PC Gamer mag reviews the current state of CoX
March 3, 2010 - 9:12am
From HERE:
PC Gamer Magazine has an article this month where they take all the MMOs still kicking and re-analyze them now that they've had time to establish themselves. Additionally, they asked themselves the same questions of each MMO, allowing readers to compare the answers. City of Heroes was reviewed in this, and I loved what they wrote. As the article is not on their website, here is the write up in its entirety:
---------- MMO World Tour: City of Heroes ----------
Be evil. Be good. Be powerful.
What is it? What's better than playing a super hero or villain in a fantasy game world? Playing one in a world that you created. The original superhero MMO, City of Heroes has been around since 2004, and has the content, polish and stable community to show for it. But last year's addition of the Mission Architect, which allows players to create and publish mission arcs for themselves and other players to play (for XP and loot), really defines this superhero/villain simulator now.
What's the endgame? This is the odd part about CoH: There isn't much sectioned-off endgame content, but there's a lot to do at max level. There is no abrupt change when you hit the level cap. You keep doing what you were doing before- grouping with other superheroes and learning how to tackle enemies with your unique combination of superpowers, fighting through more content to accumulate rewards and titles, touring the city for bad guys and saving the day yet again. Fans insist that unlike other MMOs, this game is "about the journey, not the destination," a sentiment supported by the 132 available character slots on each account.
How good is it? It excels at enabling you to create and play out your superhero fantasy. Allowing you to create your own content to play through is a dream come true for anyone who grew up a gamer.
Any problems? The game is almost six years old at this point; the graphics are dated and some desired features simply aren't possible without a complete overhaul of the game engine. Some of the community left for Champions Online, but CoH still has a solid player base (enough to make 344,000 mission arcs in the Mission Architect). The heavy reliance on instance encounters can make you feel disconnected with the rest of the game world.
How has it improved since last year? 2009 saw three content updates, bringing new taskforce missions, power effect customization and difficulty adjustment options. But none of that compares to the introduction of player-made content. The Mission Architect is incredibly powerful and intuitive, resulting in a near-endless supply of new content to play and roleplay through at any level. Random elements ensure that your favorite missions are replayable.
Is it here to stay? Browse the CoH forums and you'll notice a significant lack of whining, the sign of a very reasonable, content player base. City of Heroes could have easily gotten lost in the shadow of Champions Online, but it took bold steps not only to establish itself as a viable alternative in the superhero genre but as an exciting stand-alone MMO. The upcoming Going Rogue expansion is highly anticipated and should bring significant additions.
How should I start? Virtue and Freedom seem to be the most populated servers for heroes, with Freedom being the best option for villains, as well.
Verdict: It's not as flashy as Champions Online, but City of Heroes has unique gameplay elements that will appeal to any MMO fan, not just would-be heroes and villains.
---------- MMO World Tour: City of Heroes ----------
Be evil. Be good. Be powerful.
What is it? What's better than playing a super hero or villain in a fantasy game world? Playing one in a world that you created. The original superhero MMO, City of Heroes has been around since 2004, and has the content, polish and stable community to show for it. But last year's addition of the Mission Architect, which allows players to create and publish mission arcs for themselves and other players to play (for XP and loot), really defines this superhero/villain simulator now.
What's the endgame? This is the odd part about CoH: There isn't much sectioned-off endgame content, but there's a lot to do at max level. There is no abrupt change when you hit the level cap. You keep doing what you were doing before- grouping with other superheroes and learning how to tackle enemies with your unique combination of superpowers, fighting through more content to accumulate rewards and titles, touring the city for bad guys and saving the day yet again. Fans insist that unlike other MMOs, this game is "about the journey, not the destination," a sentiment supported by the 132 available character slots on each account.
How good is it? It excels at enabling you to create and play out your superhero fantasy. Allowing you to create your own content to play through is a dream come true for anyone who grew up a gamer.
Any problems? The game is almost six years old at this point; the graphics are dated and some desired features simply aren't possible without a complete overhaul of the game engine. Some of the community left for Champions Online, but CoH still has a solid player base (enough to make 344,000 mission arcs in the Mission Architect). The heavy reliance on instance encounters can make you feel disconnected with the rest of the game world.
How has it improved since last year? 2009 saw three content updates, bringing new taskforce missions, power effect customization and difficulty adjustment options. But none of that compares to the introduction of player-made content. The Mission Architect is incredibly powerful and intuitive, resulting in a near-endless supply of new content to play and roleplay through at any level. Random elements ensure that your favorite missions are replayable.
Is it here to stay? Browse the CoH forums and you'll notice a significant lack of whining, the sign of a very reasonable, content player base. City of Heroes could have easily gotten lost in the shadow of Champions Online, but it took bold steps not only to establish itself as a viable alternative in the superhero genre but as an exciting stand-alone MMO. The upcoming Going Rogue expansion is highly anticipated and should bring significant additions.
How should I start? Virtue and Freedom seem to be the most populated servers for heroes, with Freedom being the best option for villains, as well.
Verdict: It's not as flashy as Champions Online, but City of Heroes has unique gameplay elements that will appeal to any MMO fan, not just would-be heroes and villains.
