Insomniac Games has spent years building some of PlayStation’s most accessible superhero games.
Marvel’s Wolverine looks like it is about to break that pattern.
A recent hands-on session published by PlayStation offered a much clearer look at the game’s combat, exploration and story, and one thing stands out immediately:
This is not Spider-Man with claws.
It is faster, heavier and significantly more violent.
Marvel’s Wolverine launches on September 15, 2026 for PS5, and the latest preview suggests Insomniac is leaning heavily into Logan’s aggression rather than trying to soften the character for a broader superhero audience.
Wolverine does not fight like a superhero
The biggest difference appears to be movement.
Wolverine can launch himself directly at enemies across a room, quickly closing distance before transitioning into close-range attacks.
Combat revolves around building his rage meter, which progresses through multiple tiers and increases his effectiveness as a fight continues. At higher rage levels, attacks become more powerful and brutal critical strikes become available.
There are also unlockable Special Techniques such as Tornado Spin and Knee Breaker, along with Adaptations that improve longer-term abilities including health and rage.
That sounds much closer to controlled aggression than the acrobatic crowd management of Marvel’s Spider-Man.
And that distinction is important.
Wolverine should feel dangerous.
Rage is not the only option
Interestingly, the game does not appear to rely completely on aggression.
Logan can also use Enhanced Senses to track enemies and approach encounters more carefully.
Some enemies use Ability Inhibitors that temporarily prevent Wolverine and his allies from relying on their powers, forcing players to fight without his usual healing capabilities until the device is destroyed.
That kind of mechanic could stop combat from becoming a constant cycle of rushing into enemies and healing through damage.
The hands-on preview also included a fight against a Sentinel Prototype that required more patience, with players needing to dodge, parry and wait for openings rather than simply overpowering the enemy.
There is more here than combat
The most promising part may actually be everything happening between fights.
The story brings Wolverine together with characters including Mystique, Sabretooth and Jean Grey, while Bolivar Trask serves as a major threat to mutants.
Players will also be able to explore areas such as Madripoor’s Lowtown, listen in on conversations using Enhanced Senses, discover upgrade materials and find collectible whisky bottles.
There are even Nightmare Doors, which transport Wolverine into surreal timed challenges connected to lost memories from his past.
That suggests Insomniac is not building a simple combat corridor around a famous Marvel character.
There is exploration, optional storytelling and character development here.
This could be the game where Insomniac changes its image
Insomniac is already one of PlayStation’s most reliable studios.
But Marvel’s Wolverine has the opportunity to show another side of the developer.
Less clean.
Less heroic.
More uncomfortable.
Logan is a character defined as much by guilt, anger and violence as he is by heroism, and the early material suggests Insomniac understands that.
The question is whether the final game can maintain that identity for an entire campaign.
Right now, the answer looks promising.
Marvel’s Wolverine releases September 15, 2026 on PS5.
LUDAVIO — The Player’s Perspective.