DC Universe - Attempted 1-30 Run Part 1

Since DC Universe Online released last year, I have been subscribed for a total of three months, cancelling my sub because I reached the level cap and felt there wasn't enough to warrant a continued payment. However, since the servers went down for a while, thanks to SOE being hacked, I was given 45 days playtime, as a welcome back/please come back package, so I decided to give it another go now it's had some content updates. I'm going to be going over what's new and what's the same over five level increments, to try and keep it easier to follow, but if I don't reach the level cap, I don't reach it, I'm not going to force myself. So read on, and see what I thought of the new content and the existing game.

Alright, first thing: for the first time on DC:UO I'm playing on a PVP server; 'Cry for Blood' to be exact. And so it is that I take the trench coated, cowboy hat wearing Icaruschips on a crime-spree, wielding his staff and using gadgets, under my mentor, The Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. For the first time since I've played it, I'm going to keep all my looted/bought equipment visually, usually I spend so much time designing a hero/villain I'm loathe to use the new equipment, so I equip it, but lock the visual style so my look never changes. This, however, should give a little indication of some of the equipment you can pick up and find.

Level 1-5

Ok, here we go. As with the game originally, you start off creating your hero or villain, once you have done so you'll be dropped in one of Braniac's – the main antagonist - ships, tasked with escaping. This serves as a tutorial, and while it's competent, I have grown bored of it, considering how many times I've done it in the past. At the end of this tutorial which should take you no more than half an hour, you'll be tasked with holding off hordes of Braniac's troops alongside Lex Luthor if you're a villain, or Superman if you're a hero. This is something I was hoping they would change, I was hoping you would fight alongside your chosen mentor, not the same person each and every time you start a new character.

Alas, after I was finished the clusterf*ck battle with Lex, I was teleported to a Nightclub in Gotham and sent on my way to do the same missions I do every time I start a new character under The Joker. However, on my way to my mission marker in Gotham, I noted ominous plants scattered throughout the city. To me this means only one thing, Poison Ivy. These plants weren't here the last time I played, so I assume they're new. I have yet to discover what their purpose is however, so that may be for my next update.

As I levelled up, I chose my powers and weapon abilities the same as normal, so far, so samey. The combat is unchanged which is no bad thing, as it's a refreshing change from the automated attacks of World of Warcraft to be able to learn simple combos and execute them on a simple police officer for laughs and loot.

I reached level five rather quickly, so I'm afraid this won't be a particularly in-depth preview of changes, as so far I've done the same missions I've done every time I've played, so I'll have to play on to discover the new content, which I assume will be for players of a much higher level than my current self.

Speaking of which, below is my terrible titan of Gotham, in all his odd looking glory. He'll be different each update, as he earns or finds new equipment. By level ten he could be looking like a comic book version of The Terminator, I just don't know!



That's it for now, next time I'll take you through any changes between levels five and ten, hopefully things will get more interesting, and I'll be looking a bit more terrifying than I do right now.