Superman: Shadow of Apokolips

Last updated
Superman: Shadow of Apokolips
Shadow of Apokolips Box Art.jpg
North American PS2 cover art
Developer(s) Infogrames Sheffield House
Publisher(s) Infogrames [lower-alpha 1]
Producer(s) David Abrams
Designer(s) Michael Traquair
Programmer(s) Ian Badcoe
Artist(s) Mark Sweeney
Composer(s) Red Mustard Productions
Platform(s) PlayStation 2, GameCube
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: September 24, 2002 [1]
  • EU: November 15, 2002 [2]
  • AU: November 22, 2002 [3]
GameCube
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Superman: Shadow of Apokolips is a video game that was released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube consoles. It was developed by Infogrames Sheffield House, published by Infogrames under the Atari brand name, and released in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. It is based on the television series Superman: The Animated Series .

Contents

Plot

Believing Intergang to be starting up again, Superman learns that beings causing chaos throughout Metropolis are, in fact, a group of robots using Intergang's old methods. These "Interbots" have access to very high-grade weaponry, which is powerful enough to seriously injure or even kill the Man of Steel. These bots are being ordered by a leader that is later revealed to be Lex Luthor, who is secretly working with Darkseid.

Finding that the weapons come from Apokolips, Superman sets out to destroy the bots, and their weapons, having to fight a multitude of enemies that Luthor sends after him. Parasite, Metallo, and Livewire contracted to kill Superman to allow the bots free rein to obey Luthor's wishes.

Design

The game featured designs reflecting the look and feel of Superman: The Animated Series . The story was advanced by a series of cut scenes that were created using cel-shaded animation in order to further emulate the look of traditional animation. The original Animated Series voice cast all returned to their roles for the game, featuring Tim Daly as Clark Kent / Superman, Dana Delany as Lois Lane, Lori Petty as Livewire, Malcolm McDowell as Metallo, Michael York as Kanto, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. Darkseid and Parasite from the series also appeared, but they were not played by Michael Ironside and the late Brion James respectively, but instead by Kevin Michael Richardson and Brian George (George would later voice Parasite in Justice League ).

Development and release

In September 2000, Infogrames picked up the license to publish and develop Superman video games from Titus Interactive under a new deal with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. [6]

At E3 2002, Infogrames revealed Shadow of Apokolips as a PlayStation 2 title, based on Superman: The Animated Series, alongside its unrelated Xbox companion game Superman: The Man of Steel , which was based on the comic books. [7]

Infogrames published a GameCube port of the game in March 2003. [8] The GameCube version, also handled by Infogrames Sheffield House, includes many additional features and improvements over the PlayStation 2 version, featuring three selectable difficulty settings, Widescreen, Progressive Scan and Dolby Pro Logic II support, additions of secret items in every level where cheat codes can be unlocked, a free-roaming mode where the player can explore Metropolis at their own free will, enhanced boss AI, and a "Making of" movie featuring the game's development and beta elements. [9]

Reception

The game received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Prior to release, an air of apprehension surrounded the title due to the failure of the 1999 Superman video game, also based on the animated show. GameSpot praised the game's presentation, saying "...the Man of Steel has never looked or moved better", while panning the mechanics behind the game: "He's faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and can be trapped in walls because of poor collision detection: He's Superman!" [19] IGN felt it was the superior title to the Xbox counterpart, Superman: The Man of Steel , but calling it an "average superhero game". [24] Entertainment Weekly , however, gave the game a C− and wrote: "What keeps the game from taking off is the overly simplistic episodic nature of the missions set before you...The wacky control configuration also makes your heat vision, ice breath, X-ray vision, and superspeed incredibly difficult to use on the fly". [29]

GameRankings gave the game a score of 65.46% for the PlayStation 2 version [10] and 64.37% for the GameCube version, [11] while Metacritic gave it a score of 64 out of 100 for the PS2 version [13] and 66 out of 100 for the GameCube version. [12]

Related Research Articles

<i>Enter the Matrix</i> 2003 video game

Enter the Matrix is a 2003 action-adventure video game developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Infogrames under the Atari brand name. The first game based on The Matrix film series, its story is concurrent with that of the film The Matrix Reloaded and features over an hour of original footage, written and directed by the Wachowskis and starring the cast of the films, produced for the game.

<i>Madden NFL 2004</i> 2003 video game

Madden NFL 2004 is the 15th installment of the Madden NFL series of American football video games. Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is on the cover.

<i>Dragon Ball Z: Budokai</i> (video game) 2002 video game

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai, released as Dragon Ball Z in Japan, is a fighting video game developed by Dimps for PlayStation 2 release in 2002 and GameCube release in 2003. The first game in the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai series, it is based on the Japanese anime series Dragon Ball Z, part of the manga franchise Dragon Ball. It was published in Japan by Bandai and in North America by Infogrames, and was the first console Dragon Ball video game in five years since Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout (1997).

<i>NBA 2K3</i> 2002 basketball video game

NBA 2K3 is a 2002 sports video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega for GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

<i>NBA Live 2003</i> 2002 video game

NBA Live 2003 is the 2002 installment of the NBA Live video games series. The cover features Jason Kidd as a member of the New Jersey Nets. The game was developed by EA Canada and released on October 8, 2002 for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube consoles and November 14, 2002 for Microsoft Windows. It was the last NBA Live game to be released on the original PlayStation. The game includes a soundtrack, which is the first video game soundtrack in history to be certified Platinum by the RIAA, selling over 1,300,000 copies worldwide.

<i>NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona</i> 2002 video game

NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona is a racing simulator developed by Monster Games and published by Infogrames in November 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It features NASCAR's Dodge Weekly Racing Series, Featherlite Modified Tour, Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The Dodge Weekly Racing Series and Featherlite Modified Tour rosters consist of generic fantasy drivers. The Craftsman Truck Series also features fantasy drivers alongside real ones. The unique feature of having to work your way up through the ranks from the low tier Weekly Racing Series to the Cup Series would later return in EA Sports' NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup.

<i>Outlaw Golf</i> Video game series

Outlaw Golf is a series of golf video games developed by Hypnotix, that are intended for adults and mature teens. Outlaw Golf was released for the Xbox on June 11, 2002; for GameCube on October 30, 2002; and for Microsoft Windows on September 30, 2003. A standalone expansion, Outlaw Golf: 9 Holes of X-Mas was released December 23, 2002 exclusively to Blockbuster. A second standalone expansion, Outlaw Golf: 9 More Holes of X-Mas, was released November 15, 2003 also exclusively to Blockbuster. An official sequel, Outlaw Golf 2, was released for Xbox on October 21, 2004, and for PlayStation 2 on November 25, 2004. The games are part of the Outlaw series, and other titles include Outlaw Volleyball and Outlaw Tennis. The Xbox version was released in Japan as part of Xbox World Collection series.

<i>Stuntman</i> (video game) 2002 video game

Stuntman is the name of two action-adventure racing video games; one was developed by Reflections Interactive for the PlayStation 2, and the other by Velez & Dubail for the Game Boy Advance, with both being published by Infogrames under the Atari brand name. The games focus around the career of a motion-picture stuntman. It takes the player through various movies in which they perform dangerous stunts as called by the game.

<i>Dark Summit</i> 2001 snowboarding video game

Dark Summit is a 2001 snowboarding video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by THQ. It was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox,

<i>PK: Out of the Shadows</i> 2002 video game

PK: Out of the Shadows is a 2002 action-adventure video game developed by Ubi Soft Montreal and published by Ubi Soft. It stars Donald Duck as Paperinik or "PK" as he battles to stop the Evron Empire from taking over Earth. The game is based on the Italian comic book series PK – Paperinik New Adventures.

<i>V-Rally 3</i> 2002 video game

V-Rally 3 is a racing video game developed by Eden Studios and published by Infogrames Europe. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance platforms in 2002, and ported to the Xbox, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows in 2003.

<i>NCAA College Basketball 2K3</i> 2002 video game

NCAA College Basketball 2K3 is an American college basketball video game released by Sega in December 2002 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube. It is the only game in the series that uses the "College Basketball" designation rather than "College Hoops". Former Duke Blue Devils guard Jay Williams is on the cover. NCAA College Basketball 2K3 is the only game in the series to appear on the GameCube.

<i>NCAA Football 2003</i> 2002 video game

NCAA Football 2003 is a video game of the sports genre released in 2002 by EA Tiburon. Its cover athlete is former Oregon Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington.

<i>Superman: Countdown to Apokolips</i> 2003 video game

Superman: Countdown to Apokolips is a platform video game developed by Canadian studio Mistic Software and published by Infogrames, released under the Atari brand name for Game Boy Advance. It was based largely on Superman: The Animated Series, including its character portrayals, and artistic style. There are bosses such as Livewire, Metallo and Bruno Mannheim, as well as goons and other items. Development started life at the Crawfish Interactive Studios.

<i>Splashdown</i> (video game) 2001 video game

Splashdown is a water racing video game developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Infogrames originally for the PlayStation 2 and was later ported to the Xbox. It was released under the Atari brand name.

<i>Transworld Surf</i> 2001 video game

Transworld Surf is a sports video game developed by Angel Studios and published by Infogrames The game was released for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox between November 2001 and March 2003. The Xbox version of the game was the third game released under Infogrames' newly-revamped Atari label.

<i>The Terminator: Dawn of Fate</i> 2002 video game

The Terminator: Dawn of Fate is a 2002 action video game developed by Paradigm Entertainment and published by Infogrames for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the Terminator film series, serving as a prequel to the first two films.

<i>Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines</i> (video game) 2003 video game

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is a 2003 first-person shooter video game based on the film of the same title, with elements of hand-to-hand combat in the third-person perspective. It was developed by Black Ops Entertainment, with assistance work done by other Atari-owned subsidiaries. The game was published by Atari for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2003. An isometric shooter version was released for the Game Boy Advance during the same year. The game was also going to be released for GameCube, but was eventually cancelled.

<i>TD Overdrive: The Brotherhood of Speed</i> 2002 racing video game

TD Overdrive: The Brotherhood of Speed is a racing video game developed by Pitbull Syndicate and published by Infogrames for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows.

<i>IndyCar Series</i> (video game) 2003 video game

IndyCar Series is a racing simulator developed by Brain in a Jar and published by Codemasters. The game was released in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows. The game is based on the 2002 Indy Racing League. A sequel to the game, IndyCar Series 2005, was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows based on the 2003 IndyCar Series.

References

  1. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". IGN . Archived from the original on July 2, 2004. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Infogrames: Godzilla versus Superman". Eurogamer . October 16, 2002.
  3. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". Game Nation. Archived from the original on July 31, 2003. Retrieved July 18, 2024. Superman: Shadow of Apokolips is due for release on PlayStation 2 on the 22nd of November, so look out for it on retail shelves shortly!
  4. ↑ "Atari Ships Superman: Shadow of Apokolips and Superman: Countdown to Apokolips". GameZone. March 26, 2003. Archived from the original on December 31, 2004. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  5. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (May 2, 2003). "What's New?". Eurogamer . Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Infogrames Picks up Superman". 8 September 2000.
  7. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips - PS2 - Preview". 4 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Atari Brings Superman to Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance". 4 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Atari Brings Superman to Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance". 4 May 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for PlayStation 2". GameRankings . Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  11. 1 2 "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for GameCube". GameRankings. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  12. 1 2 "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  13. 1 2 "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips Critic Reviews for PlayStation". Metacritic . Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  14. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (PS2) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on 2014-11-13. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  15. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 161. December 2002. p. 218.
  16. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (November 2002). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (PS2)". Game Informer . No. 115. p. 113. Archived from the original on 2004-08-24. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  17. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (GC)". Game Informer. No. 121. May 2003. p. 87.
  18. ↑ The D-Pad Destroyer (2002-10-03). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro . Archived from the original on 2006-01-18. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  19. 1 2 Varanini, Giancarlo (2002-10-03). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips Review (PS2)". GameSpot . Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  20. ↑ Varanini, Giancarlo (2003-03-28). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips Review (GC)". GameSpot. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  21. ↑ Villoria, Gerald (2002-10-14). "GameSpy: Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (PS2)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  22. ↑ Williams, Bryn (2003-04-12). "GameSpy: Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (GCN)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 2008-06-25. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  23. ↑ Knutson, Michael (2002-10-08). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  24. 1 2 Perry, Douglass C. (2002-09-26). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (PS2)". IGN . Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  25. ↑ Lewis, Cory D. (2003-04-02). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (GC)". IGN. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  26. ↑ Bickham, Jes (June 2003). "Superman of Apokolips". NGC Magazine . No. 81. p. 48. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". Nintendo Power . Vol. 168. May 2003. p. 138.
  28. ↑ "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . December 2002. p. 174.
  29. 1 2 Bernardin, Marc (2002-10-04). "Superficial (Terminator: Dawn of Fate; Superman: Shadow of Apokolips)". Entertainment Weekly . No. 675–676. p. 157. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  30. ↑ Melville, Richard (February 2003). "Superman: Shadow of Apokolips". PlayStation World . No. 8. p. 70. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  1. ↑ Released under the Atari brand name
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.