Apparently it’s “MMO Fortnight” here on citizenparker.com – sorry to everyone that normally tunes in for the deafening silence I usually feature prominently. I will do my best to resume to your regularly scheduled nothing whatsoever.

People keep saying this game doesn't look good. I don't get it.

Tonight the open beta for Champions Online wrapped up. I would like to point out something very important – there are two things you cannot do in Champions that you CAN do in Marvel Ultimate Alliance:

  1. Throw another player.
  2. Jump into a bottomless pit. (Also, combining 1 with 2)

Despite this, there is still a marvelous amount of jumping, smashing, and questing.

I may write up a bit more about it in the next few days, but until then this photoessay must suffice (as always here on the citizen, random comments when you hover on the images too)

I feared a tough boss was approaching when I took this shot, but it didn't happen. Instead, I was left holding a car for "just in case."

Flying and preparing to throw a Humvee. It hurts. A lot.

 

Note the intricate carving on the side of the cart. The game is filled with little flourishes like this.

Flying and preparing to throw a flower cart at a GIANT robot. You may think “Hmm... Scott character’s special power must have been flying and throwing things.” That’s not true though – he was also pretty good at throwing things while standing, it just didn’t make for such great photo opportunities.

 

Like WoW, Champions isn't afraid to use the full color palette available. I like that.

This picture is a bit ugly, but it gives you some idea of just how gigantic that robot from the previous pic is. Those bright yellow things are his feet.

 

Remember, agent: skills for kills.

Downtown Millennium City looks a lot like the Agency HQ from Crackdown. So naturally, I had to find the tallest building and jump off of it.

 

I was breakdancing, although I like to think I just booted that red hero straight into the air

The highlight of the evening was a battle against a GM-controlled villain “Cryptonaut” who was particularly mouthy, and particularly hard-to-kill. So of course, once we brought him face down into the pavement I organized an impromptu dance party.