City of Villains
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that combat is an integral part of this massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), and players will attack and kill computer and human-controlled opponents with their superpowers. While the game uses a profanity filter, players are good at getting around it by typing creative spellings of curse words, so online interactions can vary widely. Villain costumes can be mildly racy, although no more so than a typical comic book. In addition to the $19.99 cost, this game has ongoing costs of $14.99 per month. It is the companion title to City of Heroes.
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What's it about?
In CITY OF VILLAINS, players take on the role of a villain with super powers, bent on destruction of all who stand in their way of domination and personal glory. Players will go up against their villainous rivals, the authorities, and those namby-pamby do-gooders with savior complexes in brightly colored tights from the companion game City of Heroes.
Players begin by creating a villain using the game's sophisticated character creation system, which gives them control over everything about the way they look. There are so many costuming choices that it's rare to see any two characters that are similar in design. But being a villain goes way beyond having bad-ass duds. The core of City of Villains character creation system is its unique class system. Players choose a core character archetype and origin that reflects their character's villainous personality. For example, a brilliant leader with a gift for invention would be a Mastermind archetype with a Technology origin. Each combination determines what sort of skills they'll develop as they increase their superpowers
Is it any good?
Starting as nothing more than a lowly thug, players guide their character through the game world to defeat do-gooders, complete quests, and become a master criminal supervillain. Players may also battle against players from City of Villains' sister game City of Heroes, although player-versus-player (PvP) engagements are optional.
One strength of City of Villains is that it strongly encourages players to form teams to tackle more challenging quest objectives. While the game is not difficult to play solo, it's considerably more enjoyable creating mayhem alongside other costumed villains. Large numbers of players can create more permanent associations of like-minded villains who enjoy menacing society together.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the differences between fantasy supervillains and real-life villains. What behavior truly makes a person bad? Are villains always bad, or can they have redeeming qualities? Families can also discuss the social ramifications of drug trafficking and organized crime.
Game details
- Platforms: Windows
- Price: $19.99
- Available online? Available online
- Developer: NCsoft
- Release date: October 28, 2005
- Genre: Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG)
- ESRB rating: T for Suggestive Themes, Violence
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