If you've never played a massively multiplayer online game before, DC Universe Online is a lovely place to start. This isn't because of the DC Comics license, though that might be what first draws you to this light and breezy take on the style. After all, this is your chance to take to the skies above Metropolis like Superman or skulk in Gotham City's shadows like Batman himself. But it's the way DCUO mixes action-game sensibilities with traditional role-playing progression that makes it immediately enjoyable. If you're a seasoned role-player you'll find it refreshing as well--but only to a point. The speedy level progression and focus on all combat, all the time might show tedious if you're someone who enjoys exploring new worlds for the joys of mystery and discovery. The largely instanced, repeatable endgame content is fun, but it's not inviting to make it worth paying a monthly fee for it. But even if it doesn't provide new content to maintain you beyond a couple of weeks, DC Universe Online is usually entertaining, and comic book fans will be happy that the license was handled with care.
It's hard not to compare DC Universe Online to the comic-inspired games for computer that came before it: City of Heroes, City of Villains, and Champions Online. If you've played one of them, you might be disappointed that at least initially, DC Universe Online doesn't offer the cosmetic flexibility for which those other superhero-themed games are so well known. That isn't to say that the character creation isn't robust, though you might have your imagination stifled. Of coursework, DC Universe Online instantly stands out by having heroes and villains similar share the same world. three times you tailor your creation to your liking, you select a weapon (if you require to play with other weapons, don't despair; your options expand later); pick a basic power set (gadgets, ice, fire, and so on); and pick one of five available mentors, such as Lex Luthor if you're a villain, or Wonder Woman, if you're a hero.
Fortunately, if you are disappointed by the preliminary creation options, you aren't stuck with this vision of your hero or villain forever. You earn and buy new gear as you play, but equipping a new cape doesn't mean you require to change your physical appearance. You can equip that cape for its improved stats without removing your demonic wings if they're more consistent together with your overall look. In your main headquarters (the Hall of Doom for villains; the Justice League of the united states Watchtower for heroes), you can purchase additional cosmetic items, and when you hit on a glance you like, you can lock the whole costume--or individual aspects of it.
After character creation, you are treated to DC Universe Online's fine tutorial, which does a great job of explaining why the world is burgeoning with superpowered individuals & demonstrating just how different the game's combat is from other online role-playing games. This is an action game in online role-playing form. When you press a button on your controller or mouse, you swing your blade, shoot your bow, or fire your rifle. There is the slightest amount of latency between your actions & the ones onscreen, but it's not to diminish the immediacy of battle. In most MMOGs, your key press doesn't necessarily translate to immediate contact between your weapon & your foe. DCUO's directness makes it fun for somebody from the get-go & a refreshing adapt of pace from typical entries in the genre. Superpowers are limited by your power bar (RPG vets might think of this as their mana pool.) Weapon skills, on the other hand, can be strung together with abandon, whether that means whipping your staff around like an excessively enthusiastic drum major or leaping backward while you fire your dual pistols as if you're auditioning for a John Woo film.
liquid combat animations, sparkling visual effects, & the combat's general responsiveness keep DCUO fun for some time, though it loses a quantity of its luster over time. As you level up, you spend points on new combos, which not only make you more effective in combat, but also make battles more visually appealing. Nevertheless, the button presses/mouse clicks necessary to pull off grandiose moves aren't complex, & some assaults are effective to repeat over & over without throwing in plenty of variants--particularly when those reliable combos lead to stuns or other such effects. A main drawback to the combat is the targeting. You can't decide your target--only hit the auto-target button & hope for the best. In the early going, this isn't such a huge deal. In endgame raid dungeons filled with foes, on the other hand, it's simple to decide the wrong target & pull a group of enemies you'd have left alone--especially when the action gets really hectic & your view is obscured by bright flames & jolts of lightning.
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