Is Superman relevant anymore? That’s a fair question to ask right now in a time when X-Men and Spiderman rule the box offices. The recent film by Bryan Singer didn’t fare as well as Warner Brothers may have wanted, but it’s on its way to passing over $350 million worldwide. Electronic Arts on the other hand delayed the video game adaptation of the film until later on this holiday season, Tiburon and EA are planning on releasing the game around the same time frame as the DVD hits stores nationwide. So is Superman still relevant, EA are setting out to prove that he still is.
Since E3, many have seen footage of the trailer that shows Superman taking on Metallo. This battle through Metropolis looks fantastic, though you have to remember it is only CGI. For those who attended E3, you’ll remember that the game was presented at only a 40% build. It had tremendous slow down and reminded me of a little known game that some of you may know as Superman 64. Since then, EA decided to push back the release and for a good cause.
Tiburon is now focusing on beefing up the game with as much depth as possible. They are touching up the graphics, improving the technical side (physics / animations), and EA is watching over them to make sure that Superman Returns doesn’t leave the team without a “triple A” treatment. How will it all translate? Well, let’s begin with the basics of Superman, the powers of the superhero we all have grown to love.
There isn’t anything on Earth that can harm Superman. The only substance that is known to dish out damage is Kryptonite and you can bet your bottom dollar there will be tons of it featured in the game. Some of you may ask, “What is the point of playing as Superman if he can’t die?” EA is implementing two meters to determine the power and strength of Superman. One displays Superman’s adrenaline that continues to regenerate over time, while the other measures Metropolis’ health. These two meters spell out that Superman must keep Metropolis from peril for as long as he can, without of course losing his energy.
EA is hoping to effectively nail down the wide-open city. Following in the footsteps of Activision’s own Spider-Man series, Tiburon is looking towards a sort of Grand Theft Auto / Superman hybrid. While Spider-Man is able to climb up the empire state building, Superman is capable of flying above the clouds. Like other superhero video games based on their movie counterparts, Superman is loosely based on the movie. Tiburon will explore what the movie didn’t show, like when Superman came back to Earth after his trip to his home planet. If you happened to see the movie, you’ll know that Lex Luthor was the villain. Tiburon is taking the liberty to add in other villains for Superman to face off against. We all know from videos that Metallo is in and that Bizarro will be making an appearance. What everyone doesn’t know are the other villains. Currently there are five to seven villains in consideration, with a few being removed if they don’t fit right.
For the fans of the film, you’ll be happy to hear that Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, and Kate Bosworth have provided their voices for their characters. Sadly though, John Williams’ epic score will not be represented in the video game as EA is putting in their own dynamic score.
Tiburon has a monster task at their hands. Even with all this promise, will it please the massive audience that Superman reaches out to? Superman is essentially bigger than any other comic book super hero, so the demands are high. With over 80 square miles of Metropolis to protect, giving the players a challenge to defend the city as Superman is going to be an ambitious duty.
