Deconstructing superhero mythology can be a joyful way of both celebrating and lampooning comic book culture in video games, which makes the uneven Supreme League of Patriots something of a trojan horse of social commentary. It turns the origin of a real superhero into a three-episode attack on Republicans that, even as a liberal, had me cringing at its non-stop bashing. The clever puzzles, while occasionally frustrating, are a highlight, but even they may not be enough to keep you playing through this verbose comedic adventure’s non-superheroic antics.
Playable character Kyle Keever is a lovable dimwit who identifies as lefty, but through a series of mishaps while auditioning for the reality TV show America’s Got Superpowers, transforms into the Purple Patriot, an ultra-conservative jingoist, chauvinist, and homophobe. I think we’re meant to laugh at his offensive observations and actions, but the overbearing, meandering dialogue rarely allows the humor to stick. The best lines are delivered by Melvin, the Purple Patriot’s liberal best friend and sidekick, whose only superpower is a droll British sense of humor. Listening to the duo riff off each other like a superheroic Sam and Max can be amusing, but the punchlines often get lost in the hyper-partisan tirades. Even when the adventure makes jabs at liberals, the outcome is more offensive than funny, such as the inclusion of a flamboyant gay superhero who wears makeup, leather, and high heels or the racist-tinged poster of Barack Obama in the third episode that declares he’s “wanted by the Kenyan embassy.”
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