Game Review - City of Heroes

Author:
Naiboss

Date:
2/7/2006

Have you EVER wanted to be a super hero? Be able to fly? Fry bad guys with an assortment of super powers? Then this is the game for you!!! I've played quite a few online-only games; Ultima Online, Asheron's Call 1 & 2, Everquest, EVE Online, Saga of Ryzom, Star Wars Galaxies, etc... the list goes on and on... so I think I can safely say, this is the first online game of its type! There is no PvP (at the moment), there is no equipment to buy/sell/craft, no vehicles/mounts, no houses, no 'realistic economy', no higher power... and it's great! Character creation is simple; Choose an origin (how you got your powers) from a list of five, then choose the type of hero you are from another list of five. These two choices will dictate which super powers are available to you. Once you've done this, you can then pick your primary and secondary powers. The list of powers is vast, from your bog-standard blasting powers like fire and ice, through the up-close-and-personal weaponry like swords and claws, to the more mystical powers like mind and weather control! However you feel like inflicting your justice… there’ll be something to keep you happy! The best part, however, is the next part where you get to choose what your character looks like... and the choice is immense! While there may only be three basic body shapes (Male, female and huge) the variety of costumes, colours and accessories almost ensures that no two heroes will ever look alike! When you’ve managed to create your colourful alter-ego it’s on to the game… The idea is simple, run/fly around the city either completing missions given to you by your contacts or just frying bad guys wherever you seen them (fortunately this appears to be a city rife with street crime). The city is split up into various zones, which makes it much easier to pick an area relative to your skill level… whether you are a low level player going solo or a high level player with a team of friends, you’ll always find somewhere to go and bad guys to fry! The more bad guys and missions you defeat, the more experience and influence you acquire. Experience, once it reaches a certain level, allows you to advance in levels and pick new powers. Influence can be used to buy improvements to your powers (more accurate, more damage etc…) or temporary boosts. And as you advance in level, your powers will become more effective so even the ones you picked during character creation remain useful! However, there is a drawback to such fun, casual gaming… the appeal could be quite limiting. There are only so many different types of bad guy to kill, zones to visit and powers to obtain. For this game to last long term, it is going to need a regular boost of new content… and they have yet to disappoint! Already there have been three new groups of villains, two new zones and some new additions to the missions, and with the first expansion, City of Villains, on the way (for thos