I'll actually be writing a fuller, if less informative (due to editorial demands for more snark) review of
Champions Online on GameSync.net, but I figure I should just jot down what I've encountered so far:
- A lot of problems I have stem from it being just after launch. For example, due to the launch-popularity, players pretty much have to queue to complete objectives, since mission credit on teams is a little twitchy. (Some objectives can be shared, some can't, some don't even need you to be teamed, I don't know what the difference is.)
- Class balance is a problem. Since there aren't really "classes" as such in this game, it's more like balance between similar powers. Currently there is no reason to take certain attacks (eg Single Blade) other than concept. It won't be hugely gimped, but you'll have a lot more trouble with situations than something "better".
-
Because class balance is a problem, it's difficult to tell whether a given power will or will not be nerfed or buffed.
- Technically the numbers behind the powers are given. There's just jack all information about what these numbers
mean. "You can pick any power you want! ... except we're not going to tell you whether it's a power you want in the first place."
- Documentation about the game in general is lacking. This ranges from "we're not going to tell you how to build your character" (despite it being obvious
in hindsight that they
intended the player to build in at least a certain general way) to "we're not going to tell you what this item drop actually does, and whether you want to experiment with it in the first place".
- This is, in many ways, an unfinished game. It's not so bad as to be technically unplayable, but I've encountered quite a few little bits and pieces that
should have been fixed, but haven't. They're not game-essential, but when I get a drop that doesn't even have its artwork (showing up as a blank white box instead), it's hard to see it as anything other than "unfinished". Could be the artwork is missing, could be the artwork is there but didn't get called, I don't know.
- I've seen a lot of comments comparing the character creator between CO and CoH. In my opinion, CoH has a lot more options in terms of
number of items, but CO has more
customizability. Essentially, CoH is a figurine with a huge wardrobe; CO has a lot fewer pieces, but is made of plasticine.
- There are quite a few content gaps. Some are significant, others depend on how lucky you get with random missions. Currently there is no
surplus of content; every character will be doing much the same content in their career. Occasionally you may have to tackle higher-level stuff, which once again brings us to whether your build can actually handle said higher-level stuff.
- Lots of little niggling quality-of-life issues. For example, you have the option of customizing your weapon (if you have one) at the tailor... except that you can't
see your weapon at the tailor. So you have to pay for the changes,
then go pick a fight with something just to see if you like it.
- User community sucks. More like WoW than CoH.
Short form:
Champions Online has potential, but is not worth getting
now. Wait for about half a year for things to settle down. (If it's still around, of course.)
I've also read that CO is a new game, it hasn't had time to build up to established games, so on and so forth. That may be so, and it may be operating with the advantage of an updated game engine, but it's still competing with these established games
now.
Tags: champions
