Superman Returns: The Videogame (EA Games)

What is it with Superman and video games? Did he make a pact with the devil that granted him box office success in exchange for absolutely craptacular video games? Could it be that a good Superman game will never be made?

There was hope that with Sup's appearance in the well received Superman: Returns movie that we would see a suitable adaptation from EA in video game form. Well, that hope can be quickly squashed, as Superman: Returns is not only a poor re-imagining of the movie, but a bad game in general.

It Can Be a Good Game, Kal-El, If It Wants to Be

Should you really be surprised that another Superman game is bad, though? Back when EA was first showing it off there looked to be a small glimmer of hope that it wouldn't end up as a steaming pile like every other Superman game. The graphics looked promising and the expansive, free-roaming city was a unique idea that, if properly executed, would be a big plus.

And then that horrible thing called reality set in. The game got closer to release and it was looking less and less like the epic game we were hoping for. As it turns out the graphics and the story were one of the few things the team at EA got relatively right. The city is breathtaking to fly around and explore for the first hour or so, but the excitement wears off rather quickly. Though explosions, buildings, and breaking the sound barrier as you fly around the city are all visually pleasing, the overall graphical package leaves something to be desired.

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet, Less Exciting Than Gonorrhea

The graphics would be acceptable if it was apparent that Metropolis was an expansive, adventure-filled city. Unfortunately, it's anything but: missions are repetitive, enemies even more so, and the story is incoherent. I found myself flying around picking up kittens more often than I was destroying evil robots and lizards, let alone actually fighting enemies of substance like Bizarro or Lex Luthor (not that fighting any of them is any more enjoyable). The combat system is rigid despite countless combos and moves that are supposedly available, while the camera is about as smart as a sea-sponge.

When you come down to it, Superman: Returns feels more like a botched sandbox-styled game with what little there is to do both poorly implemented and boring.