Champions Online Previews

Ten Ton Hammer and Cheat Code Central are the latest websites to offer up hands-on previews of Cryptic's Champions Online.

An excerpt from TTH's article:
If cold weather and moose aren't your thing, Champions gives you a second choice to earn your early levels. The desert zone is actually a military base that could easily be named Black Mesa. Toss out those creepy ice zombies and replace them with irradiated soldiers. One of your earliest missions will send you up against guys with miniature nuclear warheads strapped to their back. Your objective is to not only take them out but disarm the warhead before it explodes. While it wasn't too challenging once you've tried it a few times, I was blasted in the air more than once. Other tasks will have you activate defense turrets, deactivate a Fallout 3 sized atomic bomb, and kill plenty of radioactive creatures.

And an excerpt from CCC's article:
Speaking with various individuals located around the city gave me opportunities to take on missions for extra experience and other bonuses. Early on, these ranged from taking out specific foes and destroying obstacles, retrieving missing items, delivering information, and other helpful deeds. I also saved an imprisoned superhero comrade, tested a sonic anti-alien device, lent my body out as a punching bag for cops to test their new alien-fighting weaponry on, and defended a huge cannon with other players against waves of enemies. Eventually, I came across a series of missions to wind down the plot for the scenario. I fought my way into the alien-infested Champions HQ for a boss battle against a megalomaniac in a giant robot suit of power armor and then took down the contraptions he was using to influence the invading forces. Saving the day, my hero was praised in a ceremony and then presented with the next major mission to dive into. At this point I was able to buy a cool web-swinging power and add a force-choke attack into my ability queue before launching into the next scenario which appeared to be set in a desert location.