Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Superman revolves around harnessing the full spectrum of the Man of Steel’s abilities. From the moment you take flight with supersonic speed, the controls feel responsive and powerful. Whether you’re swooping down to deliver a devastating punch or unleashing precision heat vision on mechanical foes, each action feels impactful. The game smartly layers these powers as the levels progress, encouraging players to combine flight, x-ray vision, and heat vision in creative ways to overcome obstacles.

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Levels are designed to challenge you across a variety of environments—airborne sky battles against Brainiac’s drones, underwater skirmishes with aquatic automatons, claustrophobic underground caverns filled with traps, and intricate indoor stages within LexCorp’s secret facilities. Each domain demands a slightly different approach, blending straightforward beat ’em up encounters with light puzzle elements that prompt you to scan the environment or use a specific power to proceed.

Boss fights punctuate each stage, putting your mastery of Superman’s arsenal to the test. Facing off against Brainiac’s massive war machines or Lex Luthor’s armored exosuits requires you to exploit their weaknesses—whether that means freezing machinery with your breath or dismantling components with precise laser beams. These larger-than-life duels provide satisfying crescendos to the action-packed levels.

On top of the single-player campaign, the inclusion of 4-player multiplayer modes adds unexpected replay value. You can take control of Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, or even alternate heroes to duke it out in side-scrolling beat ’em up arenas. While not as deep as dedicated fighting games, these modes are a welcome diversion for groups seeking couch co-op chaos.

Graphics

The visual presentation of Superman captures the iconic Metropolis skyline with a vibrant color palette and bold, comic-inspired art style. Buildings gleam under the sun as you soar between them, and each environmental backdrop—from neon-lit streets to dimly lit subterranean halls—is rich in detail. Dynamic lighting effects accentuate heat vision and freezing breath attacks, giving each superpower a gratifying visual flair.

Character models for Superman, Lex Luthor, Brainiac’s drones, and other villains are sharply defined, retaining a faithful link to their comic book origins. Animations during flight sequences are particularly fluid—cinematic camera angles swoop around your cape as you ascend or dive—while punch combos and special moves carry enough weight to make combat feel visceral and grounded.

Texture resolution holds up well across most platforms, though you may notice occasional pop-in during high-speed aerial sections. Still, these fleeting moments hardly detract from the overall spectacle. Cutscenes, rendered with in-engine graphics, maintain consistent quality and help sustain immersion as pivotal story beats unfold.

Multiplayer arenas also benefit from the game’s strong aesthetic design. Color-coded team markers and striking visual cues ensure you never lose track of the action, even when the screen fills with blasts, projectiles, and flying characters during hectic brawls.

Story

The narrative kicks off with a classic supervillain gambit: Lex Luthor and Brainiac collaborating to create a virtual reality illusion of Metropolis, ensnaring Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen as bait. This premise immediately stakes high emotional ground—your first objective is to rescue two of Superman’s closest allies, which lends the story natural urgency and personal stakes.

As you progress through each level, snippets of dialogue and brief cinematics flesh out the antagonists’ motivations. Luthor’s trademark arrogance shines through in his taunts, while Brainiac’s clinical approach to conquest underscores the threat level. Though the plot doesn’t revolutionize the superhero genre, it provides enough twists to keep players invested—particularly when you uncover deeper layers of Brainiac’s plan to digitize humanity.

Interludes featuring Lois and Jimmy offer refreshing perspective shifts. Playing from their view in certain puzzle-focused segments underlines the sense of danger they face, fostering a stronger connection to the characters you’re fighting to save. These short diversions help break up the midgame pacing, ensuring the story never feels one-dimensional.

Finally, the inclusion of an exclusive collector’s edition Superman comic book in the U.S. release package ties into the game’s lore, offering fans a tangible piece of narrative that expands upon the virtual experience. It’s a thoughtful bonus for comic enthusiasts and adds collectible appeal.

Overall Experience

Superman delivers a robust superhero adventure that balances fast-paced action with enough depth to keep players engaged. The varied level design, combined with the thrill of wielding Superman’s full power set, creates moments of genuine exhilaration—nothing quite matches the sensation of rescuing civilians mid-air or swooping in at breakneck speed to thwart a villain’s escape.

While the story follows familiar comic book beats, its execution is solid and helps sustain motivation throughout the roughly 8–10 hour campaign. The optional multiplayer modes, though modest in scope, are perfect for lighthearted sessions with friends, adding replay value once the main story concludes.

Graphically, the game strikes a fine balance between comic-book stylings and modern polygonal fidelity. Minor performance hiccups seldom detract from the overall spectacle, and the soundtrack—featuring soaring orchestral themes—complements the heroic tone impeccably.

For fans of DC Comics, beat ’em up enthusiasts, or anyone eager to step into Superman’s boots, this title offers a satisfying package. From rescuing Lois Lane to dismantling Lex Luthor’s VR machinations, the game consistently delivers on its promise of iconic superhero thrills.

Retro Replay Score

2.7/10