EA's taking its sweet time releasing Superman Returns, and for good reason. The company has saddled itself with an incredibly ambitious project that could blow up in its face if it doesn't get everything just right. But this is more than just a standard super hero game. Actually, it's anything but. Not only are the developers trying to harness this phenomenal technology, but they're also carrying Daily Planet size weights on their shoulders. This isn't just about doing the movie justice. It's also about pleasing the millions of dedicated Superman fans around the globe, the same poor souls that have had to endure an innumerable amount of crappy games (Superman 64, anyone?) based on DC Comics beloved icon. Well after playing the Xbox 360 version, I'm very happy to report that while it's still a bit rough around the edges, it's already the best Superman game that I've played. Of course, considering Superman's earlier games, that's also not saying much.

Superman Returns is actually very much like Activision's Spider-Man 2 in the sense that the developers have created this enormous open world to explore (in this case, Metropolis) and you're pretty much free to do what you please. And instead of passing the time web-slinging about the city, you can fly all over the place. Not only can you lift off, fly straight up and hover above the city, but you can also zip about at speeds that exceed well over 800 mph, or faster than a speeding bullet. Superman can even break the sound barrier, and this is accompanied by a pretty slick fire effect that briefly surrounds the Man of Steel.

Flying is one of this game's best features simply because it's so entertaining. Superman moves so ridiculously fast that I had fun seeing how long I could dodge skyscrapers before smacking into something. And when I did slam into a building, I was pleased to discover that the impact left some damage, though I'm disappointed that I can't fully destroy buildings because that would've been fantastic. But what's here is definitely cool, especially the leeway EA has given me whenever I clip something. Instead of penalizing me for scraping the side of a building, Superman just bounces off and continues on his way.

Hovering is sweet because it really shows off the game's massive open world. The developers have done an exquisite job creating a sprawling city that goes on for several miles, and based on what I've seen, nothing is out of bounds. I took off, sailed straight into the air and then did a 360, admiring the many skyscrapers and islands. Then I picked a spot and, with better than bullet speed, flew past the many buildings en route to the sidewalk. As I drew near, I was able to spy pedestrians and traffic. I was just disappointed by the number of people on the streets. I didn't play the game for very long, so for all I know, certain sections may contain hundreds of people, but these particular areas were pretty devoid of life.

The citizens of Metropolis go about their daily lives, even if that just entails walking down the street. But they're not oblivious to the various goings on, so if a super villain is running amok they'll run in terror. In fact, they'll even get the heck out of Dodge if Superman is causing trouble, though they can't be killed. You can blow them away with his super breath, terrorize them with his x-ray vision, and even pick them up and fly them first class all over the city; but you can't take their lives, which is in line with Superman's nature. But it's still cool chucking cars into buildings or even better, blowing them away. This one time, I landed on a heavily trafficked highway and unleashed a wave of super breath, and all of the cars and trucks (I'm talking at least 10) were lifted into the air and flung several hundred feet away. That was definitely cool.

Like most open world games, there's a series of missions that you can complete, and it appears that many of them can be tackled in no particular order. There's probably a very strict story arc that requires its missions to be beaten in succession, but much like the Grand Theft Auto titles as well as Super Mario 64, there's plenty of side quests and mini games that can be completed at your leisure.

There's also a ridiculous amount of content. This isn't just about the movie. EA is pulling from over 60 years of comic book lore. And trust me; Lex Luthor is the least of your worries. The game is populated with scores of famous villains, such characters as Metallo and Parasite, so we should all be in for something special.

That's not to say the game is perfect. With two months left in its development, Superman Returns was suffering from some minor control issues (maneuvering the big guy was at times a chore) and some of the colors are off (some things had a yellow tone) but there's still time to iron out the kinks. I just wish I could've played the game for a couple hours. If that had been the case, I would've been able to tackle some of the flying, rescue, and combat missions as well as check out some of the cut scenes. However, and based on what I've seen, there's a tremendous amount of potential lurking beneath this game's shiny wrapper. I just hope EA manages to capitalize on it. GameDaily will have more on Superman Returns in the coming months, and look for the game in stores after November 20th.