KOMBO: Champions Online Review

In case it isn't clear just looking along the top bar, Kombo is a console-focused site. So why are we reviewing Champions Online? Other than just wanting to, I wanted to take a peek at a PC massively-multiplayer game that lists a console as its next destination, see what works, what doesn't, and take a look at its prospects for making the jump to consoles. Though I won't be giving it a traditional review score, I'll review it in the usual Kombo format.

What the Game's About
Champions Online is the newest MMO from developer Cryptic Studios. Taking notes from their first outing, City of Heroes, they've returned to the Superhero genre once more in hopes of perfecting the formula. Licensing a classic pen-and-paper RPG, Champions Online brings the characters and stories of Champions to life for players to experience firsthand.

What's Hot
Champions Online does a lot to break out of the MMO mold from which it was cast. When you login for the first time, you'll notice that you don't have to pick a server. No more grumbling about how your high school friends are on StormRend and your college friends are on RavenCrown, or whatever. Instead, Champions Online uses instances of the same zone that you can switch between at a moment's notice. If your buddies are in another instance, just hop over and team up.

And if you don't want to team up, Champions Online is friendly there, too. While there are some missions that require (or at least strongly suggest) two or more heroes, much of the game is quite playable on your own. Especially with the lack of death penalty in the game — unless you consider being zapped back to the nearest checkpoint a penalty — playing alone is a more viable option than it has traditionally been in MMOs.

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