X-Men Origins: Wolverine
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I went into Wolverine with low expectations. Movie games don’t have the best track record, with almost every major movie release accompanied by an appalling game tie-in made in less than a year and sent out the door to be bought by millions of unaware fans. It is for this reason that many people probably won't even give Wolverine a second look. But those people are really missing out!
Yes, Wolverine is a game based off of a movie, but the developers got this one right. The fact that they started the game before the movie and had a much longer than usual development cycle (for a movie game) rescues the game from the puddle of terrible licensed games and gives it legs strong enough to fight with the likes of God of War and Devil May Cry. The extra time shows in every aspect of the game, from the solid art direction to the fairly fleshed out RPG elements that keep the combat fresh and exciting.
The combat is some of the most brutal slicing you'll experience in the genre. It goes above and beyond the current iterations of God of War and carves out its own unique style in the pantheon of action games. You get experience for each kill, which can be spent on upgrades to your claws, health, abilities and other stats. Killing enemies never gets old because of the variety of moves Wolverine can employ. You'll be lunging from enemy to enemy, tearing off limbs, pounding faces into the ground and using the environment to eviscerate, impale and otherwise destroy everyone standing in your way. As you fight, Wolverine’s body is literally torn apart, revealing the adamantium skeleton underneath. The effect adds to the gory combat and illustrates how much of a badass Wolverine is.
The story is a bit weak, but it suffices to push you through the game and some of the cinematics are interesting enough to hold your attention. The story doesn't matter though when you're fighting a robot that stands 100 feet tall or using a helicopter blade as a human-blender.
Overall, Wolverine is a surprisingly fun and addictive game that came out of left field and now sits on a throne slightly below the juggernauts of the genre. Its RPG elements, secrets and unlockables will go a long way in keeping you occupied. Just be warned, this game gives you exactly what you'd expect from a pissed off ex-militant with no fear of death and claws jutting from his hands. The game is brutal.
Yes, Wolverine is a game based off of a movie, but the developers got this one right. The fact that they started the game before the movie and had a much longer than usual development cycle (for a movie game) rescues the game from the puddle of terrible licensed games and gives it legs strong enough to fight with the likes of God of War and Devil May Cry. The extra time shows in every aspect of the game, from the solid art direction to the fairly fleshed out RPG elements that keep the combat fresh and exciting.
The combat is some of the most brutal slicing you'll experience in the genre. It goes above and beyond the current iterations of God of War and carves out its own unique style in the pantheon of action games. You get experience for each kill, which can be spent on upgrades to your claws, health, abilities and other stats. Killing enemies never gets old because of the variety of moves Wolverine can employ. You'll be lunging from enemy to enemy, tearing off limbs, pounding faces into the ground and using the environment to eviscerate, impale and otherwise destroy everyone standing in your way. As you fight, Wolverine’s body is literally torn apart, revealing the adamantium skeleton underneath. The effect adds to the gory combat and illustrates how much of a badass Wolverine is.
The story is a bit weak, but it suffices to push you through the game and some of the cinematics are interesting enough to hold your attention. The story doesn't matter though when you're fighting a robot that stands 100 feet tall or using a helicopter blade as a human-blender.
Overall, Wolverine is a surprisingly fun and addictive game that came out of left field and now sits on a throne slightly below the juggernauts of the genre. Its RPG elements, secrets and unlockables will go a long way in keeping you occupied. Just be warned, this game gives you exactly what you'd expect from a pissed off ex-militant with no fear of death and claws jutting from his hands. The game is brutal.
