Champions Online Going Free-2-Play?!

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As of the time of this writing, there are two Super Hero themed MMORPGs in existence. First, there is City of Heroes, and its expansion packs. Secondly, there is Champions Online. In the not too distant future, you will be able to add DC Universe Online to that list, but at the moment, it’s not currently available.

Out of the 2 currently available, my favorite is Champions Online. The graphics are outstanding, and the stories and play is fun and entertaining, plus it’s Solo friendly, and offers gamepad support, so you can play the game with an Xbox360/PC USB gamepad, which just so happens to me my preferred method of play!

As if all of that, wasn’t reason enough to play, Cryptic has decided to give you yet another reason to make Champions Online your preferred Super Hero MMORPG of choice. It’s going Free-2-Play! That’s right, Champions Online has decided to join in with all the other subscription based MMORPGs that have recently decided to go Free-2-Play. Which means, you will be able to enjoy this video game goodness free!

Will this change make me cancel my subscription and go to a free account? Hell no! The game is extremely enjoyable, and worth every cent I pay each month. I’m sure many of you will feel the same way I do after playing it as well.

I’ll see ya in world!

The wait for DCUO

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Have you ever really looked forward to the release of a highly anticipated movie or game? I know that I certainly have! When I am looking forward to a game or movie, I tend to watch other movies, or play other games that are similar to the one I am waiting on.

For instance, When I was waiting on Mafia II, I went and replayed The Godfather: The Game. When I was waiting on the last Indiana jones movie, which was a major disappointment by the way, I watched the previous Indiana jones movies, as well as several of the clones, including Romancing the Stone, Allan Quartermain flicks and even that lame one with Chuck Norris and Louis Gosset Jr. called “Fire Walker“.

Now, I am doing it all over again! I am waiting in anticipation for the release of DC Universe Online, and in doing so I decided to get another Super Hero MMORPG to hold me over. However, there wasn’t a whole lot of Choices. In fact, there were 2 choices really. I could get and subscribe to City of Heroes, or I could get and subscribe to Champions Online.

It was a hard choice at first, I mean on one hand City of Heroes has a ton more content! I mean, you could be playing for years and never experience all that the game has to offer. Champions Online however has much better graphics and sound! See? Not an easy choice! Well, not an easy choice for most people.

I do admit, I was leaning in favor toward Champions Online. The better graphics and sound was more important to me than the content. Only because I hadn’t planned on playing it but for a few months! Remember, it was just to hold me over til the release of DCUO. I didn’t need a game with a plethora of content. I didn’t need a game that will keep me occupied for years to come.

However, what really pulled me over to champions Online was the fact that it was compatible with the Xbox 360 gamepad for the PC. I don’t mean that it supported it, but you had to calibrate and configure it. No! I mean it is fully supported and integrated right into the game! If you have your 360 controller plugged in, and start the game up, it’s ready! Just pick up the gamepad and begin playing! Even the onscreen commands tell you what buttons to push on your gamepad! For instance when you start the game up, and you are on the character selection screen, it tells you to press the green A button on your gamepad to begin playing.

I am a huge fan of gamepads, because I have been using them since I was 6. Using a gamepad to me, is about as natural as using my fingers. Is it any wonder that I went with the one that had full gamepad support?

After playing Champions Online for a few days though, I came to realise that this game truly does kick ass! It is an incredibly enjoyable game, and while I might have only planned to be playing it up until the release of DCUO, I have decided that I will most likely keep it as well as DCUO and play them both, assuming DCUO is even half as enjoyable as Champions.