GameSpot missed the point: Gods & Heroes isn't supposed to be a AAA MMO, it's supposed to be a fun, bargain MMO.
The Roman setting sold me on the game, as I'm a fan of most things ancient Greek/Roman. The writing isn't stellar, but it's more than good enough to keep one interested--I don't recall anybody griping about World of Warcraft writing, after all, and their goofy, fantastical, world-tree-generic-fantasy just can't compare to Roman history and myths.
But it's what the game does differently that sets it apart. True, you can't customize your estate, but that fact doesn't make walking its grounds any less entertaining. I couldn't really customize my throne room in Civilization II either, but that didn't prevent me from enjoying the accomplishment. It's a status thing, it shows you how far you've come, and it works nicely on that level.
The minions are the most interesting aspect, to me at least. They remind me of the bridge officers in Star Trek Online, but with better pathing AI. Having a healer minion backing you up is a lot like having a healer player backing you up, but without the possibility that he'll get distracted by something shiny and let you die. It almost makes questing too easy, or maybe what I should say is that I haven't found anything in the game too hard to date.
I think it's also fair to say that while the graphics aren't cutting edge by any stretch, the art direction is welcome and refreshing. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like so many of the MMOs today are competing for the most-darkest-vibe award. Every world is a world about to end, the horizons are dark, fire rains from the skies, etc.
Gods & Heroes may not be graphically impressive, but the art direction is genuinely beautiful. It provides a world that comes across as fresh and new somehow, beautiful blue sky being the idyllic setting for fighting beasts of the ancient world. It manages to make me feel more like an ancient Roman running around doing his best to make his way and solve his problems, rather than trying to make me feel like THE indispensable player amidst a sea of indispensable players.
Finally, the price is right. When most MMOs want you to cough up $50 for the game and $14.99 a month, Gods & Heroes asks $39.99 at $9.99 respectively. I don't think it's a game that I'm going to be playing in a year, or maybe even six months, though that depends on how the developers expand/improve the game. At that price I can get two months of fun for the same money I'd get from one month of a AAA MMO.
So what's not to love? It's simple, fun, fast paced, and brings some refreshing mechanics to the table. It's not a AAA MMO, but it doesn't need to be. If GameSpot could take it for what it is and stop comparing it to WoW, RIFT, etc., then they probably would have got the rating right.