Are all superhero games crap?

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Tha C-Master
I have heard the reputation, but I want to know from YOU, if the superhero genre was overall crap.

I've heard the new hulk game will be good, I hope it won't dissapoint.

As far as overall, spiderman has had the best overall success in superhero games, even back in the SNES era.

What do you think?

Red Superfly
Spider-Man 1 & 2 on the Playstation and Spider-Man 2 recently were two very, very good superhero games.

I hear the new Hulk is worth checking out too.

Tha C-Master
Agree wholeheartedly, some of the crappier superhero games, include superman games.

I guess its kinda hard to make a good superman game though...

snake_eyes616
Yeah, I loved Spidey 1&2 and the Hulk is definately worth a rental. Batman games suck and dont even get me started on Supes...

Tha C-Master
Review...

I have no apparent clue as to how to start off this review so I'll go right at it.

Gameplay/controls:
Superman would be ashamed. How can you take one of the most versatile action hero and transform him into an awful platformer? I mean, this kind of stuff should be illegal? Let me see, Superman can punch and power punch for the attacks. Yup, that's it. We all know Superman may not be the most smartest action hero but come on. One would at least expect a cool throw and a kick or something. As for jumping and attacking, no such thing. Yup, Sunsoft's Superman can't comprehend such advance techniques. Wait a minute, why would Superman jump when he could fly? I'll get back to that later. Strangely enough, when Superman jumps and lands on an enemy, he will hurt it. This seems to work randomly. What reasoning behind is this is beyond me. You also get a run and jump kick which will only get you hurt because of the ingenious level design. Again, I'll get back to you. There are so many things wrong with this game it's almost confusing.

On Superman's adventure, you can pick up power-ups which changes your power punch to a spin that doesn't hurt enemies but lets you advance. Why is this in the game? Couldn't Sunsoft automatically just let you spin through the ground when you get to a dead end? Did they really have to pretend that this game might require some thinking? Is Superman THAT inept so he can't perform two different actions at once? Is this even Superman?

In some levels, the game becomes a horizontal shooter! Alright! But no. Like everything else in this game, it is dull and too hard. Superman can shoot cheap lasers out of his eyes that deliver no damage so most of the time you will just find yourself either dodging enemies or just getting constantly hit.
By the way, the controls are always about 1/2 second off.
2

Level Design:
This is the best (worst) part. Superman's first level is a roof top. Why does Superman even bother walking on top of a roof when he could just easily fly to the bad guy? The enemies are ultra-annoying. All of them are just placed in strange positions so EVERY freaking enemy will somehow manage to hit you. Not with their attacks or energy balls. But just for the fact their main offense is running into you. In this game, EVERYTHING hurts you. From touching the back of a goon, to touching a still gun turret. It's because they're all coated with Kryptonite! Yeah, that's it.

So as you imagine, unless if you perfectly memorize this game and if your super-human, you will constantly be hit. All the enemies pop from places were there is no physical way of knowing in advance. There are even many times where you have no choice but to get hit.This must have something to do with the Genesis. Most Genesis games seem to be unjustifiably impossible.

Now we advance to the second half of the level. Your flying up at the side of some office building. You and your useless eye beams must dodge flying robots shooting beams, a flying floor buffer shooting beams, and boulders being dropped from every window by the same pink haired punk. Why can't Superman just fly further away from the building and save some trouble?

Now my favorite part, the 1st boss. This is by far the most inexcusable boss in the history of anything. It is some average guy with a green hat. He occasionally shoots out some pink flowers that explode then he turns into a green bubble that seems to float around for no clear purpose. Even on the show, Superman would just fly over and punch the guy in the face and the commercial break would start. But no, this guy takes about 50 punches and hurts you when you even touch him.

Not to worry, Sunsoft somehow kept on making this game even more inept. The game just continues to amaze me in sheer stupidity and difficulty. Every thing from undodgable rockets to undodgeble mutant spiders on a subway. Why is there a mutant spider in this game? All the enemies are robotic. Did Sunsoft find an old sprite from Aliens? The subway level is quite impossible. If anybody can get past it without cheating or without using the cheap save/load trick, please email me. I will personally make a physical golden shrine of you and make a new religion.
1

Presentation:
Sunsoft couldn't make this game make Superman stupider. Between each level, you get mindless headlines like ''Missing people found in building'' or ''Superman saves kids'' and even ''Superman chases a rocket!''. The design of Boy Blue has changed from the handsome farm boy to a more conservative Jewish look. Lois Lane is no longer a pretty Brunette but a very ugly blond. Everything else is extremely goofy looking and just plain an insult to Superman fans. Many times, Superman's arms will be drawn in wrong sizes with joints that seem to bend in unrealistic ways. If I was patient enough to get through the game, I would find out who drew this ''game'' in the credits and mail bomb him or something equally disturbing.
1

Graphics:
Nothing too awful. Sega still shows that they could at least took advantage of their 6 colors. The backgrounds on the other hand are a joke. They repeat so much that they would put Speed Racer to shame. The first level is just 6 very plain office buildings with dots for windows repeating over and over. The rest of the levels are not even worth typing up. Seriously.
3

Music/sound:
The first level's music is rather entertaining because it reminds me of adult movies. After that, the music is extremely monotonous. That means that the crap music blends well this God forsaken game.
The sound effects are not worth mentioning at all. AT ALL.
2

In conclusion, I believe that this game should be avoided at all costs. It will really disgust a person from playing video games. I highly doubt if anybody actually made a review for this game. The game shows the evils of licenses. These kind of ''games'' put Sunsoft out of business. The only kind of people who get their hands on these kinds of games are from inept grandmothers who don't know better. I'm not too sure why I wrote a review for this particular game. I felt that people needed to know.

Overall:
2

P.S. In this review, I asked about 50 questions.

Red Superfly
Is that the N64 one? That has to be one of the most infamously bad games in game history. Arguably the worst N64 game ever made, too.

Oh for the record I meant Spidey 1 & 2 as in the cartoon/comic book ones that appeared on the PSX. I loved the inclusion of all the little bonuses in those Spidey games.

Spider-Man: The Movie was rediculously average and dull, but Spider-Man: The Movie 2 was brilliant. I still play it every now and then just for the webslinging fun. The story mode in Spider-Man 2 is crap though. I really, really hate the Mysterio bit where you've gotta web sling to the statue of liberty and destroy the brain. Such a frustrating and utterly unfun piece of crap. The random crimes were the only thing I actually found any fun. The less said about the Doc Ock bits, the better.

Tha C-Master
Originally posted by Red Superfly
Is that the N64 one? That has to be one of the most infamously bad games in game history. Arguably the worst N64 game ever made, too.

Oh for the record I meant Spidey 1 & 2 as in the cartoon/comic book ones that appeared on the PSX. I loved the inclusion of all the little bonuses in those Spidey games.

Spider-Man: The Movie was rediculously average and dull, but Spider-Man: The Movie 2 was brilliant. I still play it every now and then just for the webslinging fun. The story mode in Spider-Man 2 is crap though. I really, really hate the Mysterio bit where you've gotta web sling to the statue of liberty and destroy the brain. Such a frustrating and utterly unfun piece of crap. The random crimes were the only thing I actually found any fun. The less said about the Doc Ock bits, the better. That was the one released on genisis, the other one was even worse....

I can go fetch it...

Victor Von Doom
Originally posted by Red Superfly
The story mode in Spider-Man 2 is crap though. I really, really hate the Mysterio bit where you've gotta web sling to the statue of liberty and destroy the brain. Such a frustrating and utterly unfun piece of crap. The random crimes were the only thing I actually found any fun. The less said about the Doc Ock bits, the better.

Hahaha. Everyone says that of the Mysterio bit. It's actually quite easy once you realise the technique.

I love that game, but I wasn't a fan of the first one.

Tha C-Master
Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
Hahaha. Everyone says that of the Mysterio bit. It's actually quite easy once you realise the technique.

I love that game, but I wasn't a fan of the first one. I don't remember having too much of a problem with it, but I just beat it, there is so much more to unlock.

Let me get that superman 64 review...

Red Superfly
Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
Hahaha. Everyone says that of the Mysterio bit. It's actually quite easy once you realise the technique.

I love that game, but I wasn't a fan of the first one.

I can beat it, I just really, really hate it. It's just so dull and STUPID. I play it and think "why? Why is it here? Who came up with this utterly SHIT idea?"

Tha C-Master
LOl, I liked beating mysterio in the store...

Red Superfly
Whats the deal with the acrobatic moves? Tap A in the air to make Spidey do wierd flips. He looks like a retard! Not only that, but flipping in the air is such an arse on the pizza missions. Most of the time I flip by accident because I pressed jump too early and ruin a pizza. Mamma-mia woulda nota be happy.

Anyone else think the way you websling is a bit like Tony Hawks? It just feels like that to me, the way you link runs together, switching from running to crawling, to running on walls, wall jumping, webslinging etc. I always imagine it as a combo, and never try to break it by fluffing up a web swing or jumping short of a building. I try and be like Spidey as much as possible. No running through the streets like 60s Batman, thats just lame. lol

This may sound sad, but my favourite part of the game is car-jackers. I LOVE it when I web sling really high up, plummet down to ground level after one last swing and time it perfectly so I land on the front of the car. It's just so cool.

Spider-Man games should focus more on these random crimes. Webbing up four criminals and making them dangle helplessly from streetlights is ten times more fun (and more Spider-Man like) than fighting a brain thing on the statue of liberty. Mysterio was pathetic in this game.

SnakeEyes
Most of the super-hero games I play are awesome, with some exceptions (such as Fantastic Four...man what a horrible game). Here are some good ones:

Seperation Anxiety
Maximum Carnage
Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
Ultimate Spider-Man (looks good anyway)
X-Men Legends (and the upcoming sequel)
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects

Those ^ are the ones I could think of off the top of my head.

Onikirimaru
The problem with alot of the early super hero games, is that they didnt know how really simulate being a super hero. Like Superman having to punch people many times, getting hurt by lazers.

I remember for the SNES or was it NES, a Wolverine game. Wolverine would walk around PUNCHING people. And if you press the button to pop the claws out you do more damage, but it DRAINS YOUR HEALTH. WTF?

Games have been getting better though. Im currently playing through Xmen Legends, and thats an awesome game. Its bargain priced now, since the sequel is coming out. Im playing in co-op mode with my gf, and Ill tell you, I gotta give the company props for making a game thats easy enough for her to play, while simutanously keeping my interest.

Tha C-Master
Originally posted by Red Superfly
Whats the deal with the acrobatic moves? Tap A in the air to make Spidey do wierd flips. He looks like a retard! Not only that, but flipping in the air is such an arse on the pizza missions. Most of the time I flip by accident because I pressed jump too early and ruin a pizza. Mamma-mia woulda nota be happy.

I didn't like that on pizza missions, and it seemed to be only there as a filler.

Originally posted by Red Superfly
Anyone else think the way you websling is a bit like Tony Hawks? It just feels like that to me, the way you link runs together, switching from running to crawling, to running on walls, wall jumping, webslinging etc. I always imagine it as a combo, and never try to break it by fluffing up a web swing or jumping short of a building. I try and be like Spidey as much as possible. No running through the streets like 60s Batman, thats just lame. lol

I loved the webswinging, if anything you should remember the game just from the webswinging exerience alone.

Originally posted by Red Superfly
This may sound sad, but my favourite part of the game is car-jackers. I LOVE it when I web sling really high up, plummet down to ground level after one last swing and time it perfectly so I land on the front of the car. It's just so cool.

I loved the spinning the guys above me, and the air combos.

Originally posted by Red Superfly
Spider-Man games should focus more on these random crimes. Webbing up four criminals and making them dangle helplessly from streetlights is ten times more fun (and more Spider-Man like) than fighting a brain thing on the statue of liberty. Mysterio was pathetic in this game.
It should be a balance between low and high level crime...

Originally posted by SnakeEyes
Most of the super-hero games I play are awesome, with some exceptions (such as Fantastic Four...man what a horrible game). Here are some good ones:

Seperation Anxiety
Maximum Carnage
Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
Ultimate Spider-Man (looks good anyway)
X-Men Legends (and the upcoming sequel)
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects

Those ^ are the ones I could think of off the top of my head.

Seperation Anxiety and Maximum Carnage deserve a special nod...

I'm playing MC on my friends' psp.

Originally posted by Onikirimaru
The problem with alot of the early super hero games, is that they didnt know how really simulate being a super hero. Like Superman having to punch people many times, getting hurt by lazers.

True, but spiderman didn't have this problem, it was simple, AND fun...

Masterpiece beating up guys and flinging them around, unforgettable.


Originally posted by Onikirimaru
I remember for the SNES or was it NES, a Wolverine game. Wolverine would walk around PUNCHING people. And if you press the button to pop the claws out you do more damage, but it DRAINS YOUR HEALTH. WTF?

It was the old arcade game, xmen, all of their specials took away health.

The wolverine game allowed wolverine to even heal.
Originally posted by Onikirimaru
Games have been getting better though. Im currently playing through Xmen Legends, and thats an awesome game. Its bargain priced now, since the sequel is coming out. Im playing in co-op mode with my gf, and Ill tell you, I gotta give the company props for making a game thats easy enough for her to play, while simutanously keeping my interest.

You have a video game playing chick? I envy you.

I'm looking forward to the new spiderman game myself.

Tha C-Master

Victor Von Doom
Originally posted by Red Superfly
I can beat it, I just really, really hate it. It's just so dull and STUPID. I play it and think "why? Why is it here? Who came up with this utterly SHIT idea?"

Since the walking on lines of blood in Max Payne, most other things in games seem completely rational and non-infuriating.

Alpha Centauri
Maximum Carnage was one of those fantasy games where every Marvel character was in it. Not majorly, but you could call em to help. I loved that game.

Infact, if anyone has ideas as to where I can get an emulator and that game, let me know.

Spider-Man 2 is incredible. Hulk (new one) is awesome also. People knock it as a Spider-Man rip off but that's why it's awesome. That is the best system for those kind of games. Iron-Man is being made by Activision also (although Sierra made Hulk), so hopefully it'll be fun buzzing around the city taking people out.

-AC

Tha C-Master
Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Maximum Carnage was one of those fantasy games where every Marvel character was in it. Not majorly, but you could call em to help. I loved that game.

Infact, if anyone has ideas as to where I can get an emulator and that game, let me know.

Spider-Man 2 is incredible. Hulk (new one) is awesome also. People knock it as a Spider-Man rip off but that's why it's awesome. That is the best system for those kind of games. Iron-Man is being made by Activision also (although Sierra made Hulk), so hopefully it'll be fun buzzing around the city taking people out.

-AC I know how you can emulate it, but its on psp...

Onikirimaru
Actually, the arcade game suffered from the same thing, you had those little special balls that gave you free attacks, then after it it took health, but Im talking about a bit of an obscure game.

At least I think.... I dunno.

Tha C-Master
That too...

Darth Jello
superhero titles do have a rep as being really shitty, but there are a few glowing exceptions.

1. X-men-tied for greatest arcade game of all time with haunted castle
2. X-men 2: clone wars-also good but the difficulty level almost tops the original version of Castlevania Chronicles
3. Captain America and the Avengers- the arcade version kicks ass
4. X-Men Mutant Apocalypse-Best home console superhero game, hands down

final thought- i don't know about the next gen games, but the general rule with super hero games is that if they are made by acclaim or LJN, they are crap, if they are made by capcom, or even better, Konomi, they are good.

Tha C-Master
whoa you named some odd picks there

Hit_and_Miss
I think the problem is that the chars generaly have too many powers... Making it extremely difficult to create realistic and challenging levels... without adding huge amounts of crappy storyline for why superman can't just fly though the levels... With the new hulk game coming out, How is he gonner take damage? I don't know alot about the hulk storyline, but hes close to near invincable... how are you gonner take damage in that game??? everyones guns fire depelted uranium shells with special hulk killin rounds???

Red Superfly
The best superhero for a game is Spider-Man and Batman. They are also the best superheroes in general I think. They actually "work" in a game yet they can still be faithful. Health meters and physical laws still apply to the characters, so games can be easily designed for them (although Batman always gets complete muppets making his games).

The likes of The Hulk and Superman can be done in games, but they usually require health meters which they shouldn;t really have.

One way to solve it would be to have time limits and non-health related restrictions, because having health in a supes game is stupid, unless he's fighting an equally powerful boss.

Spelljammer
They've gotten better, but then again so have the movies. Coporations are now actually TRYING to make super heroes appeal to us, with actual plot to the movies and video games with interesting levels, encounters, and challenging platformers..

But back in the day, they sucked, big time..

Tha C-Master
Originally posted by Red Superfly
The best superhero for a game is Spider-Man and Batman. They are also the best superheroes in general I think. They actually "work" in a game yet they can still be faithful. Health meters and physical laws still apply to the characters, so games can be easily designed for them (although Batman always gets complete muppets making his games).

The likes of The Hulk and Superman can be done in games, but they usually require health meters which they shouldn;t really have.

One way to solve it would be to have time limits and non-health related restrictions, because having health in a supes game is stupid, unless he's fighting an equally powerful boss. They can do health, but make conditions.

spiderman is the best for a superhero game, I just wish he kept his strength.

Onikirimaru
The Xmen are good for games too, since they all are toned down compared to the likes of the hulk or superman. They all are susceptiable to attacks and usually only have 1 or two real powers.

Tha C-Master
They are ok for it, but some people on the team are more powerful than others though...

Hit_and_Miss
yer I never understand how they keep gambit at a normal lvl... the gumbo force... its just too powerful...

Tha C-Master
Gumbo force, you are too funny.

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