Sony Entertainment, Warner Bros. Games, and DC Comics decided that Comic Con would be an excellent place to unveil the full cinematic trailer for its upcoming MMO title DC Universe Online.
It’s impressive. And yet… not as impressive as I wish it was.
Maybe it’s because there probably isn’t room for two MMOs in my life. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been making my way through Justice League Unlimited for the first time lately, and the comparison is inevitable.
When I watch this trailer, I look at those heroes up there and think “Ok, I wonder what this version of Superman will be like. What’s this interpretation of Batman all about.” In reality, that’s what this video should have been showing me. I just watched Superman watch the rest of the Justice League die protecting the world when he couldn’t. That is plenty of fodder for some good solid emotional beats for the Man of Steel, but I didn’t see them. The explosions and building debris were very exciting (some might say distracting), but they didn’t help me get a sense of the heart behind this game.
Ultimately, I want this to be good, but I’m just not sure that this is a way that I want (or need) to experience the DC universe. I already spend much more than $15 a month on comics (of varying actual worth). Could this possibly be better than my comics? More importantly, since MMOs are about immersing yourself as a character in a ongoing story, could it possibly be as good as the superhero stories that exist only in my head?
/sigh I guess I should go sign up for the beta.
