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Playing video games is a hobby designed to be enjoyable, so why has a wave of new Marvel's Wolverine previews been met with ridicule and slander? Despite the fact such pre-release verdicts were generally very positive, inaccurate videos have spread claims about the next PS5 exclusive that simply aren't true.

The misinformed hate has been so bad that it's gotten back to Insomniac itself, and that's not okay.

Going into this preview with the knowledge of what's happened since the initial wave of articles hit the Internet, it set up something of a rare opportunity to dispel some myths. This is my preview, but also clarification. I played the same two and a half-hour preview build other outlets were given access to, so here are some standout points from the experience along with setting the record straight on a few things.

This Is a Cinematic Action Game

Insomniac will tell you Marvel's Wolverine is an action adventure game, but in practise, it's far more the former than it is the latter.

You are primarily playing this game to tear flesh from limb as Logan.

While there are quiet moments to chat to fellow superheroes, explore a bar, or master a minigame or two, much of the campaign is structured around action-packed missions all about combat. It's streamlined compared to Marvel's Spider-Man, as Insomniac opts for a linear approach that leaves little room for optional activities and side quests.

It gets to the point.

Following a generation of open world efforts some people have fatigue from, Marvel's Wolverine offers high-quality gameplay, action, story, and visuals all at a more consistent pace than a Marvel's Spider-Man or Horizon Zero Dawn.

You need only push forward to experience it.

Combat Is the Focus, and There Are Combos

Marvel's Wolverine is not just mashing the square button, as some would want you to believe. Just like every action title since the birth of the genre, there is a basic attack button.

However, the game quickly introduces combos to perform and a skill tree provides additional abilities on top. Is it on the level of a Devil May Cry? Absolutely not. That doesn't mean it needs to be reduced to ridicule, though: Wolverine is not a single-button game; there's a good amount of depth to explore.

It's essential you engage and experiment with that depth because fighting is what a lot of the campaign will have you do. More often than not, seemingly, a combat encounter carries you from one scenario to the next. Let us hope there's enough to the system to entertain us the entire time.

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The Quick-Time Events and Button Prompts Are Not a Big Deal

Right, let's sort this out. Inaccurate and deceiving social media videos have made Marvel's Wolverine out to be a QTE-fest.

Since I played the demo this week instead of at the Insomniac Games event, I went into my session with this knowledge and wanted to actually put it to the test. I made a point of counting every single sequence of QTEs and on-screen button prompts I saw during the preview.

Across almost two and a half hours of playtime, I got six of them.

You're free to dislike them, of course, but I see very, very little issue encountering one every 20 to 30 minutes.

Stealth Is Entirely Optional

Don't worry, you don't have any Mary Jane-esque levels to moan about in Marvel's Wolverine: stealth is entirely optional in the new game.

Stealth takedowns are possible and there's grass to hide from enemies in, but this is an approach you can ignore entirely if you want. It's not a game over if you're spotted, so the focus on the mechanic has been drastically reduced.

Wolverine Has a Revive Mechanic

Compared to Spider-Man, developer Insomniac has had to work out how it handles Wolverine's regenerative abilities.

It's done this in two ways: a revive mechanic and a healing attack.

The latter is a simple one, as you strike a staggered enemy and you get a chunk of health back. The former, meanwhile, removes a chunk of your Rage meter and turns it into a revive once you lose all your health. If you don't have enough Rage to trigger a revive, then you do actually die.

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There's Scope for Character Builds

Alongside levelling up and unlocking abilities, the game has an Adaptations function that could be used to make character builds.

On this screen, you can select a certain number of Adaptations to activate, and they all relate to a different aspect of the combat system. You could make your stealth kills better or improve the Rage meter, for example.

This isn't an RPG where my Wolverine will be completely different to yours, but this is an extra layer of customisation that lets you apply flair where you want it.

Nightmare Doors Offer Challenges and Story

For some reason, some channels on social media thought to make fun of a door animation... because it's tied to an important plot point in the game: discovering Logan's past.

In reality, when you're actually playing Marvel's Wolverine, these are called Nightmare Doors. They're optional activities that provide combat and traversal challenges to complete, with gold, silver, and bronze times to beat. For completing them, you earn a sort of totem you can display within the room Nightmare Doors lead to. These little totems also come with an audio log that provides more context on the backstory of Wolverine.

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At Least 25 Suits Can Be Unlocked

It's not a superhero game without a selection of suits to pick from, and Marvel's Wolverine has at least 25 of them. A screen in the pause menu had 27 slots for suits in total, but it's possible more could appear as you progress the story. I'll say there are at least 25 suits in the game, just to be safe.

Whiskey Bottles Are Your Collectibles

Switching to a linear structure rather than utilising an open world, Marvel's Wolverine has reduced the scope of its collectibles. There are no Spider-Bots or backpacks to find, but Whiskey Bottles can be picked up and added to a little collection. These are your main form of collectibles in the game.

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Yeah, That Sentinel Boss Fight Isn't Great

The one complaint I do find myself agreeing with relates to the Sentinel boss fight featured in the previews and released footage.

You fight the torso of a gigantic robot that's trapped in rubble, and it swings at you with its arms and fires laser beams. This is a very tedious encounter with a health bar that takes forever to whittle down.

I didn't enjoy it in the moment, but I think it's worth putting this criticism into context. The boss fight comes immediately after a time skip in the demo; it starts at the very beginning of the game and then fast-forwards to this encounter at the end of act one.

This time skip automatically unlocks more abilities to use, but they're all dumped on you at once in the preview. Playing the full game, you'd have mastered these skills by the time you reach the Sentinel — it's possible this battle plays out much quicker with the understanding and experiences leading up to it under your belt.

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Marvel's Wolverine is shaping up to be another fantastic addition to Sony's prestige first-party lineup; it offers all of the high-quality gameplay, design, visuals, and fun factor you'd want from an Insomniac Games joint. My preview session had the lot — on the basis of act one, it's another PlayStation Studios masterclass.

If you enjoyed everything Insomniac Games has put out so far under PlayStation's wing, I see absolutely no reason why you wouldn't fall in love with Marvel's Wolverine. I think it's still got some ways to go to convince me it could be a proper Game of the Year contender, but then the full game is only a handful of weeks away now. We will have it all by this time next month.

Marvel's Wolverine releases for PS5 on 15th September 2026. Have you got your pre-order locked in yet? Let us know in the comments below.