Champions Online Beta Impressions

CObeta
I’m a big fan of MMOs. I played Star Wars Galaxies almost every day until Revenge of the Sith came out, and brought with it the Trials of Obi-Wan Expansion, which totally ruined the game with dumbed down controls and even more powerful bugs than before. After that, I started playing World of Warcraft, making first a Mage, then a Paladin, and finally a Death Knight. With Star Wars: The Old Republic and the newly announced World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm, looming in the distance, I took it upon myself to try out one of the smaller MMOs on the market.

Cryptic Studio’s Champions Online, based on the pen-and-paper RPG, launched an open beta last week for those of us who had either pre-ordered the game or have a FilePlanet subscription. Not exactly “open” in every sense of the word, but at least it gives people an opportunity to try out the game before they lock into a monthly subscription. (And only for the low, low price of $49.95!)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Cryptic Studios, these are the people behind City of Heroes/Villains and the forthcoming Star Trek Online. They have the pedigree of a successful MMO crafter behind them, but does Champions Online have the hooks necessary to combat Blizzard’s juggernaut? Continue reading Champions Online Beta Impressions

Preview: The Force Unleashed

Let’s face it, every single kid dreams about having a lightsaber or being able to force choke a bitch. Heck, I even wave my fingers in front of automatic doors and chuckle a little on the inside at my own cleverness. So it was with much anticipation and slight trepidation that I downloaded the demo for The Force Unleashed over the weekend to give my lightsaber a whirl.

All I’ve got to say is: TFU just may be the game Star Wars geeks have been waiting for.

Continue reading Preview: The Force Unleashed