Graphics:
Superman Returns was as good looking as any action game at E3 this year. Watching the man of steel fight dragons attacking a 747 was odd, but they were very pretty dragons, and effects of Superman's super-speed was impressive. The 3D Metropolis was on par, if not better than Spiderman's New York, or the Hulk's New Mexico. The real treat was watching Superman tackle a giant robot in the middle of the city and the awesome destruction left in their wake.
Superman mythology:
According to EA's press release, this is "[t]he Authentic Superman Experience. True to the fiction in every respect, this is the game based on the Superman universe that fans have been anticipating for decades." It will be interesting to see how they balance the comic book story with the movie, which takes some details and characters, like Lois Lane, in very different directions than the Superman comic books. Without having seen the film, it seems like the game has a fairly independent storyline.
Metropolis as an environment:
The effects of GTA on gaming cannot be underestimated. Like many superhero games, Superman Returns features a huge living city, Metropolis. From the excited citizens moving around the city to the traffic on the streets, the details of the city seem to have their own AI. Metropolis measures 80 square miles of game space. You can go anywhere and do most anything in Metropolis as Superman, in GTA fashion. The gameplay is non-linear, allowing for wide-open gameplay.
Missions and mini-games:
In order to give Superman a decent challenge, notorious villains like Metallo and Parasite appear with pretty massive fights that suit the absurd powers of Superman. Rather than beating up countless thugs, the baddies are more of Superman's caliber. The game features three distinct types of gameplay/missions: Flying, Rescue, and Combat. Each plays very differently, and seem to be in the same vein as the Marvel action games like Ultimate Spiderman or The Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.
Super summary:
In Superman Returns you get to use all of the super powers you've dreamed about (save that whole flying around the world to reverse time thing): Flight, X-Ray Vision, Heat Vision, Super Hearing, Super Strength, Super Speed, and Super Breath. The game allows for powers to be used is some pretty clever combos such as freezing water spouting from a broken fire hydrant into a giant icicle with your Super Breath and using your Super Strength to hurl it at an enemy.
So while Superman Returns has all of the elements of a great superhero game, don't hold your Super Breath. DC properties haven't been made into the most compelling comic-book games, and EA has yet to establish itself in the genre. But only time will tell if Superman finally gets a super game, or another batch of stinky kryptonite.
