Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve’s Tumblr. Find out more at my newsletter.)
And yet another book is out! In this case it’s my Superheroes and Worldbuilding book. I’m continuing my mini-worldbuilding books with one on Superheroes (and it mostly focuses specifically on heroes – villains may be forthcoming). So if you’re thinking about a setting with capes and heroics, give it a check!
-Steven Savage
Last column, I discussed superhero videogames, why they often don't work, and the two elements that would come together to make them work, or at least not suck.
Those two elements? The “thematic" elements (look, story, writing, acting) and the “mechanical” elements of gameplay and game system.
I've come to the conclusion that the big problem superhero games is that the mechanical elements are often done wrong, poorly, or use inappropriate elements from common gaming systems and tropes. Thematic element problems can usually be cured with the right graphics, writer, and self-respect. Mechanical elements on the other hand, seem to be harder.
So there I was, checking my Twitter feeds, when someone simply stated “no one can make a Superman videogame.”
I immediately took this simple statement is a challenge. It let me to speculate on superheroes, their use in video games, their more epic mismade video games, and what makes a good superhero videogame. It was a fascinating mental journey (and for the record, I do think a good Superman videogame is possible, but that is coming later in this series of columns).
Speculating on video games and superheroes is interesting, because the record of superhero videogames being good is highly inconsistent. There are games there praised quite rightfully, such as Arkham Asylum. There are games that are lambasted quite properly, such as . . . Okay, a lot of them, but Superman on Nintendo 64 does come to mind as kind of the iconic bad superhero videogame. Why such an erratic, and at times incredibly shameful and stupid record?