DC Universe Online

Once in a while, I play an MMO that completely consumes my existence. It’s usually the games that offer deep customization and intriguing end-game content that seem to suck me in. I had no trouble paying monthly for this kind of gaming experience, then along came DC Universe Online (DCUO) for the PS3 which not only satisfied every tick on my list of what I want in an MMO but here’s the cherry, it’s free-to-play. Once again, I became utterly consumed. Now, DC returns to grace the next-gen consoles, does it still hold up today? Well, I can tell you that it has definitely seen improvements from m...

DC Universe Online is the first major MMO release of 2011 and MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy has been following the game since its announcement. He's got a lot to say about DC Universe Online in our official review. Check it out and then leave your thoughts and impressions in the comments below.

Overall, I have loved the premise of the game since I first played it at launch. I have leveled up characters on all the platforms and it still doesn’t feel any different to me. There are no differences to story or missions between the consoles or PC so it is a pretty big non-factor to the game. It is a free to play game and you can jump right into the game right now. Just set up a profile and get playing. We will see you on the streets crime-fighters.

PC owners are spoilt for choice when it comes to massively multiplayer role-playing games, but console gamers can count their options on one hand.

DC Universe Online is an encouraging community of superheroes that gives gamers the chance to emulate almost any kind of graphic novel character they could possibly want to be.

I wish I loved DC Universe Online, but instead I just like it. It's got a lot going for it -- a great license, some superb voice actors, a lot of well-crafted settings, fast action-based combat, and an entire market of people who, so far, have barely been exposed to the MMO genre. It's an important game for MMO developers who for years have been claiming that their title will be multiplatform, only to let that claim sink quietly into obscurity in the months after it is released on the PC. The fact that Sony Online Entertainment has launched an MMO on the PS3, especially in unison with the PC v...

With your character ready the first mission you’re set to escape from Brainiac’s ship and rally with either Superman or Lex Luthor. Whilst it feels like a canned sequence it does a good job of going through basics including combat, navigation and upgrading your abilities. Unfortunately for players who love to create legions of alt characters, the tutorial cannot be skipped (yet.) Once you’ve met your mentor the game begins to open up, allowing you to trek around the city and complete missions while steadily levelling  up. MMOs are notorious for their meticulous mission structure, and though it...

But is it worth the initial investment? Due to the impressive groundwork laid by the excellent character creation and combat, I’d say yes. That’s coming from someone not particularly into comics who mostly soloed the game. If you’re into the world of DC and willing to dive deep into the social side of things, DCUO could be one of the best purchases you make all year.

The other most noticeable issue with DCUO comes in the form of its unfortunately dated visuals. It doesn’t look awful by any means, but you’ll have to get used to the character models and textures that feel a couple console generations out-of-date. The framerate can get a tad choppy at times as well, though it doesn’t happen often enough to be anything more than a minor annoyance.