Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Superman Returns puts you directly into the action as the Man of Steel, guiding you through a strategic overlay of Metropolis that divides the city into a hexagonal grid. Each turn you select a hexagon to fly into, triggering one of three possible scenarios: disaster relief, boss encounters, or story-driven vignettes. When a crisis erupts—such as raging fires or structural collapse—you take direct control of Superman in timed third-person sequences. You’ll put out flames with super-breath, topple debris with super-strength, and clear mind-control beacons with heat vision, all while racing against the clock to save as many civilians as possible.

Confrontations with classic comic villains play out as quick-time events. You must input the correct button prompts to block strikes, deliver power punches, and finish off enemies. These sequences deliver a sense of urgency, but their rote nature can start to feel repetitive over time. Success expands your monopoly over the city hexes, while failure chips away at Metropolis’s health bar—an inventive way to represent collateral damage in lieu of a traditional life meter.

Beyond the single-player campaign, Superman Returns includes two wireless multiplayer modes that let up to four players assume the role of Superman in head-to-head challenges. You’ll compete to clear objectives—like rescuing stranded citizens or neutralizing hazards—faster than your opponents. Collectibles also add a layer of replay value: Krypton crystals scattered across missions unlock classic Superman comic covers in an in-game gallery, rewarding thorough exploration and high scores.

Graphics

Visually, Superman Returns captures a cinematic feel reminiscent of its movie counterpart. Metropolis’s skyline stretches out under dynamic weather and time-of-day effects, giving the impression of a living, breathing city. Flying at supersonic speeds, you’ll occasionally spot drawing pop-ins, but the sense of momentum and scale largely carry the experience.

Character models are solid recreations of the on-screen heroes and villains, complete with lifelike facial animations in cutscenes. Superman’s cape billows convincingly as he dives and turns, and power-up visuals—like the fiery glow of heat vision—feel appropriately dramatic. Some textures can appear flat up close, especially on building surfaces, but during high-speed flight or cinematic story beats, these shortcomings are easily overlooked.

Cutscenes that mimic key movie moments are rendered in fully voiced 3D, smoothly transitioning into gameplay. While these segments occasionally suffer from frame-rate dips during intense action, they succeed in preserving the film’s visual flair. Overall, the graphics strike a balance between technical constraints and faithful adaptation, delivering enough punch to satisfy Superman fans.

Story

Following the plot of the film, the game begins with Superman’s triumphant return to Earth after years in exile. Early missions focus on reestablishing his role as Metropolis’s protector, rescuing citizens from natural disasters and criminal plots alike. Between disasters and boss fights, fully voiced cutscenes fill in narrative gaps, recreating iconic movie moments while adding a handful of original scenes to keep things fresh.

The pacing of the campaign leans on mission variety—fires, kidnappings, and mind-control schemes—but all missions ultimately feed back into the hex map’s tug-of-war over city health. As the story unfolds, recurring villains like Lex Luthor pop up to challenge Superman’s commitment to saving lives over punishing criminals, echoing the film’s central moral dilemmas. These moments give the narrative depth beyond simple button-mashing sequences.

Though the overarching storyline mirrors the movie’s beats, some fans may find the in-game dialogue and character interactions less polished than the silver screen’s. Nevertheless, the inclusion of original voice work bridges the gap, and the mission-based structure keeps the plot moving forward. The sense of being immersed in Superman’s world remains intact from start to finish.

Overall Experience

Superman Returns offers a distinctive blend of strategic map management, timed action sequences, and cinematic storytelling. The hexagonal mission map provides a clear sense of progression and stakes—if Metropolis’s health crumbles, it’s game over—while flight and combat segments let you feel the power of the world’s greatest superhero. For fans longing to soar over city rooftops and bring justice to super-villains, the game delivers on its core fantasy.

Repetition can set in as mission types cycle, and quick-time events may strike veteran players as simplistic. Yet the addition of wireless multiplayer and collectible galleries extends the game’s lifespan. If you enjoy chasing high scores in disaster scenarios or unlocking classic comic art, there’s enough content here to justify multiple playthroughs.

All told, Superman Returns is a solid adaptation that will especially resonate with movie and comic enthusiasts. Its strengths lie in capturing the cinematic scope of the franchise and offering bite-sized action chunks that suit on-the-go play sessions. While not without flaws, it remains an engaging way to don the cape of the Man of Steel and protect Metropolis from peril.

Retro Replay Score

4.8/10