Marvel's Wolverine has the right to bring back X-Men Origins' nastiest idea

One of the most exciting aspects of Marvel's Wolverine is that it brings Logan's gruesome and reality-defying healing abilities back into the spotlight, and it's sure to be a fun return for X-Men fans who have memories of watching X-Men Origins: Wolverine for the first time. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is definitely not the first step in the franchise to showcase Logan's regenerative powers, but it is a standout in the franchise. Even if Marvel's Wolverine will definitely draw inspiration from a variety of Logan-led stories, X-Men Origins: Wolverines influence is crystal clear.

Over the years, Wolverine has quickly become one of the most popular Marvel characters. His standing as one of Marvel's most tragic anti-heroes makes Logan a deeply compelling character who highlights that just because someone has superpowers doesn't mean they always handle them well. Not every Marvel Comics character got to have Peter Parker's life-changing “With great power comes great responsibility speech,” and Logan's long and messy past highlights the gray area that lies in a superhero-filled world. His regenerative powers are a reflection of his messiness, and Marvel's Wolverine is right to make it a focal point of the game.

Marvel's Wolverine's healing ability has some serious X-Men origins: Wolverine vibes

Throughout X-Men Origins: Wolverines story, Logan's healing powers are on full display. Whether it's Wolverine fighting Deadpool or getting shot in World War II, he takes beating after beating, only to come back for another round. The scene that best highlights how strong Logan's powers are, however, is when Stryker shoots him in the head with an Adamantium bullet. This would be enough to kill most mutants, but Logan is able to regenerate and survive such a fatal shot.

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This is still a point of contention with many Marvel fans. X-Men Origins: Wolverine definitely makes some bold decisions with Marvel's Wolverine lore, but the bullet scene was at least memorable, even if it was controversial. Logan goes through hell both mentally and physically in this movie, and Marvel's Wolverines take on the character can hopefully highlight that by showing how traumatic the character's healing factor really is.

Marvel's Wolverine's Regeneration may not be perfectly executed, but it's necessary

During the recent Sony State of Play, Wolverine's healing powers were one of the main features showcased. As exciting as seeing this ability in action was, it also brought into focus a big question. It kind of breaks the immersion. Not only does Logan heal when injured, but his suit also repairs itself.

Seeing this for the first time during the Sony State of Play sneak peek was incredibly jarring. But it is also the necessary approach to such a mechanic. If Wolverine's costume was going to be as immersive as possible, he probably wouldn't be wearing a costume at all when the game's credits rolled. Every stab, scrape and hit would eventually wear away until there was nothing left. So even if this aspect of Marvel's Wolverines gameplay tasks players with some suspension of disbelief, needed to keep the character's visual integrity intact.

Logan's Regeneration in Marvel's Wolverine really lets the character's brutality shine through

Insomniac Games could have easily created a version of the game where Logan's injury is reflected by just blood splatter and his health bar draining. However, taking the extra step of actually showing every cut and stab shape and heal is the extra dose of brutality the game needs to make it as intense as possible. Of course, there is an option to censor Marvel's Wolverinebut making the base version of the game an overly gory mess makes it feel like an actual playable Wolverine comic book.

Marvel's Wolverines combat looks downright dope, and the healing abilities are the cherry on top that brings it all together. The level of bloodshed that follows Logan may not be for every Marvel fan, but it's an integral part of his character. The violence he is capable of is what makes him such a compelling character, as it creates a constant internal struggle. Logan is a killing machine, and he is fully aware that this puts a lot of weight on his shoulders, as these powers can easily be used for chaos instead of trying to fight for the greater good.

The long wait for Marvel's Wolverine is finally coming to an end

• Marvel's Wolverine will be released on September 15.
• The game will be exclusive to PS5 only, without a PC release.

Marvel's Wolverine joins the ranks of Sony exclusives not coming to PC. While this is bad news for PC gamers who enjoyed Sony's single-player ports, the good news is that the game is finally almost here after years of theories and speculation. After Insomniac Games' infamous data breach by hackers in 2023, many have been eager to finally get their hands on Marvel's Wolverine.

The wait for Marvel's Wolverines release date may be a few months away, but it's the closest gamers have ever been. There are a lot of great games coming out in September, so it will be interesting to see which one comes out the best for the month. Games like The Blood of Dawnwalker bring a new IP to the table, while Control resonant and Silent Hill: Townfall expand their franchises in bold new ways. It's going to be a stacked month, though Marvel's Wolverine feels like the clear frontrunner, simply because of the name recognition and the amount of hype and intrigue that has surrounded it for so many years.

System

Released

September 15, 2026

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases

Publisher

Sony Interactive Entertainment