X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition Preview

As many comic book fanatics will tell you, Wolverine is not only one of the most beloved characters from Marvel’s X-Men universe, but also one of the most popular in the history of comics. The character’s mix of cool powers, gruff bravado, and a troubled backstory make him a character that is compelling to read about and watch on screen, thanks in part to Hugh Jackman’s great characterization of the hero. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Wolverine is gearing up to get his own film, titled X-Men Origins: Wolverine, set to release this May. Additionally, Activision and developer Raven Software are hard at work at a video game based on the upcoming film.

At a recent event held for the game by Activision, GameZone was given the chance to check out the game and see what it has to offer over previous depictions of the hero. The game’s presentation is certainly different from what people have come to expect from a Wolverine game, or any comic book character for that matter, opting for a more mature take than other superhero-based games, complete with dismemberments and gallons of blood. It’s certainly a gamble, but in the case of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I can say that it pays off.

The gameplay in Wolverine has more in common with God of War than it does previous X-Men games, with ample amounts of carnage and tons of enemies to face at once. As the developers wanted the game to be a fun and realistic portrayal of Wolverine, they made the decision to not “nerf” his claws as previous games featuring him had and give them the power and ability that they should have. This means that you’ll be able to slice up enemies in a variety of ways, including beheading them, hacking off limbs, and spraying blood all over the place. Needless to say, Wolverine is looking to carry an M rating.

The section of the game that we played took us through some flashback sequences in Africa, following Wolverine as he’s in a special ops mission, and then cut forward to the aftermath of the Weapon X project, which gave the hero his Adamantium skeleton.

Wolverine will be able to perform a variety of great moves, including combos, nasty finishers, and an awesome lunge move that allows you to pounce on your enemies quickly and brutally, which is really fun to pull off. You’ll also have access to Wolverine’s feral senses, allowing you to spot points of interest and even track enemies through stages.

Graphically, the game looks pretty sharp with brightly lit environments and great character models that look like their on-film counterparts. The principal actors like Jackman and Liev Schreiber (who plays the villainous Sabretooth) look great and are well animated. The sound effects are also very good; featuring some well done voice acting by certain members of the film’s cast, including Jackman and Schreiber.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is shaping up to be a fun and engaging game with brutal combat and fun gameplay that finally lives up to the hero from which it derives its namesake. Look for it to launch alongside the film this May.