X-Men Origins: Wolverine

 Review

Common Sense Media says

M-rated video game is far more violent than the movie.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a review of the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC version of the video game adaptation of the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which is much more violent than the PG-13 movie and has earned an "M" rating from the ESRB. Using his metal claws, Wolverine brutally kills enemies in a variety of ways, from chopping their heads off to decapitating them at the waist. During one scene, Wolverine takes a helicopter pilot and pushes his head up into a moving propeller. Blood splatters across the screen, and limbs are often seen flying. Players will hear some cursing. Families looking for less violence in a Wolverine video game should consider the versions of X-Men Origins: Wolverine created for the Wii, PS2, and PSP which are "T"-rated. There is also a X-Men Origins: Wolverine for the DS which is rated E+10.

  • Wolverine is a character who solves his problems by using extreme violence.
  • Unlike the movie, the game is very violent. Using his metal claws, Wolverine lops off heads, arms, and legs.  During one scene, he takes a helicopter pilot and shoves his head into the moving propeller.  Blood spews after every kill. Wolverine has "beserker" moves which allow him to kill many enemies in a short time. Also, when Wolverine is injured, players can see skin burning off when on fire or see his skeleton.  When his regeneration kicks in, the wounds slowly close up.
  • Not applicable.

What's it about?

While the movie can be enjoyed by audiences age 13 and over, don't assume the same for the video game release of X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, an extremely violent action game. Similar to the film, the game focuses on how Wolverine turned into the ultimate human weapon, including where he inherited his metal skeleton. It also delves a bit into the relationship between the X-Men member and rival Victor Creed, better known as Sabretooth.

Of course, Wolverine's signature feature are his razor-sharp metal claws, which he uses to brutally kill enemies. Players can string together attacks using a series of button presses, or deliver special moves such as a Claw Spin or Claw Drill. Wolverine also uses feral senses, during which the screen blurs and a blue line points players to the right path. Harmful and helpful items in the environments are also highlighted with reds and greens respectively. Wolverine's health is represented by a life gauge -- a heart inside a red circle -- and a red regeneration meter. When the meter empties, Wolverine's regeneration is ineffective, and foes can chip away at his life gauge. Damage dealt to Wolverine involves some gore. Flesh burns off his body when set on fire, often showing parts of his skeleton. When he heals, players can see the wounds close up.


Is it any good?

 

For mature players, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a simple yet satisfying action game. While the game focuses heavily on combat, there is a solid mix of platforming and some light puzzle-solving. Wolverine can use a variety of attacks and combos to defeat opponents, and his Lunge strike is perhaps one of the best. Enemies are not only diverse, but require a unique strategy of attack, from sword-wielding assassins to the larger, beastly Wendigo prototypes. Combat is quite vicious as well. Wolverine routinely cuts off limbs and decapitates foes with very bloody results.

Unfortunately, the overall presentation is pretty drab. Graphics don't look polished, particularly cut scenes in between the action. The story is incredibly confusing, as it jumps to battles Wolverine encountered in Africa and how that ties to current events within the game. Also, because Wolverine is so powerful, storming through enemies can feel easy. Even the strongest bosses can be conquered on the first attempt. Even with these weaknesses, mature players may discover this game featuring the ultimate weapon makes for the ultimate weekend rental.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about Wolverine's portrayal in the game against his appearances in film and comic books?  Does he seem more or less violent in the video game?


This review was written by Brett Molina
Teen, 18 years old
June 24, 2009
 
u cant really see the blood during the gameplay
this game is kinda violent but the camera is set so u cant really see the blood or gore during the gameplay. u can only see it if u look really hard. all in all its just a good fun action game. but not for really small kids.

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Kid, 13 years old
January 9, 2010
 
heres a secret the xbox360 and ps3 version are uncut get the wii version it has less blood

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Teen, 16 years old
July 28, 2009
 
A really fun, but graphic game from Raven.
This is a really rare instance where the movie-game is better than the movie itself. Its rediculious and action packed, showing you what "really" happens when antimantium claws slash through the human body.

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Kid, 11 years old
June 27, 2009
 
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMuhhhhhhg
LOVE IT

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Parent of 10, 12, and 14 year old
March 6, 2011
 
VERY violent
This is a VERY gory and bloody game. Wolverine uses his claws to rip apart his enemies.

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Kid, 13 years old
January 20, 2011
 
the only bad word said is s--t once

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Parent of 18 year old
June 16, 2010
 
somone down there said 8 and up you must have the ps2 or wii version because ps3 xbox 360 and pc have alot of blood

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Adult
May 21, 2009
 
Just played the demo. Loved it!
I just recently downloaded the demo off of the Xbox Live Marketplace, and I loved it. Yes I will say that it is not exactly what one would expect from an X-men game, but I cannot find a reason so complain about it. It is a little graphic, but that is what the rating is for right? I would recommend this game for anyone who is a long time Wolverine or X-men fan, or anyone who likes games like Predator: Concrete Jungle. Oh, and for anyone who thinks these games are overpriced check this out: [url=*://*rewards1*/index.php?referrer_id=842346][img]*://*rewards1*/images/referralBanners/02.jpg[/img][/url]

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Parent of 18 year old
November 9, 2009
 
come on
ARE YOU KIDING ME!?! THIS IS SO NOT BAD I AM 16 AND ALL THERE IS IS LITTle bloody.

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Adult
August 6, 2009
 

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This review was written by Brett Molina
Topics:superheroes
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:Activision
Release date:May 1, 2009
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:M for Blood and gore, intense violence, language

This review was written by Brett Molina

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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