"Superman Returns" (Nintendo DS) Review

The Good
Advanced graphics, good unlockables.

The Bad
Sensative controls, repetative gameplay, easy bosses, frustrating mini games, continuity problems.

The Review
As any superhero video game enthusiast knows, Superman has never had a good track record with video games. "Superman Returns" boasted a true-to-fiction storyline and an amazing Superman experience- the best so far.

Whilst the Playstation 2 version had a difficult control system, but did deliver a good gameplay experience, the Nintendo DS version fails in almost every way imaginable. I wouldn't even call it a game. Like the GBA version, it is simply a badly put together collection of mini games.

The object of the game is to protect Metropolis from constant supervillain threats, and these include brainwashing devices to cars filled with contraband. The story is way to simple. The story is all told through the cutscenes, and all these cutscenes are used for are introducing supervillains. There is also continuity problems with the game. In one such cutscene, Metallo is portrayed as a huge, 60 ft. tall robot that destroys buildings, but in the boss battle, he is a normal, 6 ft. size human. Another such problem is that in some of the boss mini games, you can battle the boss even after you have defeated him.

Each mini game has different controls, so it's not like you get bored quickly- just frustrated. The controls on the DS are really quite sensitive with this game. Superman runs really fast when you use the D Pad to control him. I can't say much for the combat system, as it changes with each video game, but I can talk about the boss battles, as these are probably the only mildly fun part of the video game.

These battles are highly repatative, as the bosses are all the same, with the same attacks. The only thing that is different about these battles is the fact that there are different skins for different bosses. Also, the way you fight is similar to "Guitar Hero"- buttons fall down the screen, and you have to press the right button at the right time.

The only real challenges you will face in the video game is when you select the boss/mini game, and also when you face the Bizarro levels. When you select the mini games, you are looking at a map of Metropolis. To select a level, you move around on an enemy icon. Each boss has their own icon, as well as three additional mini game icons per boss. Each mini game icon deletes 1 from the Metropolis health line, and the boss deletes three. Because you can build up to four bosses or more and their additional waves of hazards, the Metropolis health bar quickly dissapears, and the only way you can build it's health is by defeating bosses. With the ratio of activities, however, it is difficult to keep the Metropolis health bar high.

Also, the Bizarro mini games are nigh impossible. As in the comics, the Bizarro levels are all opposite to the other boss mini games/boss levels. Metropolis is now upside down, and the controls have been reversed! Whatever control you previously had over the game is gone, and these levels aren't even fun- just very frustrating.

Believe it or not, there are highlights to the video game. The highlights come in the form of the graphics. The sharp graphics and great character designs and skins are constantly impressive, and whilst buildings don't have the greatest textures you've ever seen, it strangely reminds you of the early DC comic books. There are also unlockable comic book covers, all of which come with a descriptor to tell you about that issue. Theres also A Man Of Steel mode (multiplayer) in which, via wi fi connection, you can play as one of nine versions of Superman to fight others. Also, there is the same feature, renamed Action Comics, available for DS Download Play.

Overall, this game is really only for Superman enthusiasts, but if you do get it it could entertain you for a few minutes of play before you become stressed out. Somehow, this video game reminds me of another, named "Superman 64"...

Overall

Combat System: 4/10

Locomotion System: 4/10

Maps: 6/10

Music: 8/10

Story: 5/10

Graphics: 9/10

Extras: 8/10

Overall: 6.3/10

"Star Wars, The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance" (Nintendo DS) Review

The Good

An original storyline, utilizes the touch screen more than any other game, great voice overs.

The Bad

Jumping and fighting abilities are a little glitchy.

The Review

Most "Star Wars" games that are made today have all been bestsellers, and there are reasons for this. "Star Wars: Battlefront" was a "Star Wars" video game with a new twist- it applied the rules and playability of a "Halo"; "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed" featured ground-breaking force moves that not only looked amazing, but also had great effect. "Jedi Alliance" is another video game that should be among the bestselling list, but isn't.

The story plays much like one of the animated episodes that it is based on. A trio of dark Jedi named the Nightsisters steal a shipment of lightsaber crystals from a Republic vessels. Your chosen team of Jedi must track down these jedi and find out who payed them.

All of the controls of the video game are controlled on the touch screen. Movements, attacks, and puzzles, all feel great and natural on the touch screen. Each Jedi have their own individual force powers and combos, and as your duo play more and more together, they build their powers together. Some of the most exciting parts of the video game are named "Jedi Action Sequences", and these sequences utilize the stylus to draw arrows on the screen to control your jedi in exciting agility scenes. The only problem with the controls on the screen are the jumping abilities and fighting scenes. The jumping ability is only available when you find a jump spot. And the fighting sequences are very tight, and don't allow for imrov.

however, the cutscenes are the highlights. They are cinematically brilliant, and do not fail to give great character building and great monologue. The voice overs are excellent, and add much to the experience of the video game. And who can talk about the music? The music comes straight from the television series, and although the theme tune is slightly changed from the classic score, it doesn't subtract from the video game.

The graphics are another thing to love. The graphics are highly detailed for the Nintendo DS, and it does look like the actual television series. You could almost fool yourself into thinking you were watching a classic Star Wars movie with this game.

Overall, this is a video gaming experience you must see to believe. The only let downs are in the jumping abilities and the attacking moves. Hopefully, LucasArts will improve these problems with the upcoming "Republic Heroes" video game for the Nintendo DS.

Overall

Combat System: 5/10

Locomotion System: 7/10

Maps: 9/10

Music: 9/10

Story: 10/10

Graphics: 10/10

Extras: NA

Overall: 8.3/10

"Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows" (Nintendo DS) Review

The Good

Great combat system, a free roam environment, good music.

The Bad

Save points, An unoriginal story line.

The Review

In the modern world of video gaming, side scrollers are usually worse than their console counterparts. The reason being for this is that it is harder to create the same level of action in a 2D world as there is in the 3D version. This is why Nintendo Wii, X-Box 360 and Playstation 3 versions are selling better than their counterparts on the Nintendo DS.

"Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows" is a suprising hit. Whilst critical reviews of the Wii, Playstation 3, and X-Box 360 counterparts have been towards negative, critical reviews of the Nintendo DS versions have been positive. Though websites like Gamespot talk out of their back-side when reviewing, they did manage to get this review right.

"Web Of Shadows" has a simple fighting system- press Y for attack, B for jump and web-swing, A for speed-dash and web, and X for web zip. If you notice, Y is the only attack button, but when combined with the other buttons, you can get more complicated- and visually interesting battles. However, as you upgrade attacks, these simple chain commands can unleash devastating attacks, the likes of which I have never seen on a side-scroller. Web attacks are also intriguing, but most of the fun comes with punch-and-kick attacks.

The story is simplicity itself- A symbiote invasion has attacked New York City, and it's Spidey's job to stop it. But not before he is once again bonded with the very suit that nearly destroyed him years ago. His objective is to help people along the way, defeat obsticales, help superheroes, and find the ever-elusive Venom. The only problems with the story line is that it is too short, and that the story line has already been used in Kaare Andrew's Spider-Man graphic novel "Reign".

Also, something that is a first for a Spider-Man side-scroller, is the fact that the game is free-roam. You can roam all of New York City (Residential, Downtown, Pier and Sewer areas) whilst collecting upgrades and defeating symbiote-infected citizens. The only criticism I have of the free-roam style is the fact that you have to travel to save destinations to save your game, instead of being able to do it from the menu.

Even if you are not a hardcore Spider-Man fan, you should still pick up this video game. If you are one of these people who just care about the graphics, this is not the game for you (nor any other Nintendo DS game), as the graphics are simple, cartoony, but very fluid.

Overall

Combat System: 10/10

Locomotion System: 10/10

Maps: 7/10

Music: 8/10

Story: 9/10

Graphics: 7/10

Extras: NA

Overall: 8.5/10