DC Universe Online, produced by Sony Online Entertainment, is one of the newest kids on the MMO block. Thankfully, it isn’t just a rehash of of all the same mechanics we already have. SOE, known for creating unique MMO systems, has once again taken a step onto the shaky ledge of unique MMOs. They have mixed conventional systems with heart stopping and engaging action adventure features. However, this is not all good news. The introduction of these new systems detracts from some aspects of the multiplayer online experience, and a clunky user interface severely bogs down player interaction.
First of all, the character creation gives the player a vast array of options to customize their character. Not only do they get to pick whether they’ll be a hero or a villain, they can also choose their super power from choices such as fire, wind, telekinesis and tech. The player also chooses a weapon and a “mentor”. The mentors for the heroes are Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman and the villain mentors are the Joker, Circe and Lex Luthor. Choosing a mentor decides where the player will start, either in Gotham or Metropolis, and what beginning quests they receive. Players are also allowed to fully customize their character’s face, body type and costume.
When creating a character, the player chooses their movement type. This is where DCUO really starts to differ from a normal MMO. Players can choose between flying, acrobatics and super speed. All of these options allow easy movement across Metropolis and Gotham’s vast cityscapes. Flight, obviously, allows one to fly when and where they want to. Acrobatics gives slightly faster ground movement speed, the ability to scale buildings, and glide short distances. Super speed, of course, grants super speed, which can be used to travel over land and up buildings.
With the new movement mechanics comes the new combat mechanics. Players have the traditional toolbar with their abilities on it, but can also use third person shooter mechanics to attack with your chosen weapon. This makes combat much more involving than a typical MMO, as the player must balance their abilities with their attacks.
Despite the unique and interesting features, DCUO has one obtrusive flaw. The UI is not only unintuitive to operate, but it is also slow to respond. Equipping new gear could be compared to solving a puzzle with both hands cemented in concrete. This interface also makes it extremely difficult for two new players that want to meet up to do so. The chat and friends system is complex and hard to pick up, and travel between Gotham and Metropolis is a maze of teleporters and nightclubs. Even if they do figure out inter-city travel, they may find a lack of activities to do.
At least in the lower levels, there is little to no need for -player to player- interaction. In most cases, quests can be easily accomplished solo, and there is no reward for helping other players with a quest. However, at higher levels, players can team up to fight iconic heroes or villains to collect bounties. These fights certainly require a team, and provide rewards for everyone involved. However, There is a lack of such cooperative content at lower levels.
Summing up DCUO is difficult, to say the least. It has a very new and creative take on movement and combat that has yet to be seen in MMOs. But it is severely let down by its user interface and a lack of multi-person content to begin with. As a single player open world game, this could easily have been a two thumb game. But because it’s an open world MMO, which severely lacks in the MMO department, it can only earn one thumb.
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