4. DC Universe Online
The era of comic book MMORPGs is over, for now. It’ll be back for a short while once Marvel Heroes launches, but that’s not looking too hot from what limited exposure I’ve had of the game.
The role of DC Universe Online in the battle for supremacy of the Super-Hero MMORPG has been transitional, to say the least. Its primary competition was Champions Online, and when DCU launched (a full 16 months after Champions) it was obviously the superior of the two titles. Built in Unreal 3, DCU had vastly superior graphics and audio, not to mention a stellar cast of voice-actors taken right out of the incredibly awesome Warner Bros/Cartoon Network animated shows. Despite all that, a diminishing player base and a lack of regular content updates coupled with a console-centric control scheme and relatively limited character customization options have sent the game somewhat down to the wayside. The gameplay is fun for a while at least, and if you’re a fan of the cartoons, playing through it is worth it just to experience the voice-acting.
