Insomniac updates Wolverine to make it a bit less smelly

Insomniac has released a hotfix update for Marvel’s Wolverine, making a small but significant adjustment to early player feedback that adjusts the Scent Trails and Audio Sense indicators.

The latest superhero game from the studio has come in for some strong criticism in the days since reviews went live, some of which has been levied at how much is hand-holds for players. Things like QTEs that are impossible to fail and how overpowering the Scent Trails and Audio Sense indicators are visually in the game have been critiqued, to the backdrop of similar criticism of God of War Ragnarok for how much help side characters give for solving puzzles.

In Wolverine’s case, he’s got hyper sensitive smell and hearing from his mutant abilities, so it makes sense to have a strong indicator of where these senses are leading him. Even so, overdoing it with help for players often gets a lot of criticism, even if it’s balanced to user tracking data and analytics that are used. Perceptions and feelings matter, though, and Insomniac note that they will continue to try and improve this feature.

Here’s the full hotfix patch notes for version 1.001.005:

• This hotfix addresses some common crashes experienced by a small percentage of players since launch.
• Additionally, this hotfix adjusts the presentation of the Scent Trails and Audio Sense indicators, including reduced opacity to make these visuals less intense.
• Our team continues to evaluate ways to further improve Senses in the game, including exploring toggleable options for a future update.

Sony studios and games in general are in for a lot of stick right now, given the company’s decision to end production of physical gaming from 2028. Some of that is no doubt spilling over to Wolverine, beyond the game maybe not living up to the high water marks set by the Spider-Man games, and some disappointment that it’s a more linear adventure and to some of the repetition that can be felt in the combat.

Reviews for the game were a bit of a mixed bag because of this, but we still rather liked it, and a 15 hour superhero slash ’em up adventure certainly has its place. In our Marvel’s Wolverine review, Jim said, “Marvel’s Wolverine carves out its slot in a packed year for single-player adventures. The comparisons back to Insomniac’s previous work are inevitable, and it’s true that Wolverine’s blood-soaked combat can feel more restrained and limited, but this globetrotting odyssey never outstays its welcome and sets the foundation for what could be a stone cold killer of a sequel.”

Source: Insomniac

Tags: Marvel's Wolverine, Wolverine