Superman: Shadow of Apokolips | Sony PlayStation 2 | PS2
Based on the animated series, Superman: Shadow of the Apokolips manages to put the Man of Steel's many powers in the grasp of eager players.
Defender of Humanity
The plot evolves around Lex Luthor's unyielding desire to destroy Superman. Notorious villains such as Darkseid, Metallo, and Livewire get in on the act, along with hordes of killer robots and the occasional high-tech superweapon.
Unlike his fellow super-powered beings, Superman has respect for human life. In the game, this means you will be performing rescue missions in addition to the traditional beat-'em-up sequences. You'll also go on stealth missions as Clark Kent.
Super Powers
If Superman's compassion captures the hearts of fans, his awesome powers capture their imaginations. Thanks to a well-designed control scheme, you can now control Superman and his impressive arsenal of superpowers.
Two types of heat blasts are available: a single laser shot and a more powerful charged beam. Super breath can blow enemies off their feet and extinguish fires. Superman also gets to use his amazing X-ray vision.
Combat is assisted by an L-Button lock-on feature. Simple combos make quick work of most enemies, but fighting robot after robot can get a bit dry.
The Last Son of Krypton's most notable power, his ability to fly, can be easily executed at any time. The sensation of soaring from the tops of buildings to the streets below is top-notch and the transition from air to ground is seamless. When flying you can also perform a powerful speeding-bullet punch. When landing, you can stomp the ground to clear out surrounding enemies.
Missions
You must complete a variety of missions in each of the 14 levels. Combat is central to most, but timed challenges, search and destroy missions and minigames keep things interesting.
In the Clark Kent sequences, stealth is key. The incognito Man of Steel cannot blow his cover by using super powers. Try it and you'll hear Superman recite his devotion to staying in disguise.
Graphics and Sound
Taking its stylistic cues from the animated series, the environments and characters have a simple, bold design, with forced perspective, black outlines and subtle cel-shading. The flying and fighting animations are good.
Flying is a treat as you watch new details come into view. Humans who first appear as dots lining the sidewalks quickly become fully animated individuals. Soaring past the Daily Planet is quite satisfying for any Kal-el wannabe.
The actual voice actors from Superman: The Animated Series were enlisted to handle the spoken lines for Superman, Lois, Luthor, Kanto, Livewire and Metallo.
Superman: Shadow of the Apokolips gives complete control to those who are willing to spend some time learning the controls. The combat system is fairly basic, but the mission variety keeps things fresh. Support for Progressive Scan and Dolby Pro Logic II means that you will get super-powered audio and video if you have the right equipment.
- Vendor: PlayStation
- Type: PlayStation Games
