Friday, November 24, 2006

The Verdict on the Singerman Game

<-- Don't jump Singerman! We know the movie sucked, but life's still worth living!!! Previously on the blog we talked about the Singerman video game, and wondered why it was being released almost 5 months after the film? Then we found out that it looked like the game was almost intentionally differentiated from the shortcomings of the film. Well with the game now on store shelves, we were interested to hear what the response was from some of the more well-known gaming sites around the web. And from the looks of things, it seems like the game may be almost as disappointing as the film that spawned it.

From Xboxic:
"EA has barely scratched the surface as to the potential of a Superman game. Perhaps, if they had spent more time working on story mode rather than focusing a majority of their time and expenses on flight and the size of Metropolis. Yea, there’s an incredible, lush environment for Superman to engage in, but it is completely barren when it comes to crime for him to face off against. In Superman Returns, Kal-El’s greatest villain is boredom. The curse lives on." - Final Score: 4/10 - Poor

From Gamespot:
"After the thrill of flying around Metropolis wears off, Superman Returns is nothing more than a below-average, repetitive movie tie-in that doesn't even do the movie tie-in part well...
It's hard to shake the feeling that EA viewed the movie's DVD release as the last chance to capitalize on the movie license and was going to ship this game finished or unfinished, good or bad. It looks as though they finally settled on unfinished and bad. Superman Returns doesn't have much to do with the movie of the same name; the plot is a bunch of nonsense; and the game just doesn't capture the essence of what has made Superman such an enduring icon." - Score:4.5/10 - Poor

From IGN:
"The final boss in Superman Returns: The Videogame is a tornado. Not Lex Luthor. Not General Zod, not that nuclear guy -- not even Richard Pryor. A tornado!

That alone sums up the wrong direction EA is flying in Superman Returns, an unfinished game that suffers from a poor narrative, monotonous and brainless enemies, and a questionable take on the Superman universe. It should be said that flying and using superpowers are generally fun, but not enough to overcome the average graphics, sound and suspect game design." - Score 5.5/10 - Mediocre

From Eurogamer:
"Superman Returns is so criminally lacking in any inspiration, though, and is such a dismal waste of the licence that you'll want to curl up and rock yourself into a trance. At least then your mind can entertain you with thoughts of what a good Superman game might be like." - Score: 3/10 - Poor

From TeamXBOX:
"There are fun moments to be had when playing Superman Returns: The Videogame, but I never really felt that I was playing a complete game during my time with it. I’m guessing the team ran under some time constraints and had to push Superman Returns: The Videogame out the door before it was fully optimized." - Score: 6.7/10 - Average

Those bolded parts were all taking about the game right? Not the movie? Because I wasn't sure there for a second... Seems like Singerman just can't catch a break. I was hoping to get at least a rental out of this one.

59 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well that is all on EA, they had a ridiculous amount of time to make this fucking game good. SR came out in late June it's almost Dec for shit's sake and they could not make a good Superman game with all the technology they have at their disposal with the new systems that is all on them.

Anonymous said...

"Well that is all on EA, they had a ridiculous amount of time to make this fucking game good. SR came out in late June it's almost Dec for shit's sake and they could not make a good Superman game with all the technology they have at their disposal with the new systems that is all on them."

Agreed the story has next to nothing to do with SR story and they had forever to make the damn game, if it is bad it's EA's fault.

Anonymous said...

This is got really nothing to do with this. But Superman Returns made the November 17th American Suck Countdown at Heavy.com

Anonymous said...

Hahaha, that's funny about the Suck Countdown. Who is that site run by? They must have half a brain.

Anonymous said...

LOL the game sucks too? That's no surprise. Is the little piano throwing kid a playable character?

Anonymous said...

"That's no surprise. Is the little piano throwing kid a playable character? "

Yep there is a whole level where you get to throw piano's at all the fanboys because they won't shut up about the piano throwing kid.

Anonymous said...

SSS is a PUSSY and SR ruled!!

Anonymous said...

Ok I'm going to try acting like an apologist..

DURRR... superman's just not popular anymore!11

Did I do good, mommy?

Anonymous said...

"Ok I'm going to try acting like an apologist..

DURRR... superman's just not popular anymore!11

Did I do good, mommy?"

People said the same thing about Batman. Then when Batman Begins came out they changed their minds and since SR outgrossed BB i'd say Superman is still plenty popular.

Anonymous said...

lol, overseas and definitely thanks to Imax. This dud needed the extra boost.

I'm actually surprised the game is agreed to suck so much. I was looking forward to it. Oh well.

SR = waste of money.

Anonymous said...

"lol, overseas and definitely thanks to Imax. This dud needed the extra boost."

Way to prove how dumb you are on the subject. On average every big budget film gets about 50% of its gross overseas moron.

Anonymous said...

What a shame, superman needed 3D gimmick to save it.

Anonymous said...

Just watched the Heavy countdown for last week. Pretty damn funny. Singerman hit the number two spot.

Anonymous said...

I have to say that I agree with those reviews for the game. I bought it a couple of days ago,and after about 2 hours of game time I was over fighting dragons. And I was extremely dissapointed that I had to beat a damn twister at the end.

However, flying as Superman just doesn't get old. It strangely satisfies all those fantasies I had as a kid, wanting to just jump up in the air and soar through the sky. It reallyl is that good of a job with the flying part of the game.

Overall I would give the game a B-. It's good, but it could have been great.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone get the feeling that Returns was just a crappy direct to Dvd disney sequel? I saw it and I liked parts of it, but after the initial reaction wears off, it's just a bad sequel in the end.

Now the game's getting crap reviews. This is just a disaster. WB take some time and rethink how you should do superman.

Anonymous said...

Hey, apologists. Superman Returns was a bad movie. Now go get a girlfriend.

Anonymous said...

Good comment above. Maybe then they would stop whacking off to this pitiful traffic accident of a film as though Singer or Routh himself is going to knight them for spewing it's praises. I guess that's why they call it starstruck... even the smallest hint of popularity and people latch onto it like a virus.

Anonymous said...

They live in denial. They somehow think they are BETTER because they liked it, even though anyone with an ounce of common-sense saw right through this "movie".

Anonymous said...

Anyone else amazed at Routh's line delivery in the game? Talk about forced....

Anonymous said...

I don't have the game, so I haven't heard Routh's VO - but is it equally as horrid as his line delivery in his scenes with Eva Marie Saint (the "I'm all that's left" scenes - both those in the film and those cut out). I really don't get all the people who claim Boredom Routh can act - he is as charasmatic and skilled as an actor as a tree.

Anonymous said...

Trust me, IF you get the game, you'll see. No denying he was reading from a script....

Anonymous said...

It doesn't help that the dialogue is horrible. He does ok at times and at times the dialogue is so bad that he just sounds flat.

Oh and in case people wanted to know, watch the Richard donner Cut and you will know how Jason could have Supermans powers!!! I don't want to give anything away, but the editing has been altered.

Anonymous said...

You mean there's a sperm-cam?

-cgeer15

Anonymous said...

No, it means WB has NO intentions of getting rid of THAT albatross...

Anonymous said...

Hey guys watch out for shills out there on the web. Those phoney satisfied customers have already begun to go to forums and squirt their love juice all over singerman dvd. If it's someone who just joined the forum this month, then be very skeptical.

Anonymous said...

Oh and in case people wanted to know, watch the Richard donner Cut and you will know how Jason could have Supermans powers!!! I don't want to give anything away, but the editing has been altered.

I've seen it already. The only problem with this is Singer's movie follows the theatrical release, not the Donner cut. I see what you mean though - it would work now, but it didn't before Donner's cut came out.

Anonymous said...

"The only problem with this is Singer's movie follows the theatrical release, not the Donner cut."

yeah but he did talk to Donner at the beginning so maybe he took that part from the Donner cut..Just like if he goes with ZOD then he can point to the Donner cut.

Anonymous said...

"Hey guys watch out for shills out there on the web. Those phoney satisfied customers have already begun to go to forums and squirt their love juice all over singerman dvd. If it's someone who just joined the forum this month, then be very skeptical."

Skeptical of what, that people liked the movie. I hated SR but i got 2 friends that loved it and saw it twice, what is your point exactly.

Anonymous said...

The point is that WB may be getting aggressive in their online campaign for the dvd. I've already seen a few of these shills myself. They just sign up as new posters and play like kids who are wondering if anyone else just bought this new movie.

I hope only that some are aware of these tactics.

Your friends can love singerman, I don't care. I have a retarded friend who loved when Jason threw the piano and clapped while saying "yay, he throw piano!"

That doesn't matter. When Studios pose as forum members to praise their own products, which I've seen first hand, it's frankly very disheartening to see them so desperate for sales that they resort to very childish behaviors.

Anonymous said...

I seriously hope you are not making a generalization here and say this is just about SR. Studios do this for all their major DVD releases these are not tactics SR is solely using. SR dissapointed at the BO but it still made a lot of money and plenty of people are excited about the DVD.

Anonymous said...

I rented the DVD today, i still did not love the movie but they did a nice job with the features and the overall presentation of the DVD.

Anonymous said...

Shut the fuck up. I bought the dvd today and I just love watching it...

burn.

Anonymous said...

"I seriously hope you are not making a generalization here and say this is just about SR. Studios do this for all their major DVD releases these are not tactics SR is solely using. SR dissapointed at the BO but it still made a lot of money and plenty of people are excited about the DVD."

I can't imagine many are very excited to be ripped off with recent news out of the superman dvds being defective, but i'll take your word for it pal.

And I know many films have their online sycophants trying to swindle the public. It's business and it's a shame WB sees that as a necessary tactic for something as well known as superman. It's a shame indeed.

To me it actually speaks volumes about how fearful they are of more dissapointment. Heck, it might even be bryan Singer himself doing it to try and secure his job on the next film to rape superman some more.

Anonymous said...

And apologists, too. Don't forget about the apologists who never read a superman comic in their lives and think Singer's a genius for copying better director's work.

S.S.S. said...

you think that's bad, I've been getting offered free W.B. swag for weeks to stop with my "smear campaign."
I told them I'm holding out for creative control of the sequel. :)

Anonymous said...

"you think that's bad, I've been getting offered free W.B. swag for weeks to stop with my "smear campaign."
I told them I'm holding out for creative control of the sequel. :)"

Oh yeah that would work out real well, since you have just offered so much constructive criticism about the movie on this blog. This blog is not even about Superman it is about Singer. What happened did he give you a job on the set of SR and then fire your hack ass?

Anonymous said...

Hey what if SSS is just a... GASP... SUPERMAN fan? And he or she doesn't like the direction Singer's taken with this pseudo sequel to over 20 year old films while tons of superman comics lay rotting in a pile somewhere unread and ignored by the TRUE hack, Bryan Singer.

Oh no, that's impossible. I must be dreaming. I didn't see a superman movie that practically used Donner's movie as its only source and couldn't even stay true to that.

Oh and I almost forgot about little superboy. I never saw a movie where lois had superman's child somehow who kills a dude with a grand piano... It must be my imagination.

Anonymous said...

I mean wtf. You act like it's blasphemy to expect WB to actually not waste 200+mil on a semi-remake with a superkid in it.

Yes, some of us fans of superman are displeased with the way he was treated in this boring "chick flick" as singer called it. That should really not be surprising.

Anonymous said...

God, apologists...It's as if singer didn't make a movie that dissapointed WB, pissed off prettymuch every superman comic reader, and generally was one of the most mind bogglingly dumbass movies I've ever witnessed be allowed in theaters since Superman IV...

Maybe we superman fans are whiny and unappreciative with this pile of shit they put superman's name on.

...but so are you since you're here reading this, ready to deride anyone and everyone who believes superman deserved better than a bastard son.

I'm not going to sit by and watch my favorite character get fucked AGAIN. I'm going to say something this time.

So you keep insulting SSS, and all us superman fans, apologist. Though I don't see why you'd defend this film in front of a bunch of superman fans who care about the character more than you or Bryan Singer ever will.

S.S.S. said...

This blog is not even about Superman it is about Singer.

Replace the word "blog" with the word "movie" and you've just gotten to the root of all our problems...

Anonymous said...

I want to reverse time and just erase Superman returns...

Anonymous said...

While i did not love SR i do understand that WB was in a bit of a tough spot in terms of concepts for the film. I think they felt that audiences would not react well to another origin story for Superman, just totally starting over. I think they felt everyone knows his origin already. I think starting after Superman 2, operating in the Donner universe was a fine idea just executed poorly. They should have just started the movie with Clark/Superman on earth as if everything is normal. He hasn't vanished for 5 years he has been there all along. Brought in a major villain like Darkseid or Brainiac for him to do battle with. I think they felt that Lex being the most well known Superman villain, was the best way to go. They should have gone away from Lex at least for this movie and then gone back to him as one of a few villains maybe in the sequel.

Anonymous said...

yeah but he did talk to Donner at the beginning so maybe he took that part from the Donner cut..Just like if he goes with ZOD then he can point to the Donner cut.

Actually, it still wouldn't work. In Donner's cut, Superman reverses time back to before Lois found out he was Superman, therefore she would have never gotten pregnant.

Anonymous said...

"yeah but he did talk to Donner at the beginning so maybe he took that part from the Donner cut..Just like if he goes with ZOD then he can point to the Donner cut.

Actually, it still wouldn't work. In Donner's cut, Superman reverses time back to before Lois found out he was Superman, therefore she would have never gotten pregnant."

Actually none of it work because Singer admitted to getting rid of the mind-swipe from the end of Superman II. He said, "I just left that part out." Look on the web, I'm sure you can find it.

So what does this mean? Well, it means that Singer took the same exact Donner formula scene-fo-scene, and then didn't even stick to the established story as this is a SEQUEL! He stuck to some parts, but none in particular. So the kid COULD be Superman's as Singer just MADE EVERYTHING UP.

But here's the real kicker: If Superman never erased Lois' memory... guess what? She STILL knows that CLARK and SUPERMAN are the SAME PERSON!!! There's no movie to even argue about. This is the kind of "homework" that Singer did. He's not even consistant to the EXISTING storyline- the two he WANTED TO DO!!!

Add to that the insult to Chris Reeve by ELIMINATING his last two performances, finding a look-alike clone to repeat his every action (without the personality), not casting Tom Welling (which is irrelevent as Welling couldn't do it, but STILL- REEVE said that he only endorsed Welling for the role), and then planning a guest spot where Chris Reeve comes on camera WALKING on CG legs (which completely undermines all of the HEROIC and INSPIRING things that he did DURING the twilight of his life)... and THEN dedicating the FILM to HIM AND HIS DEAD WIFE??? Are you kidding me? If you didn't see through that as an audience memeber you are cracked. There wasn't anything sweet about it.

-cgeer15

Anonymous said...

and then planning a guest spot where Chris Reeve comes on camera WALKING on CG legs (which completely undermines all of the HEROIC and INSPIRING things that he did DURING the twilight of his life)

What the fuck are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

"Add to that the insult to Chris Reeve by ELIMINATING his last two performances, finding a look-alike clone to repeat his every action (without the personality), not casting Tom Welling"


First of all Welling is not even a fan of Superman and has said many times he is afraid of being typecast as Superman. Welling was certainly not campaigning for the role, in fact he was probably relieved he was never seriously considered because he seems to think he is a far better actor than he really is. Insult Reeves by eliminating his last 2 performances, did you see those fucking movies? I loved CR and he is still my Superman but Superman 3 and 4 were abysmal in every sense of the word. Hell CR himself was so frustrated with the Salkinds that he swore never again to do another Superman after 3. He only came for 4 back after they sold the rights to Golan Globus and they offered him a shit load of money plus creative control, obviously that did not work to well either.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you really didn't get the point at all. The point is that Singer didn't acknowledge everything Reeve did AS Superman. It doesn't matter that 3 & 4 sucked, do we act like Gene Hackman or Chris Reeve weren't even in the fourth one? No. The fact that Singer eliminated the films because they were "unpopular" is the entire point, WHILE OBVIOUSLY having Routh fill in the ROLE of REEVE as the SAME CHARACTER(from that series), trying to tack himself and his vision onto the series that Reeve made famous. It's obvious that's what Singer was doing as he used the same story, the same background events, and even had Marlon Brando (in posthumous CG no doubt) as Jor-El. You don't think any of this is disrespectful to the previous films? What WOULD have been respectful is for him to just relaunch the franchise. Then he could do whatever the hell he wanted to with the characters and at worst people would say, "Yeah, this movie sucked, it just wasn't a good Superman film." Not, "Oh yeah this movie sucked, but I'm too scared to say boo about it because I don't want to disrespect the memories of the two headliners, and the hero's dead wife." Reeve's death was way too close to production of this movie, and they should ahve respected that. Instead WB is trying to milk his image for all it's worth. You're right about Welling though, but didn't I say that he couldn't do it anyway? Yep. So what's your point with that?

I still don't get your point. We still acknowledge that Shumacker's Batman took place in the same world as Burton's, and that X3 took place after Singer's X-flicks... so what exactly is your point? You can ignore something else entirely because it's unpopular? That's like acting like it never existed and the work of the people involved was pointless. Regardless of what you are saying, I really don't think that Superman 3 and 4 were as bad as Singerman. As Superman 3 and 4 had heart... and even though they were crappy films, there was more understanding of Superman in EITHER than throughout this entire film.

Last question: Are you an appologist? Just wondering, as this is an appologist excuse for Singer's reprehensible behavior.

-cgeer15

Anonymous said...

You don't think any of this is disrespectful to the previous films?


No, and neither did the Director of the first Superman film. Who gave his blessing. I guess you have to watch the making of DVD on the Superman Returns DVD to really see how much Singer loved and respected the original films. Yeah I admit he loved them a bit to much but he did not attempt to step all over the other films or CR's performance..You are seeing something that is not there.

But like I said you have to watch the behind the scenes doc to really get that, and I highly doubt any of you guys will..lol.. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh and while I don't know how it's selling, I was in Blockbuster today to rent Clerks 2 (fucking hilarious guys, must watch) and there was about 30 copies of SR..All of them gone, the last one picked up by a mom who told the girl behind the counter how much her son was buggin her to rent it so she was happy she was able to get it..What does this mean? No fucking idea..just thought I would pass that along.

Anonymous said...

"I still don't get your point. We still acknowledge that Shumacker's Batman took place in the same world as Burton's, and that X3 took place after Singer's X-flicks... so what exactly is your point?"

Uh yeah and yet they started over with BB and totally ignored everything that happened in all those other movies. In Burton's Batman world the Joker is dead, yet he is going to be in the Dark Knight. So it is okay for Batman to ignore aspects of history but not Superman, your point there is useless.

"Regardless of what you are saying, I really don't think that Superman 3 and 4 were as bad as Singerman. As Superman 3 and 4 had heart... and even though they were crappy films, there was more understanding of Superman in EITHER than throughout this entire film."

That is your opinion and that is fine but you are WAY in the minority on that one. Superman 3 and especially 4 bombed at the BO and were critically panned almost universally across the board. The production problems on Superman 4 are well known and Reeve himself described it as an "Epic disaster". Like i said it is your opinion but it is not shared by many.

Anonymous said...

"As Superman 3 and 4 had heart... and even though they were crappy films, there was more understanding of Superman in EITHER than throughout this entire film."

Oh yeah which parts of 3 and 4 understood Superman better. Was it in 3 when he was getting drunk and screaming at people to leave him alone, or was it when he had sex with a woman he didn't even know. How about 4 when they made up powers that did not exist, rebuilding the great wall of China with his vision. Yeah they understood Superman real well in those movies.

Anonymous said...

"Regardless of what you are saying, I really don't think that Superman 3 and 4 were as bad as Singerman. As Superman 3 and 4 had heart..."

How much crack have you smoked tonight to actually make this statement. The effects alone in SR put it ahead of those 2 pieces of shit. I put SR 3rd behind STM and the Donner cut, i have it ahead of the Lester version of Superman 2. Superman 3 and 4 had a lousy story line and 4 had the worst fucking effects of any Superman film by far it was a god damn disgrace how bad that movie was.

Anonymous said...

"Uh yeah and yet they started over with BB and totally ignored everything that happened in all those other movies. In Burton's Batman world the Joker is dead, yet he is going to be in the Dark Knight. So it is okay for Batman to ignore aspects of history but not Superman, your point there is useless."

Exactly. With Batman Begins they "started over." That's why people accepted all of the differences in the film. Singerman takes place within that string of movies and eliminates the last two. So, why continue a story (in the middle) that isn't yours? I agree with his point.

"How much crack have you smoked tonight to actually make this statement. The effects alone in SR put it ahead of those 2 pieces of shit. I put SR 3rd behind STM and the Donner cut, i have it ahead of the Lester version of Superman 2. Superman 3 and 4 had a lousy story line and 4 had the worst fucking effects of any Superman film by far it was a god damn disgrace how bad that movie was."

I see. Another appologist rattling on about how effects make the movie. I think you missed his point. Besides that, it's his opinion, don't be rude.

Anonymous said...

"I see. Another appologist rattling on about how effects make the movie. I think you missed his point. Besides that, it's his opinion, don't be rude."

No he didn't he said the effects and the SL sucked ass for Superman 4 which they did. If you hate the SL in SR and in Superman 4 you should like SR better based on effects. Nobody with a functioning brain thinks Superman 4 had a good story.

Anonymous said...

Man, this game doesn't try hard to move away from the label "Superman Lifts" does it? It actually KEEPS TRACK of the total weight you "lift", and the heaviest object to boot!

Anonymous said...

Wow, 4 hours of gameplay and I finished it? WTF?

Anonymous said...

Sure the storyline sucked, but it's at least good as a B-movie. Superman Returns isn't even that. It's bad on every level. AND Superman acts like SUPERMAN in Superman IV, which no one can state in this movie.

-cgeer15

Anonymous said...

"Sure the storyline sucked, but it's at least good as a B-movie. Superman Returns isn't even that. It's bad on every level. AND Superman acts like SUPERMAN in Superman IV, which no one can state in this movie. "

Oh cut me a fucking break...Fucking pathetic fanboys!! You lose all credibility saying that Superman 4 was better than SR.

Anonymous said...

"Oh cut me a fucking break...Fucking pathetic fanboys!! You lose all credibility saying that Superman 4 was better than SR."

Here comes the normal idiot "Apologist" retort, talking about "credibility". Don't these baffoons know that once they try to "Defend" a turd like this, they automatically lose "credibility" as a fully-functioning human being? You HAVE to be brain-damaged to like this piece of shit....