I've always had a love for popcorn movies, those being movies that you go to in order to have a good time, laugh with friends, perhaps marvel at some over-the-top action or insane explosions, and then go on with your life. I am an equal opportunity cinema lover, and certainly have a similar sensibility with games.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is a game that is based on a movie (ouch), in particular a movie that gave a very generic and somewhat unnecessarily convoluted origin tale for one of the most popular comic book characters currently at large. Hey, I saw the movie twice, because I'm a comic book fan and I'm easy to please, but let's be serious....it was no Dark Knight or Spider-Man 2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is a game that is better than the movie (which is exceedingly rare), and is on the whole, pretty damn fun.
You play the adamantium-laced Wolverine ala Hugh Jackman as you play through an interpretation of the events of the movie. There are unlockable costumes (Classic and X-Force are personal faves, but all are legit), upgradable skills, customizable and collectable mutagens, which enhance some of Wolverine's ability's such as healing factor, or provide static boosts to damage reduction, or rage capacity. There is just enough customization in Wolverine to let you feel as if you have some say in your playing style, though not enough to satisfy hardcore rpg enthusiasts.
The action in X-Men Origins: Wolverine is primal and unforgettable. While the corridor crawls might seem boring at times, there are enough cinematic bursts and interactive battles to leave some lasting impressions of grandeur. Jumping midair from helicopter to helicopter while eviscerating soldiers is just one example. One thing that X-Men Origins: Wolverine does gloriously, is put you in the role of an ultimate badass. By the middle of the game, you know you're the man and you really start to inhabit the animalistic, murderous, revenge-driven mentality of Weapon X.
Sure, X-Men Origins: Wolverine does not add a lot to the action/adventure/gorefest genre, nor does it push the envelope with customization or backstory, but has intense action sequences and a no-excuse, in-your-face playstyle that carries from start to finish.
The Verdict: If you love action MOVIES, you will love this action GAME. It's a popcorn game, but easily one of the better popcorn games available. Wolverine would have fun playing this, if he wasn't busy killing someone/something.
