Marvel’s Wolverine Lets You Hunt for Upgrades, Collect Whiskey, and Face Logan’s Nightmares

Insomniac Games is taking a different approach with Marvel’s Wolverine than it did with its Spider-Man titles. Rather than dropping players into a sprawling open world, Wolverine’s adventure is built as a more traditional, story-focused single-player experience designed to keep Logan moving from one major narrative beat to the next.

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to discover outside the main path, though. Players will be able to explore optional areas, search for valuable resources, unlock new suits, and tackle additional combat challenges along the way.

“It is a story-driven adventure,” senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed told IGN. “Logan is pulled through uncovering these mysteries of his past. But you can go off the beaten path.”

Exploring Off the Beaten Path

While Marvel’s Wolverine won’t feature the kind of open-world structure seen in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac is still giving players reasons to explore.

One of those reasons is whiskey.

Bottles of Logan’s favorite hard liquor can be discovered hidden throughout the game’s stages, and collecting them will actually help Wolverine become more powerful. It’s a fitting collectible for the character, especially considering his famous healing factor.

In Marvel lore, Logan’s regenerative abilities allow his body to process alcohol at an extraordinary rate. That means it takes an enormous amount of booze to keep Wolverine drunk, as his body rapidly deals with the toxins.

Players will also encounter material crates containing raw resources. These materials can be used to acquire additional suits, giving the progression system some similarities to the costume-unlocking mechanics found in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Nightmare Doors Take Wolverine Inside His Own Mind

Not every optional activity involves searching environments for collectibles.

One of the more intriguing additions is the Nightmare Door system, which takes players directly into Logan’s troubled psyche.

Insomniac describes these encounters as “manifestations of the horrible things” inside Wolverine’s head. Each Nightmare Door presents Logan with its own trials to overcome, potentially offering some of the game’s more unusual and psychologically driven sequences.

The concept sounds somewhat reminiscent of the Mysterio challenges in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, although Wolverine’s version appears to have a much darker and more personal theme.

New Game Plus Lets Wolverine Cut Loose

Finishing the campaign won’t necessarily mean Logan’s adventure is over.

Marvel’s Wolverine will include New Game Plus, allowing players to begin another playthrough while carrying over their progression and entire loadout.

Insomniac has teased that “some fun things” happen during New Game Plus. Certain sections will become more challenging, while others are designed to give players an opportunity to unleash Wolverine with the full arsenal of abilities and upgrades they accumulated during their first run.

That should give players a reason to return after the credits, particularly those who want to experience early encounters again with a fully powered-up Logan.

A Familiar Insomniac Formula With a Wolverine Twist

While some of these systems will feel familiar to anyone who has played Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, the studio appears to be adapting those ideas around Wolverine’s personality, history, and considerably more brutal fighting style.

GameSpot managing editor Tamoor Hussain highlighted that balance after playing the game:

“It’s undeniable that Insomniac’s take on Logan is firmly planted in familiar game design, but Wolverine is clearly doing more than just fitting a typical story of the character in it.”

Between optional exploration, suit materials, whiskey collectibles, Nightmare Doors, and New Game Plus, Marvel’s Wolverine appears to offer plenty for players who want to spend additional time with Logan beyond simply following the main storyline.

Marvel’s Wolverine Arrives on PS5 September 15

The wait for Insomniac’s next Marvel adventure is almost over. Marvel’s Wolverine launches for PlayStation 5 on September 15.

Sony is also marking the release with a collection of Wolverine-themed hardware. A limited-edition Marvel’s Wolverine PS5 bundle is on the way alongside matching console covers and a new DualSense wireless controller inspired by the game.

For players planning to dive into Logan’s latest adventure at launch, there should be plenty to do beyond following the claws straight toward the next story mission.