Game Scoop! 826: Real Mature, Wolverine

Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Damon Hatfield
Panel: Sam Claiborne, Justin Davis, Mark Medina

Episode Overview

In this week’s episode, Daemon Hatfield welcomes IGN regulars Sam Claiborne, Justin Davis, and Mark Medina to break down a packed week in gaming. The show kicks off with reactions to PlayStation's big State of Play, with an in-depth discussion of the long-awaited full reveal of Marvel’s Wolverine. The crew also dives into other major games shown—like Housemarque’s Soros, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and the surprise announcement of Deus Ex Remastered.
Beyond news, the panel delivers impressions of Ghost of Yotei, comparing it to both Ghost of Tsushima and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, and critiques the latest in live service gaming with Skate and Borderlands 4. They round out the conversation with discussions of the Alien: Earth TV series finale, the Mandalorian & Grogu trailer, and finish with an in-depth video game 20 Questions focused on a classic SNES release.

Wolverine Deep Dive – PlayStation State of Play

00:09 – 10:06

• Full Reveal after Four Years:
  Wolverine was finally shown off in detail, with gameplay and story hints after the 2021 teaser.

  • Quote (Sam, 02:56): "It's ultra violent. It's like Mortal Kombat plus Marvel."
  • Panel discusses the game's approach to violence, using robots and cyborgs to allow for M-rated action without excessive human carnage.
  • Memorable: Mark jokes about “keyboard warriors” and Daemon loves the new “blood tech.”

• Art Direction and Authenticity:

  • The look recalls '80s-'90s Wolverine comics and miniseries ("Sentinel, this is unbelievable to me... this game looks this good." – Sam, 04:00).
  • Some concern over Wolverine’s unmasked appearance, but universal praise for the costume and combat.

• Game Structure and Setting:

  • Multiple locations: Madripoor, snowy Canada, and Tokyo.
    • Quote (Daemon, 06:10): "So, three large locations or linearly?"
  • Debate: Will it be open world like Spider-Man, or more linear with action set pieces?
  • Insomniac’s pedigree ("hasn't missed in like 20 years") boosts confidence.

• Marvel Universe Connections:

  • Hints of shared universe with Insomniac’s Spider-Man, but no confirmation on direct crossovers.
  • Enthusiasm for possible cameos ("Venom would be a pretty cool character to put in a Wolverine game." – Sam, 09:30).

• Summary:
  The crew is all-in on the Wolverine hype, giving the trailer a collective "10 out of 10" (10:03) and seeing it as evidence that PlayStation is “getting back on track”.

Soros and Other State of Play Highlights

10:07 – 20:56

• Soros (by Housemarque):

  • Not a direct Returnal sequel but spiritually similar: "This is just Returnal with a guy.” (Mark, 10:26)
  • Same roguelike mechanics, “very orange” palette, and promises easier, more accessible runs.
  • Panel debates the meaning of “roguelike” vs. “roguelite” (13:08 onwards), showing genre knowledge and humor.

• Community Reception:

  • Soros' announcement met with underwhelming YouTube chat reactions—panel blames audience expectations (“The gamers are upset set…” – Justin, 15:06).

• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on PS5:

  • Surprise inclusion in PlayStation’s show.
    • First time Xbox Game Studios game received State of Play attention.
    • Discussion on industry shift: "The console war is over" (16:50).

• Forza Horizon 6 Announcement:

  • Set in Japan, will hit PlayStation after timed exclusivity.

• Deus Ex Remastered:

  • Reaction is mixed, with skepticism about developer Aspyr, known for delayed Star Wars: KOTOR remake.
    • Panel notes "not very remastered, looks like Half-Life 2 now" (19:08), but welcomes quality-of-life improvements.

• New PlayStation “Pulse” PC Speakers:

  • Panel is puzzled by the target demographic, but acknowledges the expanded accessory market ("Gaming accessories in general remain a really big business." – Justin, 20:27).
  • Fun nostalgia segment follows about vintage PlayStation hardware, including failed 3D TV experiments.

Ghost of Yotei – Deep Impressions and Comparisons

25:10 – 43:20

• Praise for Open World and Visuals:

  • "Absolutely one of the prettiest games I've ever played." – Daemon (25:12)
  • Open structure, rich with distractions, reminiscent of Tsushima but more streamlined and vengeance-driven.
  • Panel loves protagonist Atsu's “no-nonsense” approach and immersive random encounters.

• Combat and Exploration:

  • Stealth is present, but most of the crew prefers direct combat ("The combat’s super fun, and I just want to get in it." – Sam, 29:31).
  • Skill trees, weapon variety (multi-types of katanas, spear, future access to guns).
  • Loved side mechanics: dueling, random wolf standoffs, picking up and throwing instant-kill weapons.

• Comparison with Assassin’s Creed: Shadows:

  • Both are Japanese-set open world games released the same year; Shadow gets slight edge in dynamic seasonal changes and facial animation, but Yotei wins for organic exploration.
    • Quote (Sam, 32:04): "It's less about opening a map and just seeing a trillion question marks and more about just kind of roaming around and getting lost."

• Sound, Graphical Detail, and Systems:

  • Standout comments on blood effects in water, ice surfaces, and sound design.
  • Panel notes overall technical excellence, especially with performance compared to Unreal Engine 5 games.
  • Little annoyances: can’t skip dialogue; invisible walls in exploration.

• Panel Consensus:

  • While not pushing innovation, the game’s execution stands out.
    • "It's definitely on my short list for game of the year." – Daemon (43:09).

Other Major Reviews and News

45:35 – 57:59

• Hades 2 (1.0 Release):

  • IGN gives it a 10/10.
    • Quote (Justin, 45:42): "It's the highest reviewed game of the year on Metacritic."

• Final Fantasy Tactics and Baby Steps:

  • Tactics Remaster gets a 9/10.
  • Baby Steps receives a mixed panel reaction—respected for design originality (Bennett Foddy), but described as “miserable” (Mark, 46:39) and not kid-friendly.

• Skate’s Live Service Woes:

  • Panel laments the focus on monetization and always-online requirements.
    • Quote (A: Daemon, 50:20): “It’s just a soulless live service where everything is just designed to get, or extract, money from you.”

• Borderlands 4 & Battlefield Single Player Preview:

  • Mark is deep into Borderlands 4, loving gun variety but notes serious performance and field-of-view issues—especially harsh on Unreal Engine 5.
  • Single-player Battlefield impresses Mark: “It’s very pretty and has a lot of the stuff people love in multiplayer” (53:13).

Extra Curriculars: TV & Movies

59:54 – 72:58

• Alien: Earth Season 1 Recap:

  • Sam and Daemon agree: decent sci-fi, weak finale ("It just felt like a regular mid to late season episode." – Damon, 60:34).
  • The show introduces lots of plot threads, but fails to resolve them.
  • Panel finds the “island” setting video game-y and wants more payoff from the monsters and cyborgs.

• Mandalorian & Grogu Movie Trailer:

  • General disappointment; panel questions the point and event status of the movie:
    • Quote (Justin, 63:49): “It’s just kind of boring.”
    • Nostalgia for Star Wars movie “event” status—feels this doesn’t capture the magic.

• Other Watching:

  • Peacemaker Season 2 receives enthusiastic endorsements.
  • “The Paper” and “The Studio” deliver workplace-TV laughs.
  • Brief Jurassic Park anecdote about family viewing and surprising “severed limb” moments.

• Star Wars Fandom Perspective:

  • A candid roundtable on personal favorite Star Wars films (Mark: Revenge of the Sith, panel teases gently).

Video Game 20 Questions: Classic SNES Edition

73:12 – 83:56

• Game of the Week:
  SimCity (SNES version) — Developed and published by Nintendo with Will Wright’s involvement.
  • Notable for its unique features compared to PC, including Nintendo theming and involvement by Miyamoto.
  • The panel talks retro consoles, the PC vs. SNES era, and how formative early gaming experiences shaped their tastes.

Notable Quotes & Moments

"It's ultra violent. It's like Mortal Kombat plus Marvel."
— Sam Claiborne (02:56)

"It's just oil and coolant."
— Mark Medina (03:20)

"New blood tech. How often do we get new blood tech?"
— Daemon Hatfield (05:42)

"It's less about opening a map and just seeing a trillion question marks and more about just kind of roaming around and getting lost."
— Sam Claiborne (32:04)

"[Wolverine is] everything I wanted."
— Daemon Hatfield (25:10)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Wolverine Deep Dive: 02:09 – 10:06
• Soros/State of Play Recap: 10:07 – 20:56
• Old PlayStation Hardware/Nostalgia: 21:10 – 23:34
• Ghost of Yotei Impressions: 25:10 – 43:20
• Hades 2, Baby Steps, Skate: 45:35 – 52:56
• Borderlands 4, Battlefield, Performance Rants: 53:05 – 57:59
• TV & Movie Roundup (Alien, Mando, etc.): 59:54 – 72:58
• Video Game 20 Questions (SimCity SNES): 73:12 – 83:56

Final Thoughts

This Game Scoop! episode is a vibrant showcase of gaming journalism culture: honest, witty, occasionally nostalgic – always focused on providing approachable yet deep analysis. New releases and retrospectives are equally valued, with each panelist adding unique flavor (and playful jabs). Whether dissecting blood tech in Wolverine or bemoaning live service models, the IGN crew strikes a fine balance between expert insight and accessible entertainment.