KMGR of "Wolverine"

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Wolverine gets his own game... Is it any good? I don't think so. There's also this section I found troubling... As it's out of character. In the end, it's not that good of a game.

The game follows the plot of the movie... Wolverine is out to seek revenge against Stryker. However, the game starts with his escape from the Weapon X lab. That is relatively easy, so you can get your bearings. While Wolverine is pretty darn tough, he is not indestructible. To make it more "arcade-y", they added "X" throughout levels so you can collect and unlock additional "moves", as well as "mutagens" (green globs) you can collect to enhance your attack and regen powers.

The game is standard "platform" with a bit of beat-em'up thrown-in. Wolverine has just his claws. He can crouch and attack low, or stand and attack high. He's supposed to have a fatality move, but it's harder to execute than it sounds, and additional moves can be "purchased" later by collecting the X-men X's around the various levels. He can jump, glide down long tubes by using his claws as drag brakes, climb ledges, climb down ledges, break some floors by jumping up to a hang point and drop..., roll from a crouch, and so on.

Enemies do vary a bit. You start with standard "truncheon" armed troops, then came machine-gun armed troops, some of whom can rappel in. Later you will find snipers (who shoot you from a distance, and you need to run up and kill them). I'm sure later you'll find even worse enemies. There are also various booby traps. The laser tripwires are the worst, esp. those also armed with shape charges. One charge will kill even Logan.

One control most will overlook is the "defend" key. It is usually not used when you're fighting troops, but when fighting other mutants, as you see them as "level bosses", you'll find that this game just became ridiculously difficult. For example, in the first "boss" fight, you need to defeat "The Blob" to get information about Stryker's whereabouts. Unfortunately, the Blob is a HUGE guy that can beat even Logan into a pulp... if Logan let him. One must use defend properly to interrupt a mutant's attack to even score any damage.

For example, in chapter 4 you need to "infiltrate" Three Mile Island, where Stryker is hiding. Yes, I said infiltrate. When has Logan infiltrated ANYTHING? He just bashes right in. What's more, in this game you must kill NO MORE THAN THREE SOLDIERS. ARGH! You can't be seen either, else you'll have to kill the guy before you got discovered, but that goes on your kill count! ARGH! What's worse, there are some places that you can't get pass without killing the guy! Even more ARGH!

Sorry, but I'm stuck on level 4 and I can't figure a way around it.

Controls are sometimes a bit stiff, and the special moves like "death strike" are a bit to execute. Jumps are a bit hard to make too. The problem is mainly in the mutant fights. You have to DEFEND, then counter-attack to hurt a mutant, and a mutant can regen. So you pretty much have to figure out the other mutants attack and defense pattern, and fit your defense and attack into his pattern. Thus, the game becomes a rhythmic key tap game, not a fighting game. Not to mention that the other mutants heal faster than you. ARGH!

Sorry, this game is just way too hard, and when has Wolverine been stealthy about anything?

Overall rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Art is good, decent level design
Cons: Out of character, mutant combat is TEDIOUS