Champions Online Review
There is a stink of sweaty spandex in the air and everyone is as colorful as a rainbow teletubby, but no you are not at comic-con, you are in Champions Online. It is the newest MMO to feature amazing feats of strengh, lazer beams, mystical powers, and custom weaponry. This super hero MMORPG, published by Cryptic Studios, places you in the middle of a battle for the freedom of humanity against Dr. Destroyer. You and other champions get your feet wet by killing aliens in downtown Millennium City, the base of operations for the champions. But before you start busting some alien heads, the first thing you get engrossed in is the insane customization that is available in the hero design. Wings, robotic limbs, body size, body type, posture, accessories are just the tip of the iceberg. The in depth customization rivals any other game I have played. After much indecision I eventually went with a combination of SubZero and Iron Chef.
Comparable to other MMO’s Champions Online has a relaxed gameplay learning curve. Each mission objective is easy to locate on the map via a green circle. It also offers single player and group instances which are typical with all MMO’s, but early on in the game you are thrown into instances by yourself to fight bosses which will let you test out how much of a super hero you really are. You are not confined to a class and set of powers. As you gain experience you can choose from 17 different powers at will, which each have their own set of moves along with it. Champions Online doesn’t have the tied down element most role-playing games are fated with.
Besides the multitude of attacks and weapons, the thing that I really found most enjoyable was the travel system. In many games walking from place to place is usually a pain, but Champions Online has turned it into a pleasure. Very early in the game you get to pick your mode of travel which instantly makes you feel like a super hero. As with the hero customization they offer many options for travel; super speed, rocket pack, teleport, tunneling, super jump, fire flight, ice slide, etc. I picked the super jump just because of its Hancock style landing.
Initially, unknown to myself, Champions Online is based on a pen-and-paper game from 1981. To some, the lack of not knowing the history of the universe might be a negative, but it isn’t necessary to enjoy the story. Between the bright comic style graphics engine and the plethora of options, Champions Online ultimately delivers a completely original hero experience.
