Superman: Shadow of Apokolips

"Videogames 101"

I call this ''Videogames 101'' because this game is a very good example of an action/adventure game, OLD SCHOOL STYLE! A great adventure game, in my opionion, is one that excites, frustrates, and gives that feeling of satisfaction when you finish it that we all know and love. I got all that from Superman: Shadow of Apokolips.

Being a hero is what this game is all about and that is exactly what you are in this game. The cel-shading graphics are nicely done and mimics the animated show in many ways. The Superman character is poetry in motion when you take to the air and looks just as fluid in the rest of the game. Even though you can't ''Free-Roam'' in Metropolis(looks just like the show!), you are given enough space to work the objectives in most of the other levels. The only times I felt confined was when the programmers wanted me to feel confined(certain Boss fights).
The controls become second nature by the 3rd or 4th level and I was dispatching inter-bots just like the Man of Steel himself. If this game was made by EA Sports, the slogan would be, ''If it's in the show, it's in the game''. I really had the feeling thatI was taking part in one the the show's storylines. The cutscenes accurately portrayed the animated series and at times, it looked even better than the original(note: Using the actual voices is always a nice touch). Puzzle elements in the game are tied in to the levels and make use of ALL of your super powers, just as a hero should in this type of game.

Now, to the negatives:

1-Glitches with the collision detection that caused me to hit the reset button a few times. Minor annoyance.

2-While the game's music was nice, the use of the animated series' opening theme song was sorely missed. Another minor annoyance.

3-This game was WAY too short. Being a HUGE fan of the series, I chose to purchase this title. Even though it was over too fast, it was done well enough to make me want to play through it again.
Bottom Line:

Graphics-9/10
Controls-9/10
Sounds-9/10
Fun Factor-9/10
Replay value-9/10

Breakdown:

I may be a ''mark'' of the animated series and maybe that's why I liked this game so much. But it was an easy game to get into. Similar to Spiderman and Batman:Vengeance, it was a good example of programmers going to the well and using the classic side-scroller beat-em up formula, with cel-shaded graphics and a 3-d game engine thrown in the mix. Toss in a litte PS2 processor and you have one more COOL superhero title to put on your shelf, right next to the two titles' mentioned above!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/10/02, Updated 10/10/02