As is solemn law, you officially can not have a superhero movie these days without the obligatory videogame tie-in. Summer 2011 sees First Avenger Captain America take to the silver-screen in the form of Chris Evans of Sunshine, Scott Pilgrim (as Lucas Lee, Ramona’s second evil boyfriend) and Losers fame. Evans also knows a thing or two about spandex, considering he’s also Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in fellow Marvelverse’s The Fantastic Four movies. Hey, if Ryan Reynolds can play multiple superheroes, why can’t Evans?
The Captain is one of comics’ all-time recognisable characters, probably because he’s literally dressed as an American flag, so he’s pretty impossible to miss. Created at a time when America needed a symbol to get behind, many of Cap’s original stories saw Steve Rogers take it to Axis forces, fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. It was all pretty standard flag-waving stuff, though the depiction of Japanese troops as inhuman devils in the comics of the day have since come under fire and are deemed a litte, well, racist in more recent times. Of course, these are comics we’re talking about. Comics where such things as a guy dressed in a blue leotard with wings on his head can punch Hitler in the mush is perfectly feasible.
Captain America resonates with comic fans and blind jingoists because he’s a patriot and doesn’t have any super-powers. Not unless you call the Super Soldier Serum, a performance enhancing cocktail that can only be described as a juicer’s wet dream, as anything fantastical. Ironically, considering Rogers is perceived as the perfect embodiment of natural human potential; his speed, strength, agility and healing ability operating at the highest levels possible for a human being, he’s literally Hitler’s poster-boy for the Ayran master-race. He even has blonde hair! But I digress.
Despite his continual popularity, of all the iconic superheroes to have come after him, Ole Cap has probably had the most torrid of times when it comes to his portrayal outside of comic-books. There was the live action 70s series (it sucked), not to mention a 1990 film that is literally like punching yourself in the face. Here’s hoping Joe Johnson’s celluloid attempt next year is a little more palatable. It does have Hugo Weaving as bad-guy The Red Skull, so, things could be worse.
The game will see Captain America deploy his shield in many ways; helping him solve puzzles, climb walls, and, especially, pulverise squishy body-parts of deserving Nazis. It’s a third-person action title with a heavy emphasis on platform traversal, acrobatics and shield eating. Check out the trailer below we mentioned recently for a look of exactly what we mean.
Developed by Canadian studio Next Level Games, this is the first PS3 and Xbox 360 title the Vancouver based outfit have worked on, having previously developed such Wii titles as Punch Out! and Transformers: Cybertron Adventures. Much like the upcoming Thor and Green Lantern game adaptations, we’re highly sceptical about Captain America, but with so many comic fans on staff here at TSA it was only natural any game where you get to put a mask on was going to score highly in terms of our anticipation level for next year’s games.
Expect Captain America: Super Soldier to hit on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS and PSP around the same time of the movie next year. Nazis, be warned.
colossalblue
There’s so much potential with Captain America, no web-swinging or flying to fudge the controls, no invulnerability to get around. Just a highly trained, serum-enhanced badass with a shield he can throw at chumps.
It /could/ be awesome. I hope.
Gamoc
I hate Captain America.
That is all.
Gamoc
I’m getting huge comparisons between the fighting in that trailer and that in Arkham Asylum. It looks very similar.
moshi
I thought that 1st time the trailer came around
jikomanzoku
Yeah me too, in a traditionally 2 dimensional (yeah, pun, i know) genre Captain America always was monomolecularly shallow propoganda.
Sympozium
Why can’t they make a good Fantasic Four/Iron Man game? ITS NOT FAIR!!
I hope this is good… even if blood is the price *(not really ya?)
Charmed_Fanatic
A good FF game *drools*
Jordaaaan
Looks like if Batman: AA had a faster pace and didn’t focus on stealth. I’m actually looking forward to this, the platforming pole swingy bit looked fun.
JesseDeya
If this is done as well as Batman:AA then I’ll pick it up for sure.
PS: Ironically I was just Capt America a few weeks ago :)
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/3199/beastcaptamerica.jpg
Raen
I don’t why but the title “Transformers: Cybertron Adventures” made me crack up. Possibly because in my head it’s a reskinned Kinect Adventures.
Kovacs
Quick! Jump over Starscream’s Energon tongue!
Waaachow
It will be difficult to top Batman: Arkham Asylum or the sequal if it comes out at the same time. I will play it because it’s the Cap’ but being honest as with most games like this i wont be paying more than £20.00 (so a 2012 purchase for me)