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Superman Returns Review
Chris Leyton
23/11/2006
After a lengthy absence from videogames, Superman finally makes his return...
Five months after the theatrical return of the Man of Steel, EA finally gets around to releasing the videogame adaptation. Uncharacteristically late, EA will indubitably point to the forthcoming DVD release as the target, despite the uncertainty that has surrounded the title and the lessened emphasis that the US giant has seemingly placed on the title - no PC/PlayStation3/Wii version and a cancelled PSP adaptation.
With tenuous links to the script of the motion-picture of the same name, EA Tiburon have taken it upon themselves to expand upon the premise as the Man of Steel squares up against the likes of comic-book favourites Mongul, the confused superhero Bizarro and Mister Mxyzptlk from the 5th Dimension. Central to the game is Superman's struggles against Metalo and his legion of robots, so much so, that the game could just as easily have ditched its ties to Brian Singer's film and been labelled Superman vs Metalo instead.
In an attempt to provide some resemblance to its namesake, however, the cut-scenes in between missions closely chronicle the events of the film and mark the only appearance of major characters such as Louis Lane and Lex Luthor. Admittedly, an adaptation straying from the events of its source isn't entirely new ground, but what you're left doing as Superman feels distinctly disparate to what is occurring in the cut-scenes, there's no attempt whatsoever to blend the two and ultimately you're left with a game that has no sense of cohesion or purpose. It's also a game of many missed opportunities, presumably Louis' rescue from a perilous situation and a final showdown against Lex Luthor were left on the cutting-room floor for some apparent reason.
It would be easy to overlook the incongruent nature of Superman Returns if the actual game continued the recent adequacy of superhero titles; unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Every level within the game revolves around destroying a certain number of robots, dragons or mutants, with the occasional challenge of putting out a burning building, a fight with Bizarro, or a race against Mister Mxyzptlk thrown in. Rinse, repeat, until you've done it enough times to level up and watch the next-cut-scene that has nothing to do with what you're playing in the game. Seriously, if being a superhero is this much fun, give me the humdrum life of Clark Kent any day - at least he gets Louis Lane! What this all amounts to, is a game that consists of nothing but level after level of filler, which quickly becomes monotonous, leaves you asking when the actual game will begin and exactly whether there's any purpose to defeating the legions of robots that come your way.
A thinly veiled attempt to inject some sense of depth to the proceedings is portrayed through an RPG XP system, as Superman earns points with each successive round of opponents that he defeats. Unlocking new moves and more powerful extensions of his core powers, the truth is that it's little more then superficial gloss, designed to suggest that the game is more complex then it actually is. Further still, because of the effectiveness of his superpowers and the awkward, clumsy nature of the combat system, you're rarely inclined to wade in with your fists beyond the initial visual buzz of the 1000 Fist combo. Using one button for attack along with the same button to instigate Superman taking to the skies, combat is awkward at best and often insanely difficult to perform moves that are listed in the move list.
The splintered nature of the game feels as though the title lacked a lead vision throughout development, bringing together all the parts that were ready so the game didn't miss its final release opportunity alongside the DVD. This is further emphasised with a significant list of features announced during the game's unveiling that have somehow gone missing along the way. Cutting through metal beams to use a helicopter pad as a makeshift Frisbee was demonstrated in the first concept trailer; although the pads may be there it's impossible to use the technique that these allude towards. Early information also hinted towards a dynamic Metropolis, citizens running away in terror and taking snapshots of Superman - by running away from terror, they typically tend to run straight towards it and often receiving a punch from Superman in the process without a camera to capture the incriminating evidence. Perhaps more significantly there was the promise of using Superman's ability on the environment, freezing water from a broken hydrant into a giant ice spear - none of which has made the final cut, and ultimately leaves the dynamic over fire and water severely lacking.
Despite the criticism, one area of excellence is the idea of replacing the traditional health bar for Superman with that of Metropolis. Portraying Superman's near invincibility, the actual risk comes from the damage that Metropolis is taking, which in turn asks the player to question exactly how much carnage they themselves cause trying to rid the city of Metalo's invading forces. Later in the game, the mission objectives begin to pick up in their intensity and enjoyment, largely because they force players to balance what Superman must do; dragons may need disposing, but equally the fires that they cause need dousing. It is a shame that this approach over decision-making is not evident throughout the game and that only a few levels towards the end ever seem to involve this.
To their credit, the fundamental control and portrayal of Superman is pretty much spot on. EA Tiburon has stylishly accomplished Supeman's ability to fly, with a visceral effect as he breaks through the sound barrier and the motion-blur kicks in. Flying through the streets of Metropolis does feel right, but it is a shame that the altitude cap is set too low; why EA Tiburon could not have taken the chance to blacken out the skies and create the illusion that Superman is breaking through the stratosphere is a little surprising. Equally, Superman's powers have also been brought to the consoles faithfully for the first time, swapping between fire, wind and ice with a touch of the d-pad; although, there's no chance of checking out Louis Lane with the X-Ray Vision or determining whether there are any casualties in a burning building, because it seems that's one power that Superman has temporarily lost. Each of the powers can evolve into supremely powerful attacks as the game progresses - blowing dozens of cars into the sky may not be the responsible thing for Superman to do with his power, but it's one of the most enjoyable actions to perform in the game.
Fundamentally flawed by some of the weakest game design exhibited this year, the misery surrounding Superman Returns is compounded even further by being one of the shortest games in recent times. The tutorial chapter, taking place on Warworld and acquainting players with the basics off a fiddly combat system, takes players up to the 20% completion mark within the first hour, and it is likely the end of the game will appear within 4-5 hours. An unacceptable figure for any videogame, the only justification is that the end credits finally bring an end to the sheer repetition that the game entails and the general meaningless nature.
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