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The Problem With Super Hero Games

May 18, 2009 in Interview comments 7

In this week's "Listen Up" podcast, host Garnett Lee expressed his disappointment in the super hero genre of video games, using the latest Wolverine game as an example.
Lee believes very few super hero games are fantastic games, and here's why...

During the latest installment of the Listen Up podcast, host Garnett Lee tore into a design decision made in the recent Wolverine game that strips the hero of some of his powers, forcing players to earn them back, Metroid-style.

This anger apparently fomented during a mid-podcast bathroom break during which Lee and show regular John Davison, founder of What They Play, discussed the problem with super-hero games that involve heroes more powerful than mortal men.

quote
Garnett Lee: If you're playing a Hulk or a Wolverine or a Captain America, you know who those characters are.

John Davison: This is where video game conventions let down the super-hero genre.

Lee: Absolutely.

Davison: There are expectations of video games that super-heroes aren't compatible with.

Lee: Like building the character. And having rewards based on how you develop the character. Maybe there's another reward system somebody could come up with. I don't' know what it is.

Davison: In that situation you should be able to die. There are certain things in video games that you take for granted that a super-hero automatically table-swipes. That' why the city-health thing [in EA's Superman Returns] I don't think it worked but..

G4TV.com reporter Patrick Klepek: It's clever. It was an attempt to do something different.
Miss Razz via kotaku.com »
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  • 2
    Gamesta100 May 19, 09
    OH NO Wolverine loses his powers during 10 or so minutes through the game.Lets all chuck a hissy fit over something so pathetic.I can understand being thoroughly annoyed if half the game had Wolverine with no powers, but the LITTLE amount of time without powers is nothing.
  • 0
    Reenee May 19, 09
    Well, first of all, it's not really supposed to happen. It's a developer cop-out.

    Second, the bigger problem is making a game worth a damn. :3c
  • 0
    iLLmatic May 19, 09
    ..and then came along inFamous
  • 5
    Darknet May 19, 09
    The problem is that most superhero games are made for the movies, thus they are rushed and cheap. The reason why Wolverine's game didn't suck because it was being made before the movie was even being made.

    Look at Batman Begin's game. Sucked because it was rushed. Now look at Arkham Asyulm. F'ing tits, f'ing tits. Because they took time with it.
    • 1
      Shinobi_razor May 19, 09
      hit the nail on the head Dark. if they took time on movie games, none of them would suck other than ones based on kids movies of course.

      so what if Wolvie lost his powers briefly? you get them back after not long anyway. im holding out for the Batman game, that should be excellent.
    • 0
      iLLmatic May 20, 09
      There's a Batman Begins game?
      • 0
        Fallen Royalty May 20, 09
        Yeah, but you probly didn't hear about it 'cuz it sucked.

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