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Coming into “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” I wasn’t expecting much more than an achievement run. The nicest thing I had heard about the game was that it wasn’t “as terrible as you would think”.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement. I probably would have skipped this game entirely except  young Masterlookas had decided to declare Gamerscore War. I needed whatever points I could get and I was not above playing a little movie game for a quick 500 points.

I popped the game into my console with a hint of trepidation. I always feel a little guilty when I play a game just so I can get the points, but this was war! The game starts off with Wolverine skydiving through the air without a parachute and just before he slams into the ground the camera panned around as the action slows way down so you can watch some hapless soldier get obliterated in a shower of blood. The title popped up with a flourish and I grinned maniacally. Maybe there was something to this after all.

This is the best Wolverine game. Period.

Other Wolverine games have fallen into either the brawler camp or the platforming camp and have never really given you the feeling that you are Wolverine. Origins takes a slightly different approach that seems to feel more like a God of War game. The action is brutal, bloody, and over the top. This is the first time that a game makes you actually feel and understand why Wolverine is the best at what he does. You will kill more people than cigarettes. You will decapitate more people than the French Revolution. You will eviscerate more people than an Eviscerating Machine. You get the idea.

Your main combat tools are obviously your claws, but in addition to the requisite slashes and strikes, Wolverine can utilize strategically located spikes and spears or even forklifts to impale his enemies. You also have a variety of special moves that require you to build up your fury meter. This is accomplished by destroying objects in the environment or by stabbing fools. Wolverine’s other main asset is his health regeneration which the game shows off quite graphically as your flesh will be blasted away to the bone, only to grow back.

The best move in the game is called the lunge. Wolvie targets an enemy and basically jumps through the air, plunging his claws into the enemy. It is a simple attack that is completely satisfying. I never got tired of flying through the air to stab one guy and then, in a flash, target the next and bounce over to him for some stabbing. When everything is flowing properly, you become a pinball of death, which is even cooler than it sounds like.

There were a few technical issues with the game that hold it back from classic status. The platforming, while not extensive by any means, is a chore and a bore. It is not always clear what you can reach with jumping. At a couple of points in the game, I was jumping from a box underneath the platform I needed to get to, but I couldn’t quite make it. Frustrated, I went to the other side of the room to grab another box of the exact same height and dimensions (Future scientists are still puzzling out why this box worked when the exact same box on the other side couldn’t). I can’t wait for the day lazy developers realize yanking a box to the other side of a room is not a puzzle. I want to stab people in the face, not redecorate.

I also had to restart two separate boss fights because the game glitched out on me. Instead of the climactic Sentinel face stabbing I had earned, I was treated to a close up of  the Sentinel’s rear, while Wolverine ate laser blasts to the face. Not a total deal breaker because I was having so much fun, but I do feel it is a big enough issue to mention it.

I do want to stress how much fun I had with the game. It really makes you feel like a pissed off Wolverine. I do have to mention, though, that the game is definitely not for children. Even if they love X-Men cartoons, keep in mind this one earns its Mature rating.

The small rough patches are more than made up for with the stylish, brutal ultra-violence. If that sounds like your kind of thing then I can whole-heartedly recommend it.

Tags: action, brawler, gamerscore, marvel comics, ps3, Wolverine, X Men, X-Men Origins, X-Men Origins Wolverine, Xbox 360

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 9:12 am and is filed under Game Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.