'Champions Online' Review

With "Champions Online," Cryptic Studios stands in direct competition with itself. The other major superhero-based MMORPG on the market, "City of Heroes"/"City of Villains," is their baby, and it's still going strong. Now along comes "Champions" with its cel-shaded graphics (actually "comic shaded") and its robust character creator, offering players a new set of environments and stories to explore, none of which have anything to do with Paragon City. And yet, there's a charm to "Champions," an evolution beyond Cryptic's earlier effort which ought to appeal to MMO gamers who appreciate being able to express themselves through their character from the offing.

The Basics

Like "City of Heroes," "Champions Online" isn't actually based on a specific comic book universe. It does have a source inspiration however, in the pen-and-paper "Champions" RPG, which is built on the generic HERO System ruleset. Fear not; no prior knowledge of the non-computer game's rules or backstory is necessary to full enjoy "Champions Online." Simply create your hero -- a lengthy, incredibly detailed process -- and start saving the world, one busted villain at a time.

The Highs

Be Your Own Hero

The star of "Champions Online" is its ridiculously deep character creator. With hundreds of accessories spread across every part of the body -- everything from organic horns and ridges to robotic accouterments and military gear -- as well as full control over body shape, costume color schemes and text boxes for filling out a character's history, one could easily lose two, three or more hours building their own, personal superhero.

Simple, Fun Action

I'm not sure if "Champions Online" was designed with console players in mind, but it's telling that the game supports and includes visual button prompts for Xbox 360 gamepads. Staying constantly active is the focus; players switch between hitting foes with powerful energy-consuming attacks and less powerful energy-building attacks. Energy can also be restored by blocking or simply soaking up damage. Instead of monitoring cooldowns, combat in "Champions" is built around spending and refilling a hero's rapid recharge energy meter.

Lots To Do

Large maps and a wide variety of mission types, not to mention the rewards offered by casual exploration, mean that players will have plenty to fill their subscription hours with. Experience and item rewards flow quickly and frequently; these small victories are key in keeping the pace of the game moving.

NEMESES!

At level 25, players are punted back to the character creator so they can build their hero's personal nemesis. This villain pops up through the rest of the story, and players also thereafter have to contend with occasional attacks from evil henchmen.

Easy Controls

Out-of-the-box 360 gamepad support is definitely a plus if you're a console gamer first. The controls work surprisingly well, with basic attack, defense and movement powers mapped in intuitive ways. Some commands don't always work as well as they should -- "Z" actions (to converse with NPCs, pick up objects, interact with the environment) in particular often need a little keyboard intervention to function properly. Still, fans of joysticks and face buttons will definitely appreciate being able to pick up a controller and just play.

The Lows

Confusing Stats

Hero upgrades and item crafting actions are both slaves to a poorly explained set of numerical systems. There are help pop ups and the manual is easily accessed from inside the game, but learning how to trick out your hero and his/her gear feels needlessly challenging nonetheless.

Slow Progression

For all of its focus on action, "Champions Online" is a game of slow character progression. The first chunk of levels come quickly enough, but the climb after level 10 or so starts to feel like a grind. This isn't helped by the fact that powers and upgrades trickle in at staggered level markers. You'll always be tweaking your character in some way when you earn a new rank, the change just might be somewhat invisible. Items, even those collected as rewards, are similarly uninspiring, with few buffs and/or special abilities that help distinguish your character in any significant way.

Blah Environments

The graphics in "Champions Online" are definitely above-average, particularly with regards to the level of detail in each hero. The environments unfortunately do not fare as well. They're large and filled with all sorts of things to do, but there's surprisingly little variety in the surroundings considering how massive each area is. Even the garish Millennium City, with its giant skyscrapers and futuristic architecture, is easy to get lost in; the overall design is impressive but the street-to-street layouts start to feel repetitive and same-y after awhile.

Final Word

"Champions Online" is a commendable evolution beyond what Cryptic Studios started with "City of Heroes"/"City of Villains." I'm not sure its worth abandoning characters you've sunk 80+ hours into in the other game, but there's still a lot to like about "Champions." The opportunity to express yourself offered by the character creator is reason number one, but there's also plenty more to enjoy once you actually take your hero out for a spin. "Champions Online" might not be the best MMO on the market right now, but it's definitely the best option for people who want to role-play a superhero.