DC Online is a fun game that at times is overshadowed by its many bugs.
===== Introduction =====
DC Universe Online (herein referred to as DCUO) had an interesting release. The game seemed to be pushed aside by a large portion of the gaming community, myself included. There were many reasons for this including lack of content, glitches, poor marketing, and a hefty monthly fee for a game that didn't seem to break any new ground in the MMORPG world. Despite all of this, developers continued to work hard to make this an attractive game to the community. DCUO made quite the com-back, and is standing strong right now as one of the only legitimate MMORPG's for the PS3.
===== Short Review =====
Ups: Fun, fast paced combat, ability to create your own superhero based off of iconic characters, exciting boss battles, visually unique "after boss" cut-scenes, balanced, free-to-play option.
Downs: Very glitchy, not visually impressive, un-inspired musical score, low level cap (some might view as an "Up"), poor voice acting at times.
===== Long Review =====
Graphics: I'll keep this plain an simple, DCUO doesn't break any new ground in terms of visuals. The graphics are not terrible, but they're what you'd expect for this type of game. Rest assured, graphics are rarely the reason people play MMORPG's long term. Take WoW for example, it has had nearly the same graphics since its launch almost a decade ago, and it still has a thriving community.
Gameplay: Bad news first, this game is glitchy. I'll give the developers credit where it is due, it's MUCH better than it was during initial release, but it is far from finished in this area. Some of the glitches I've encountered include: falling through the level, being frozen in place, having my camera fixate on some inanimate object instead of my character, and all sound turning off without warning. Time for the good news: the travel system in this game is fantastic. You choose to have flight, super speed, or acrobatics, all of which are very enjoyable to use in the open world. In this regard, DCUO really shines and makes you feel like a super hero. Although you are limited to only two major cities (Gotham and Metropolis), these cities are massive, and feature many iconic locations that make this game memorable.
Combat: One of the best aspects of this game is the combat. It attempts and succeeds at things that no other MMORPG to date has been able to pull off. The combat is fast paced and combo based, while still giving you the flexibility of a customizable "action bar". You are limited to how many powers/skills you can have on this action bar, but DCUO does a good job of balancing the class trees so you don't feel like you are missing out by not having enough abilities to use at any given time. PvP feels fresh and largely skill based, due to the fact that you can "stun" enemies by countering their attacks. Without going into too much detail, there is a balanced "rock, paper, scissor" system in place to ensure that even if your opponent has better gear, you can still stand a fighting chance if you know how to counter them in combat.
Soundtrack: It was noticeable at times, but overall the soundtrack was not inspiring. Like many, I appreciate good timing in games, particularly when it comes to music. I would like to have seen better timing in regards to my interactions with the world. The actual music itself is rather bland and doesn't always play at times that you'd expect it would.
Storyline: The story is excellent and well told. Right from the get-go you know what is going on and what your role is in the DC Universe. DCUO does a great job of immersing you into the story and making you feel like you're changing the course of history. Probably the most notable aspect of the story are the comic-book cut-scenes featured after key events in the game (like when a boss is defeated). They are colorful, fun and often feature characters we all know and love. Some of the side-plots are a bit unrealistic and make some of the iconic DC hero's out to be a bunch of wimps. Why would Batman be asking a young, ill-experienced super-hero to go up against the Joker? Not that I mind going up against joker, but the point is that some plot sequences don't seem to make that much sense in terms of the DC Universe as a whole.
Lasting Value/Buy or Rent: It's free-to-play... so what are you waiting for? This game grows on you big time, and is at least worth trying at 0.00 USD. Oh you live in Europe? Let me do the conversion for you... 0.00 Euros. Try it out!