City of Heroes recently offered a free weekend to former subscribers. Even though I don’t play any longer, I always like to take the opportunity to revisit my characters.

I loved this game when it first came out. I played from beta on for about three years before I cancelled. I didn’t quit because I hated the game or anything, I was just ready to move on to other things. I had always planned to return but somehow I never did. I just didn’t have an urge to revisit the superhero genre until Champions Online came out.

This was actually my second (free) retry of CoH since CO launched. The first time I really just revisited my characters and checked out the Mission Architect, but I didn’t really play. This second try, I spent a couple of hours playing my level 28 energy blaster, Silver Hunter, and my level 20 tank, Blue Ram.

I had a lot of fun, but I don’t plan to resubscribe because of the differences in the two combat systems. I prefer the combat mechanics and pacing in Champions over City of Heroes. The combat is faster paced, better incorporates positioning and movement, and is overall more action-oriented. City of Heroes is just less engaging for me. Blocking in Champions is a very simple mechanic, but it has really changed my mindset. Several times when fighting with gangs in Paragon City and I kept trying to block attacks.

The other thing that keeps me from resubscribing is the archetype system. This is something I’ve never been happy with. Back when CoH was originally being designed the skill system was going to be open. At some point that was changed because it was too easy for players to design an unplayable character. So they created the archetype system and locked different powersets into them. Unfortunately this limits on what kinds of heroes you can create. I enjoyed my tank character, but I always wanted him to be a bit more of a brute than he was. The Going Rogue expansion will make it possible to make a villain and then redeem them to become a hero, so I could get around that, but frankly that sounds like too much effort.

In Champions the powers are all open to you, there’s more freedom to build themed heroes. Of course you can still create an underpowered hero, but I’m willing to accept that risk. With the ability to undo recent powers or just completely retcon using either in-game resources or real money, I much prefer having more options and less structure.

As much as I loved being in Paragon City again, I’m not planning to move back.

Postscript: By the way, if you haven’t seen it yet, go over to Dusty’s blog and check out the excellent Dual Pistols video he made.

CoH Revisited
Tagged on:         

4 thoughts on “CoH Revisited

  • March 19, 2010 at 5:51 pm
    Permalink

    I tried CoH a few times, but the game never stuck for me. I think I got one character to a sufficient level to leave Atlas Park, but that was the end of it. Champions has done just enough right to make me wish more MMOs would steal from it.

    • March 19, 2010 at 6:57 pm
      Permalink

      I’m curious was it the graphics, the gameplay? At the time I really enjoyed it, it’s just not something I can go back to again.

      • March 19, 2010 at 7:43 pm
        Permalink

        Actually, it was the very slow pace of the game that did me in. Superheroics need to be a lot more action oriented. Thus why I leapt on CO even though it might not be as deep a game yet.

        • March 19, 2010 at 8:09 pm
          Permalink

          Interesting, so the same issue I have now. At the time I think that the super hero aspect was enough for me, plus I was coming from playing DAoC and EQ so the pacing seemed pretty fast.

          It’s all about perspective, isn’t it.

Comments are closed.