An awe-inspiring Superman game, created within Unreal Engine 5 by an independent developer, is now available to the public. DC's Man of Steel is one of the world's most popular superheroes, but he is yet to receive a modern video game adaptation. Back in June 2021 a fan created a Superman demo in Unreal Engine 5, and now gamers can step into the building-leaping boots of the Last Son of Krypton for themselves.
Superman has received multiple video games over the years, like the infamous Superman 64 and 2006's open-world adventure Superman Returns, but none of them were big hits. With the success of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham trilogy and Insomniac's Spider-Man titles, many comic book fans are anticipating the reveal of a modern title worthy of the Man of Steel. The Unreal Engine 5 demo created by Reddit user TJATOMICA shows off the potential for such a project, with the iconic hero soaring through the skies of a bustling Metropolis at breakneck speed. Another Superman demo built in Unreal Engine 5 shows off similar potential, with physics effects letting the player cause damage to the city with their overwhelming abilities.
Redditor TJATOMICA has revealed a brand-new look at their Superman demo, which is now available to download for free on itch.io. For legal reasons the Unreal Engine 5 demo does not explicitly star Superman but the title does let gamers soar above busy streets and speed between massive skyscrapers as a caped superhero. TJATOMICA's revised demo reuses the city from the Enter the Matrix UE5 demo, and low-end PCs are likely unable to run it efficiently. However, gamers with powerful hardware can get a small glimpse at what an official Superman game may feel like on Unreal Engine 5.
I've been fooling around in Unreal Engine 5, dreaming of a modern Superman game [Part 2] from gaming
While many fans dream of an authentic game starring the Man of Tomorrow, others feel that gameplay in past Superman games is bad and the concept should be abandoned. Superman's wide range of extremely powerful abilities is, ironically, the aspect of the character that is most limiting in a video game. While it can be fun to soar through the air and fight enemies with super strength and heat vision, Superman also possesses invulnerability to harm. Making a game about an invincible hero is almost impossible to balance, and having every enemy wield kryptonite would likely feel cheap. However, a cleverly-designed game could find a way to work despite the hero's immense abilities.
TJATOMICA's Superman demo is extremely fun to watch, and now fans have the opportunity to actually experience it for themselves. Unreal Engine 5 can create breathtakingly detailed environments and allow for fast movement, and both of these are needed to bring Metropolis and its protector to life. While it is only a fan project, TJATOMICA's Superman demo hopefully precedes an official AAA Man of Steel experience.
Sources: TJATOMICA/Reddit, Tyson Butler-Boschma/itch.io