This game is very good in the graphics department, to say the least. It is definitely eye candy but its not anything amazing. It has been done before. What really stands out is the vast environment. Time does go by from morning to noon to night.
The size of the game is great. You can see how huge the game is when you're able to take flight and get a good look across the city. The player models are great. The coloring in the costumes and the little buckles hanging off are all impressive. There is clipping in some issues when jumping over stuff or on stuff or walking into something but this is not a major drawback.
Sound:
The game's sound is also very good. There are sound effects when you activate powers, from jumping and landing to swimming in lakes. The music in the game fits very well with the whole aspect of being a hero. Although nothing revolutionary in the sound department you won't have any gripes about it.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is pretty basic and easy to pick up. When you first start out you will create your character and the number of available outcomes is amazing and is the most in depth player creation system I've ever used. The only gripe I had here was there was no ability to have a cape in the game but that's me.
In the beginning you will play a tutorial which will get you setup with basic controls which are the easiest of any MMORPG on the market. This game is very easy to pick-up and play.
Leveling in this game is not a breeze and you are allowed to die up to level 5. Any death after that point and you will get experience Debt. Experience Debt is experience that must be gained before you are able to continue leveling again. It is not a bad concept and not hard to work off which was fixed from the beta version.
Now I will explain the classes. They are Tanker, Scrapper, Blaster, Controller, and Defender.
Tanker is the HP house of the group and is the one you will want to take all the damage. He can also dish out a decent amount.
Scrapper has decent HP but not like a tanker. Scrappers do more damage than tankers these are good for people who like to get into the action.
Blasters do the most damage out of any class yet they have little HP. They will sit back in a group and dish out a beating.
Controllers are the weakest of all the types but their powers are unmatched. They have the ability to cloud minds of enemies and even control them to their own will.
Defenders specialize in healing the group or using a power on everyone to increase their defense or attack. Their name pretty much sums it up for them.
There are different classes in which you can create your character and they are Mutation, Natural, Technology, Magic, and Science. These don't change the look of your character but it's just a little background info you can put on your character.
Grouping in this game is kind of a must after level 8 although some may make it a little longer they will be grouping at some point. With that said grouping is a blast. It is all about having the right elements in a group. You'll want tankers and scrappers up front and blasters sitting in the back and either a controller or defender to heal the group or slow down the enemy. Getting around the city isn't bad either but until you get your super speed or fly you're going to be envious of those that have those powers. There is also a monorail system thats gets you to different zones if you don't want to walk any more.
The sidekick feature of this game is a very cool feature. Here is how it works. Say you're level 5 and your friend is level 10 and you want to group with him but not be killed by guys at his level. Your friend can 'sidekick' you and you will not gain any extra experience you will get the same amount of experience your level should get, but you will be increased in strength and defense so you can withstand high level attacks.
Replay Value:
The replay value of this game is very high due to the fact that it is a MMORPG. This game is also very very different from all others and is very fun. Every time you log on leveling doesn't feel like a chore it feels like you're having fun and that's what will make this game last long. With an expansion right around the corner the developers seem to be on their toes about this game.
Learning Curve:
The learning curve for this game is extremely easy. You will be breezing through this game after spending 15-20 minutes learning the controls and how to use the chat system. Everyone in this game is very helpful. I have yet to ask a question using the chat broadcast and have it not be answered.
