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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Playing as icons in superheroic MMORPGs
For the past week or so, I've been playing Marvel Heroes. If you missed my impression piece on Monday morning, let me spoil the big reveal for your right now: I wasn't very happy with it. It produces some minor thrills here and there, but at this point in testing there's not a whole lot to celebrate about the game. So I'm understandably not champing at the bit to talk more about the game this week, which I had originally planned. I do think there's something to be discussed when it comes to the game's central conceit, however: the fact that you're playing as the iconic characters instead of alongside them. I'm not a fan of the approach in general, but considering the panoply of superhero properties out there, it's worth considering. Could you actually make a functional game in which you play as just the official characters rather than original creations? What sort of things do you need to do to make this work? How would a superhero MMORPG with only the official characters work in practice?
First Impressions: Marvel Heroes isn't a heroic marvel
Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get into Diablo. I tried several times, but whatever strange alchemy kept turning me off from other roguelikes was still in full effect. Despite that, I can respect that the game has made an enormous impact on gaming as a whole -- even disregarding the effect it had upon MMOs and RPGs in general, we're currently amid a glut of Diablo derivatives (including Diablo III itself). This is relevant because Marvel Heroes is very clearly meant to be Diablo: Online With Superheroes Edition. So I'm not fond of the design style. But I'm very fond of superheroes, and especially fond of the Marvel universe. A well-done Diablo-style game could have easily won me over and convinced me that while this wasn't the Marvel game I necessarily wanted, it was good enough. The trouble is that the game doesn't have the marriage of playstyle and source material that it needs; it wants to be Diablo with a superhero skin, and it misses both marks.
First Impressions of Marvel Heroes: Two Massively reporters weigh in
Superhero games have never been dominant in the MMO space, and sadly, the genre was dealt a nasty blow last month by the loss of the pioneering City of Heroes. But now on the horizon is Marvel Heroes, a free-to-play superhero MMO published by Gazillion Entertainment and set against the traditional Marvel backdrop. Whether it constitutes a "real" MMO is a matter of opinion; insiders have likened it as much to Guild Wars as to the Diablo series, the latter especially as relates to the title's choice to implement playable iconic characters rather than customizable ones. So how does it play? Will it be an asset to the superhero corner of MMOland or just another grindy wannabe? Massively sent two veteran reporters -- Eliot Lefebvre and Justin Olivetti -- to investigate the game in its most recent beta phase, bringing along their own predilections and preferences about MMOs in general and the superhero genre in specific. Read on for each preview!
First Impressions: Make mine Marvel Heroes!
Sometimes it's best to meet a game at its level instead of trying to project wishes and dreams on it. That's the attitude I tried to take while giving Marvel Heroes a test drive. Instead of thinking of it as a superhero MMO in the vein of, say, DC Universe Online (blasphemy for them Marvel chumps, I know), I recognized what it was trying to be almost instantly: a superhero-flavored Diablo. And you know what? That's what it is. Whether that's a horrible, shirt-rending event or something that sounds like a cool mix is up to you. Personally, I like the idea of dealing with the massive Marvel cast directly instead of creating lame clones, especially since there are added layers of costume and build varieties on top of that. And I especially liked the notion of just jumping into a game without all of the typical MMO complexity and just pew-pewing with Iron Man. So for better or worse, here are my thoughts as I spent a couple of nights with Marvel Heroes taking a few characters through the prologue and chapter one.
MMO Family: Winter roundup of kid-friendly MMOs
Winter is always my favorite time of year for family-friendly MMOs. Holiday events tend to be the norm now in most MMOs, but they're tailor-made for games with a younger audience. Winter also seems to usher in lots of new changes and updates as well, so it's time again to revisit some popular titles to play catch up. Over the past year, we've looked at several new titles and visited veteran MMOs titles to see what's changed. From Club Penguin to Pirate101, we'll look at recent updates and upcoming news in MMO Family's winter roundup!
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Moving forward after City of Heroes
Last week was painful, not just for me but for a lot of you was well. I'm touched by the number of comments I received on last week's article, and I can understand why a lot of you thought that this was curtains for the column as well as for the game. It was a sad ending, with a note of hope almost buried by all of the crushing emotion. You and I lost a friend that's been with us for more than eight years; it's hard to be optimistic. But I'm still here. And I'm still the same person I was a week ago, if somewhat diminished by loss. And now it's time to move along. I've written the last word there is for me to write on the subject of City of Heroes, but as it turns out, I still have a lot more to say about the genre. This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to regular readers. I'm a guy who loves superheroes, and losing a home hurts, but it doesn't mean I'm hanging up my cape. It means that I need to find a new home. And I'd be remiss in not asking anyone else along for the ride.
Marvel Heroes admits that yes, it does have a story
It would be a mistake to assume that just because Marvel Heroes is taking the form of a Diablo-style action game it's lacking any substantial lore. In fact, Gazillion chief writer Brian Michael Bendis claims in a new dev diary that the writers have a truly epic tale in place: "This is the kind of story so large that we probably couldn't do it in the comic books without it taking 75 issues." The story kicks off with Doctor Doom as the primary antagonist. Doom has captured a powerful artifact and is in the process of freeing villains from a massive prison. The writing team says that players will learn more about Doom's sinister plan as the game progresses. One of the key tools that the team is using to tell the story is a series of motion comics to give what the devs call an "authentic Marvel experience." These cutscenes are illustrated by the folks at Marvel and voiced by actors who have played the characters in the past. The studio claims that over 9,000 lines of dialogue, including witty banter, will launch with the game. Check out the story of Marvel Heroes after the jump!
Super Hero Squad Online tops four million registered players
If big numbers and dubious milestones are your passion, then have we got a post for you! Gazillion announced that its Super Hero Squad Online just crossed the four million player line. Of course, these are registered players, so that includes actual players of the title and anyone who just signed up on the website. Gazillion President David Brevik popped the celebratory cork anyway: "Breaking four million registered users is a tremendous achievement for Super Hero Squad Online and for Gazillion Entertainment. We love the passion that our players have shown for the game, and we are excited to continue to put out new and exciting content for them to enjoy." The studio is working hard to expand the overall service of the game, including a redesigned website that will allow European players to access North American servers. [Source: Gazillion press release]
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Potential new homes after City of Heroes
Despite what many of us might feel, the world is not ending when City of Heroes shuts down. Just our world. But the sun will continue shining, other games will continue running, and most likely your interest in video games will not evaporate. So after an appropriate period of mourning, it's going to be time to think about getting together with another game. The problem, of course, is that nothing else can ever be City of Heroes. Like Benjamin Franklin, nothing can serve as its replacement, merely as its successor. But it's worth examining some of the more reasonable and likely destinations for the community. I'm sure there are more, but the four I've listed seem to be the games that either are or will be hoovering up a large number of the game's former players, games that are close enough to what CoH represents to serve as a reasonable successor. So let's look at our potential new homes and see what they have to offer, both good and bad.
NYCC 2012: New Marvel Heroes characters and trailer debut
What better place to learn more about a game based on comic books than a comic book convention? Marvel Heroes had its own panel earlier today at the New York Comic Con, where devs not only shared a new trailer but announced three new playable heroes. And luckily for folks who missed the chance to see the panel live, Gazillion Entertainment has been sharing the announcements via Twitter! Along with such iconic heroes as The Hulk, Wolverine, and the Human Torch, players will also have the choice to play as Phoenix (Jean Grey), Luke Cage, and NOVA. Although fairly brief, the new features trailer shows off different abilities, a variety of costumes, a quick peek at some multiplayer zones, and a glimpse of a few iconic villains. Check it all out after the break.
Check out 25 minutes of Marvels Heroes in action
It's been a great day for preview videos and tours, and we've got another fascinating one for you if you have 25 minutes to spare. Gamespot posted a playthrough video of Marvel Heroes, complete with developer commentary, and it's a doozy. The video portion follows Deadpool through an instance called The Raft -- a giant ocean prison tower. While the combat isn't too sophisticated, it's cool to see scripted events and impressive entrances made by enemies. Later on, the devs show off a public zone where Iron Man blasts through hordes of enemies while encountering Daredevil, Storm, Wolverine, the Thing, the Hulk, and the Scarlet Witch. If you're looking for a superhero-slant on Diablo-style gameplay, then give this video a watch and see if it might be right for you.
Marvel Heroes assures fans that it's 'completely free'
Worried that you'll hit a content wall in Marvel Heroes and be unable to progress without taking out your wallet? Rest easy today, gentle player, for this is not to be. Gazillion President David Brevik said that he dislikes the vagaries of the free-to-play label and assured players that Marvel Heroes is going to be as up-front with its business model as possible. "We aren't just a little bit free," Brevik said. "We're completely free. All the content is free and there are others things that you can buy to enhance your experience but they are completely optional. This isn't a nickel and dime experience we're creating." Brevik admitted that the team had to take liberties with the Marvel IP to make it all work as an MMO but has faith that it will be received well by fans after the Avengers movie this past summer. Marvel Heroes is currently accepting closed beta signups.
Marvel Heroes opens up closed beta signups
If you're a fan of superheroes, you are no doubt are well aware of the grave darkness approaching the genre. But there are also bright lights on the horizon, and one of them just got a fair bit brighter. Marvel Heroes has posted its first community blog entry announcing the opening of closed beta signups, giving potential players a chance to jump into the game and test it out before the rest of the world gets ahold of it. Note the word "testing" in there; it's emphasized in the blog entry as well as this is a beta meant to provide important test feedback rather than just give everyone an early look at the game. If you're still interested, the blog entry has a very straightforward signup procedure that will give you a chance to be selected for testing, with the promise of other ways to obtain beta access in the near future.
PAX Prime 2012: Marvel Heroes video interview touches on costumes, public combat zones
In a video interview at PAX Prime, Associate Producer Matt Group discussed different aspects of the upcoming superhero MMORPG Marvel Heroes. Some of the topics he touched on include rotating between characters, public combat zones, multiple costumes, the free-to-play philosophy, and the fact that much of the world is open (although boss fights are mostly instanced). Group also mentioned that Gazillion Entertainment has access to every Marvel character and location possible. Folks who prefer console gaming but love the idea of slipping into the skin of their favorite super heroes can take heart; Group stated, "Once we have a solid grip on [the PC game] we want to move on to whatever other platforms there are out there." When is the game launching? Group says, "Sooner than you think." Closed beta, however, is beginning on October 1st. Check out the full interview after the cut.
Marvel Heroes releases new heroes, closed beta details
PAX Prime might be over, but the good news isn't! The Marvel Heroes team made use of the convention to announce three new heroes: Punisher, Daredevil, and Squirrel Girl. Yes, Squirrel Girl. If you're eager to run around with a prehensile tail and an ability to communicate with small forest rodents, a dose of closed beta testing information might be just what you're looking for. Marvel Heroes' CBT begins October 1st, 2012. On that date you'll be able to create a free account and have a chance to join the beta. New testers will be added over time, so fear not if you're not selected to join right away. Interested in a glimpse of what's to come? Check out Marvel Heroes' newest trailer.
New Marvel Heroes trailer is all about cleaning up the kitchen
Yes, you read that title correctly. Marvel Heroes has put out a trailer that's all about cleaning up the kitchen. Specifically, cleaning up Hell's Kitchen, one of the cheapest areas of Manhattan and a hotbed of organized crime and ethnic tensions. (In the Marvel universe, anyway. In the real world it's pretty high-rent now.) Fans of Marvel can probably guess at the major players in the trailer just by knowing the area. Even if you're not familiar with the comics, however, the trailer makes it clear that the area is crawling with crime under the direction of the infamous Kingpin, with both relatively normal thugs with guns and superpowered threats like Electra and Bullseye. Plenty of space for an enterprising hero to clean things up, in other words. Check out the full trailer just past the break. If that makes you curious for more information about how the game plays, you can jump back a little and read our hands-on impression. [Source: Gazillion Entertainment press release]
Marvel Heroes chief: 'It's very Diablo-like'
Gazillion founder David Brevik opened up in an interview at Comic-Con, talking about Marvel Heroes' strong suits (pun intended). When asked about how this title will keep players coming back for more, Brevik said "It's very Diablo-like: random levels and lots of items that drop. It's very addictive gameplay, as well as lots of endgame content that we haven't talked about yet." Brevik also discussed the game's story, which pits players against a nefarious plot by Doctor Doom. The key parts of the story will be told in over an hour's worth of motion comics. The team is strongly leaning on the Marvel IP to draw in fans and is relying on well-known heroes and classic locations to make geeks happy. When asked why players will not be allowed to make their own superheroes but instead will be forced to play one of Marvel's pre-existing characters, Brevik said that the game's system is just more compelling. While he admits that there could be 20 Spideys all in the same area, he points out that players have the option of switching their active character or choosing a different costume. You can watch the full video after the jump!
Marvel Heroes unveils Rocket Raccoon
The team of playable heroes in Marvel Heroes just keeps getting more and more impressive. Today's addition is the furry and ferocious Rocket Raccoon. An anthropomorphic raccoon, Rocket is more than just sentient -- he's a tactical genius, great with a gun, and unwaveringly heroic. Rocket Raccoon has some close ties with the Guardians of the Galaxy (you know, that team that Marvel Studios just announced is getting its own movie), and he's out to save the universe whether it wants to be saved or not. We don't know much about this little fellow's in-game powers yet, but keep an eye on his hero information page to find out.
Marvel Heroes Comic-Con trailer shows off combat
If you haven't been watching this year's San Diego Comic-Con closely to see what tidbits are revealed, don't worry -- we've got you covered. One such tidbit is the new Marvel Heroes trailer released by Gazillion Entertainment as part of the free-to-play game's panel at the convention. Although short, the video shows off a few of the playable superheroes demonstrating their evil-vanquishing moves. For 40 seconds, fans can watch Iron Man, Black Panther, Captain America, The Hulk, Human Torch, Deadpool, and Black Widow kick, smash, pound, and blast their foes. Check out the combat preview in the video after the break.
The Daily Grind: Is it game over if you can't design your own character?
Because the superhero genre attracts both people who like designing comicbook characters and people who are fans of existing icons, Marvel Heroes' implementation of playable Marvel characters has had a polarizing effect on gamers. "People will not want to be like the characters; they want to be the characters," declared one of our commenters back when the game was first announced. "As much as I love Captain America, Spiderman, and Wolverine... I'd not want to play them," mused another. You almost have to feel sorry for Gazillion: The studio can't please everyone. So today we're wondering which side you take in the debate. Would you rather play the real thing than play your own invention or a cheesy knockoff (after all, existing superhero MMOs are overflowing with Hulk, Iron Man, and Batman clones anyway)? Or do you agree with the Massively reader who posted that "the whole point of an MMO is to play your own creation"? Is it game over if you can't design your own character? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
