Farewell, Avengers Alliance

   Greetings, True Believers!

   Today we bid a fond farewell to Marvel’s Avengers Alliance. September 30th marks the final day of this wonderfully simple game. I, for one, will miss it.

‘Avengers Alliance’ heads to ‘Infinity’ — but who is that mystery man?

‘Avengers Alliance’ heads to ‘Infinity’ — but who is that mystery man?

   This is a fun game, still. I dig how the developers are bringing in a current storyline.

Marvel’s Avengers Alliance

Marvel: Avengers Alliance.

   Avengers Alliance is one of my guilt-free pleasures on Facebook. I am a Geek. Everybody knows I am a Geek. I don’t hide that. I dig Marvel and DC heroes. I also like to play Facebook games. Win, win for me. No guilt here. I’ve even purchased “gold” from time to time to pick a a favorite hero or two.

   Those people who don’t play them because they are above that sort of thing are pretty funny. They put more effort into not playing them and letting everybody know that they don’t play them than they actually would if they just “pulled the stick out of their butts” and played. Some folks don’t have the time and I get that. 

   I digress… this is about my love for a very simple game that can be casually played and can be as simple or as strategic as you wish it to be. A “wallet warrior”, a term I saw on the Playdom Avengers Alliance forums, I am not but I don’t look down on those folks either. Everybody should play however they want to play. Have fun and enjoy life the way you want.

  I play AA on FB and PWN NPCs and do pretty OK in PVP 😉 Join me there!

 

MMO: Marvel Heroes vs. DC Universe Online

I originally posted this review on Facebook a few weeks ago. I have decided 
to revisit the subject and expand my review a bit more.   

   So out of curiosity I decided to download and try out a few of the latest MMO games from my favorite genres. Way back when, I was playing games like Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot along with Star Wars Galaxies. All great games in their own rights and all three I still play, casually, from time to time on private servers. I was also heavily into WWII Flight Simulators like Air Warrior (2 & 3D) and Aces High. Since then I’ve tried Lord of the Rings Online, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars and D&D Online… none of those really did “it” for me. I still remember being very excited about Middle Earth Online but that one never came to pass.

I first completed and installed the brand new Marvel Heroes. While the cinematic was outstanding, the game play was like Ultima Online Third Age from 2002 which left me very underwhelmed. I’ve wanted to go back and give it another chance but I just can’t bring my self to fire the game back up. Four days downloading seven minutes played… Nuff said.

Next up was DC Universe Online. The story was of a far more dystopian future and it has a far richer plot. The character creation, that the Marvel game lacks entirely, was just as fun as the game play. I created my original character “Ranger Zero”, who’s name was taken so I took out the space. Once I got used to the game pay dynamics I was having a blast. That was just in the tutorial that teaches the nuances of the game.

   Both of these games are free of charge to play. That being said, you still need to pony up money if you want the cool gear, power or what ever else. I the Marvel Game you collect heroes, while the first is free of charge the following additions will cost you. DC trumps Marvel in the MMO world.To be brutally honest, Marvel’s Facebook exclusive game (now on iOs for the iPhone and coming soon for the Android platform) Avengers Alliance is way more entertaining than their new “immersive” MMO.

Once I get Star Trek Online and Star Wars The Old Republic up and running then I’ll compare those two.