DC Universe Online E3 Previews
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Let's start with IGN:
This demo -- the first I'm ever seen running on PlayStation 3 -- dropped the pre-made heroes and villains SOE had whipped up into STAR Labs, Metropolis' favorite destination for scientists with experiments that should never actually happen. This time around, a biological weapon the lab was working on got loose and began turning all the STAR personnel into zombie-like creatures -- mutated freaks coated in pinkish gray skin with gaping green holes. As a hero, you needed to subdue the civilian zombies and help the scientists find a cure, and as a villain, you need to put these mind control collars on the zombie so that the Joker can make the creatures do his bidding.
Then move to GameSpy:
The character-generation process -- something I'm desperate to check out -- didn't make the show, but I learned that looted items (shoulder pads, helmets, belts, and other gear) auto-syncs to your chosen color scheme, which keeps your super-dude from looking like a patchwork blanket of random junk. Further, you've got extreme flexibility with your costume, as any equipped item's stats and appearance sport independent on/off toggles. Give me some heated player-versus-player options and I could be in heaven (hopefully Earth-4 heaven, hangin' with my dearly departed Question and Blue Beetle).
And then GameSpot:
At the beginning of the case (DCUO lingo for "quest"), we learned that a mutation had broken out due to some overzealous scientists who didn't quite have a handle on their experiments. Scientists and security guards had turned into hulking monsters, and we teamed up with Batman to protect a lead scientist while he developed an antidote. We could fly at will with our feathery wings, so we soared into the fray and started whacking baddies with our power staff. We played on a PC with a Sixaxis controller, and the buttons controlled our various melee attacks and defensive maneuvers. Bashing our way through the fray was easy enough, but what's the fun of being a superhero if you don't have some awesome superpowers?
Before stopping at GayGamer:
As I wandered through S.T.A.R. Labs with my flight-enabled ice-based supervillain, Slice, a streamlined UI at the bottom of the screen let me access the traditional MMO toolbar via the PS3's L2 and R2 buttons: your offensive powers are mapped to L2, support items and powers to R2 - and then further mapped to the face buttons. In other words, you'll hold down L2 and press X to launch, say, a volley of ice spikes, or press O to encase an enemy in a block of ice. Or whatever your super-customizable powers may be: Colette played an earth-based hero bruiser who caused earth spikes to erupt from the ground and wielded an enormous mallet.
And finishing things at Destructoid:
When I got knocked out (and by the way, there is no death in the game -- heroes don't really "kill"), I noticed the choice to rally or flee. You have three chances to rally, which simply means to rejoin the fight, but after three knockouts you have no choice and you have to flee. Your tenacity will reward you at the end of missions with a headline, which comes in the form of a newspaper boasting your good deeds in bold letters on the front page. SOE is not sure if this feature is staying in yet or not, but I hope they keep it -- it really fits the feeling of the game well.
