Post by Asagi on Nov 21, 2009 23:00:57 GMT -5
Recently, I've been playing a lot of the MMO Champions Online. It's apparently based on a pen-and-paper superhero RPG that I've never played before. All in all, it seems a lot like City of Heroes, another superhero MMO produced by the same company, with some improvements, and a completely different game universe.
Instead of the normal "pick a class or character type" kind of affair, Champions Online (CO) lets you pick any abilities you want from any set. To give an example, you can have a pistol-wielding swordsman, or a martial artist with the ability to create blasts of fire. If you wanted to, you could also take one power from each set, giving you some kind of bizarre weapon-using, magic-casting, robot-building melee elementalist with a side of psionic powers. Not only are you able to mix and match attacks and defenses, but you can also choose the color of the power graphic. Green fire, cyan bullets, and pink orbital death lasers can all be at your command, should you choose to pick them.
Another interesting thing is the travel powers. You're not just limited to your basic flight, super speed, etc., you have access to specialized types, like a flying disk, rocket boots, and even tunneling through the ground like a mole. While about half of the travel powers are variations of flight, they're all a little different in speed, maneuverability, and obviously, style. One of my favorites is Acrobatics, which is like toned-down super speed mixed with toned-down super jump, so you can have both at the same time! If you're not satisfied with just one travel power, then have no fear, late in the game, you're allowed to pick a second! You can be swinging through the air with a grappelling hook one moment, and teleporting around the next. While you have to be level 35 to access a second one (the maximum level in the game is currently 40), it's still something nice to look forward to.
Next on the list is the character creator. Most of the outfit pieces are shared between male and female characters, with some exceptions of course. An interesting note is that because there are few unlockable costume pieces, almost everything you can make at the end of the game is ALSO available at the very beginning, so you aren't limited to a silly outfit early-on. Capes and the like are available initially, unlike City of Heroes, in which they had to be unlocked at level 20.
Missions are done in an interesting way too. Instead of a bunch of instanced areas you have to clear of baddies, most missions are done outdoors, so you don't have to load every mission map. The downside, of course, is that the missions are kind of lackluster, and may get repetitive if you get too many similar ones. At level 25, you have the option to create your own Nemesis, you get to choose the general power set, costume, even the minions and their powers. Your evil nemesis will continue to plague you, sending minions after you at seemingly random times, but they drop "clues" which unlock the next mission to fight your nemesis, or his/her minions. While I haven't personally finished with my nemesis, you DO eventually get to defeat them once and for all, and you then have the option of making another one, to start the fun over again.
All in all, it's a very fun game if you're interested in that kind of thing and can put away $15 a month for it. I'd highly recommend it to superhero fans, and general MMO fans as well. It needs some work, but give it time, it's only been out a few months.
Until next time!
Asagi[/color]
Instead of the normal "pick a class or character type" kind of affair, Champions Online (CO) lets you pick any abilities you want from any set. To give an example, you can have a pistol-wielding swordsman, or a martial artist with the ability to create blasts of fire. If you wanted to, you could also take one power from each set, giving you some kind of bizarre weapon-using, magic-casting, robot-building melee elementalist with a side of psionic powers. Not only are you able to mix and match attacks and defenses, but you can also choose the color of the power graphic. Green fire, cyan bullets, and pink orbital death lasers can all be at your command, should you choose to pick them.
Another interesting thing is the travel powers. You're not just limited to your basic flight, super speed, etc., you have access to specialized types, like a flying disk, rocket boots, and even tunneling through the ground like a mole. While about half of the travel powers are variations of flight, they're all a little different in speed, maneuverability, and obviously, style. One of my favorites is Acrobatics, which is like toned-down super speed mixed with toned-down super jump, so you can have both at the same time! If you're not satisfied with just one travel power, then have no fear, late in the game, you're allowed to pick a second! You can be swinging through the air with a grappelling hook one moment, and teleporting around the next. While you have to be level 35 to access a second one (the maximum level in the game is currently 40), it's still something nice to look forward to.
Next on the list is the character creator. Most of the outfit pieces are shared between male and female characters, with some exceptions of course. An interesting note is that because there are few unlockable costume pieces, almost everything you can make at the end of the game is ALSO available at the very beginning, so you aren't limited to a silly outfit early-on. Capes and the like are available initially, unlike City of Heroes, in which they had to be unlocked at level 20.
Missions are done in an interesting way too. Instead of a bunch of instanced areas you have to clear of baddies, most missions are done outdoors, so you don't have to load every mission map. The downside, of course, is that the missions are kind of lackluster, and may get repetitive if you get too many similar ones. At level 25, you have the option to create your own Nemesis, you get to choose the general power set, costume, even the minions and their powers. Your evil nemesis will continue to plague you, sending minions after you at seemingly random times, but they drop "clues" which unlock the next mission to fight your nemesis, or his/her minions. While I haven't personally finished with my nemesis, you DO eventually get to defeat them once and for all, and you then have the option of making another one, to start the fun over again.
All in all, it's a very fun game if you're interested in that kind of thing and can put away $15 a month for it. I'd highly recommend it to superhero fans, and general MMO fans as well. It needs some work, but give it time, it's only been out a few months.
[you]My Rating[/you]
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Until next time!
Asagi[/color]