flashbacks which tie into an overall subplot that explains Logan’s twisted history with Sabretooth and the Weapon X Program. There are several great nods to the comic continuity in the form of interesting facts displayed during load screens, several characters who make an appearance and an entire level centering around the creation of the infamous Sentinels. Still, the story tends to drag, and after a while the Africa flashbacks become way too repetitive. The fact that boss battles are mostly made up of the same enemy type and generic combat strategy also makes for a tedious time. There also gaping plot holes and tidbits of back-story sprinkled throughout which apparently have no role in the ultimate outcome whatsoever, leaving me feeling worn out and a bit underwhelmed.

The level designs unfortunately contribute to this sense of slowness as you often find yourself either backtracking or venturing through re-hashes of previous environments that have been minorly tweaked to avoid confusion (hint: its still confusing). Still, it was great getting a look behind the scenes of the Alkali Lake Complex that we saw so much of in the films while the jungles of Africa proved to be surprisingly creative compared to the grays and subdued hues of most of the other levels.

Brotherly love…

The voice acting is pretty good with Hugh Jackman really bringing his character to life, while the character designs and enemy units are varied enough to keep you intrigued and visually stimulated. There are a lot of amazing blockbuster moments spread over the course of the game and whether you are dodging aerial missiles, bringing down military helicopters or lunging from moving humvees, there’s always something bigger, crazier, and deadlier for Logan just around the corner. Wolverine is unstoppable, and the game drives this point home like an adamantium plated sledgehammer.

So, for all of its amazing commitment to combat, action, and all around ass-kickery, Wolverine still manages to stumble thanks to a few minor yet consistent flaws. However, this is a title which deserves some attention as it is helping to foster a general movement to create movie tie-in titles that worth a gamer’s hard earned coin. If you’re an X-Men or Wolverine fan you probably aren’t even reading this because you’ve already picked this bad-boy up and are causing mass mayhem. If you’re suffering some summertime blues and are looking for an action game to sink some time into you’d be hard-pressed to find a more awesome alternative. So give this one a whirl, bub. It’s a game with guts, even if most of the characters end up with theirs spread all over the floor.

360Sync does not offer a score, but instead gives insight on the game. Only one person can make a decision if you should rent, buy or avoid a game, and the person is ultimately you. However, we can give you as much insight as possible, and answer as many questions that you have.