Kal-El Obviously DIdn't Show EA The Light This Time Around
Superman Returns had all the potential of going above and beyond, setting a new benchmark in free roaming games. However, it takes a big step back instead of leaping forward.
Before getting into the bad, I'll talk about the good. First, Metropolis, the obvious star of the game, is vast and huge, filled with prominent towers and highways weaving through the city. Secondly, Superman's dynamics (his powers, especially flight and super speed) are spot on and truly give you the feel of shattering the sound barrier as Superman races along. Thirdly, the soundtrack is almost as good as a movie score and even though there's no sign of the Superman Theme, the soundtrack in the game is good enough to add to the heroic feel.
Now for the bad:
First: While Metropolis is a huge environment, there's very little interaction with the plaewr and the environment. I would think that the people of the city would actually say something when the see Superman flying overhead, or even standing right next to them. Speaking of the people, they look downright awful, especially for the power the 360 has to offer. Second: The hand to hand combat controls can't really keep up with Superman's speed. The combo fighting moves are actually a good idea, allowing for some variety between hand-to-hand and super powers. Third: (And most important) For a game with this much hype, it was WAY to short. There have been reports of people beating this game in less than 8 hours and, quite frankly, that isn't worth my $60, especially if this is supposed to be an open ended, sandbox game where you can do anything and everything.
Now, don't get me wrong, Superman Returns does have it's moments of fun, but, sadly, those quickly fade away. I do see a ray of light, however. Hopefully, this is a template for future sandbox style super hero games where you can explore a huge city and fight with anyone, be it simple robbers to complex super villains.
Calling this game a complete failure, in my eyes, is a bit off and I think GameSpot giving it a 4.5 was harsh. Superman Returns does have brief flashes of greatness, but it's sandwiched between lackluster graphics that don't take the 360 to the limit and a shotty story (or lack thereof) with ridiculously repetitive gameplay. I would recommend this for SERIOUSLY hardcore fans, and even some of them may be turned off by this game. Since I'm not a fan of renting ANYTHING, I would wait for the price to come down.