DC Universe Online Previews, Superman Artwork
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G4:
That said, the quests in the game at this low level did not seem to have much variety. Most quests instructed you to kill 10-20 things, and collect the items they drop. A few quests had you interacting with various items, but other than these objectives, all of the quests were pretty much the same, albeit located in different areas. Once you completed a few quests in a chain, however, you're told to travel to a secret lair for another boss fight. We got to partner up with another player named General Kal and did a fun quest chain about Gorilla Men and their leader, Grodd. First we had to kill umpteen gorillas over and over, after which we journeyed to Grodd's lair to meet up with The Flash and attempt to finish off their leader.
Hooked Gamers:
Player versus Player combat comes in several flavors. The first is '˜World PvP' which is an optional game mode that can be initiated on a non-PvP server by flagging yourself as a target for player-to-player action. From then on, you are fair game to anyone of the opposite alignment who has done the same. You can also sign up for 2 vs. 2 and 4 vs. 4 games where you duke it out as modern-day, fantasy style gladiators in Instance arenas. These fights can be very explosive and lots of fun, especially when the participants are well balanced in both classes and levels.
Examiner:
Weapon selection is next. Your choices are: the bow, Brawling, dual pistols, dual wield swords, martial arts, a rifle, staff, one handed weapon, or two handed weapon. Then it's time to pick a costume and your skin. Which means you can choose from a human, leopard, lion, tiger, wolf, crystalline, fox, undead, chrome, glowing, lava, rock, mummy, reptile, plant, cyborg, demonic, robot, tattooed, angry, cheerful, wise, youth, or barbarian. With each one it's not only a skin, but you become that animal or texture that you choose.
Electronic Theatre:
DC Universe Online isn't breaking any new ground in terms of graphics, but it has been designed well to incorporate the idea of hundreds of playing whizzing about and doing their own thing. A significant draw distance means enemies and teammates can been seen from far away, only with significantly fewer frames of animation. This allows for a player to plan attacks from afar, but also allows them to find other players in trouble, lending a hand at that pivotal moment.
GamingBolt:
Once you get your character into the DC Universe you'll be pleasantly surprised with the feel of the gameplay mechanics. Long gone are the days of repetitive mouse click based combat. Instead DC Universe Online plays out more like your standard 3D brawler, but a good one none the less. It starts off as a fun, if shallow romp, but as you develop your powers further and team up with others the strategic element of the game comes to the front. What's more intriguing is the ability to use the environment around you. You can pick up many objects in the game and use them as projectiles against your foes. Some of the mind powers even go as far as to throw these objects for you if you choose to go down that particular avenue of skills. DC Universe Online just taps into the intrigue and enjoyment you got out of comic books as a kid and puts you in the centre of it. Combine this with a fast paced combat engine and deep character creation options and you have a winning formula. It takes everything you've loved about the MMORPG and injects it with a dose of costume-clad fun.
Neocrisis:
Flying around gotham, metropolis, and the watchtower gives you a true sense of just how big this game is, and nothing feels better than seeing a fellow hero fighting a losing battle on the streets of metropolis below only to swoop in an save the day. To say this game truly makes you feel the part is a huge understatement.
Gamestyle:
Amazingly for an MMORPG outside of the arena matches there is very little interaction with other players. Perhaps this is a reflection of the initial PS3 users, eager to explore these wonderful environments at the expense of chat. Shortcuts for text conversations are available but consistently we did read messages from other players screaming out for responses or assistance. Particularly around Police Stations, the corridors were heaving with new superheroes, all focused on the treadmill of rising through the levels. However despite this concentration of heroes, local residents and villains, DC Universe can be a solitary experience at times.
And Square-Go:
Missions tend to rely a little too heavily on combat though, and while there are some races, basic exploration quests and clues to hunt for, the bulk of your time will be devoted to pummelling away. These tasks take place throughout the cities and their varied interiors, with the difficulty made apparent by the recommended level being listed next to each quest, allowing you to choose how hard the game is and how fast you level up. The gear you gain along the way also allows for choice, since you can manage your appearance separately from the stat bonuses the items afford. The breadth of choice isn't as hard won as it is in some MMO's, meaning you won't ever feel like you're stuck in a joyless grind. Not to mention the excitement and anticipation of watching your character go from a nobody with a party trick to the peoples' saviour, or tormentor.
