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| Derek Heemsbergen |
Heroes and villains unite against a common foe.
06.11.11 - 7:55 PM
DC Universe Online was released back in January of this year for the PC and PS3, and since then, the game has seen three content patches. Update 3, entitled Ra's al Ghul's Revenge, was released just two days ago. The update features new battle content for players of all levels, who are tasked with banding together to stop the titular villain from wiping humanity off the face of the earth. A special event featuring a botanical war between the Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy was also added.
The next patch is already in the works, and at E3 2011, Sony Online Entertainment gave us a preview of what we can expect when the update goes live. The focus of Update 4 is a raid on the Fortress of Solitude, in which players team up with the unlikely combination of Superman and Lex Luthor to fight against Brainiac. My brief demo started inside the fortress, where Superman received advice from a holographic projection of his father, Jor-El. Once I became accustomed to the controls and powers of my fire-based character, the battle started in earnest. This update is slated to feature a new physics engine, which I got to experience by pulling objects out of the ground and tossing them at my foes. My character was also tossed around by enemy attacks, which I found to be a welcome change from the traditionally static animations found in many MMORPGs. Crystalline golems and spiders continued to attack in waves, until a gigantic boss finally crashed through a wall, ending the demo.
In conjunction with listening to fan feedback, the developers are working hard to push dynamic new content for the game, ensuring that DC Universe Online will remain fresh for players new and old. Look for Update 4 when it releases later this summer.
