City of Heroes

 PC
  • Publisher: NCSOFT
  • Release Date: Apr 27, 2004
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 118 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 118
  3. Negative: 11 out of 118
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  1. XredeemerX
    Jul 28, 2020
    10
    Man, I can't believe the best superhero game up to date was made in the early 2000s. When COH came out it was amazing and with each update, we got more and more features, by the time going rogue came out players were able to do things they could never do in any other game change factions in a unique quest chain which can get a hero to a villain and back based of your choice of missions.Man, I can't believe the best superhero game up to date was made in the early 2000s. When COH came out it was amazing and with each update, we got more and more features, by the time going rogue came out players were able to do things they could never do in any other game change factions in a unique quest chain which can get a hero to a villain and back based of your choice of missions. Your hero build could be totally unique selection of skill sets and don't let me get started on the hero editor which lets players build the hero they want it could have been a unique new hero or representation of an existing one. The other huge feature in the game was the custom scenario generation and the COH community did not disappoint some of the missions made by players were masterpieces that will remain lost. The story in the game and quests were fun and about average but we all know that is not the true appeal of MMOs, when it comes to MMOs it is all about the people you share your online experience with and the COH community is the nicest most openhearted community I've seen in a game, which was an exception for an MMO since most MMO communities tend to be very toxic and uninviting. The homecoming server did show some hope for COH fans but that will be over soon since NCsoft failed for a trademark application for COH2020 unless a miracle happens in court all privet servers will be gone once again.… Expand
  2. leaveit
    Feb 8, 2016
    10
    The ultimate example of contrast between a great and enlightened developer and an avaricious, oblivious producer. For years City of Heroes pushed free updates of quality and maintained more than a modest amount of subscriptions. Unlike contemporaries, the game was much easier to pick up due to more intuitive gearing and much, MUCH faster gameplay than had ever been seen by the likes ofThe ultimate example of contrast between a great and enlightened developer and an avaricious, oblivious producer. For years City of Heroes pushed free updates of quality and maintained more than a modest amount of subscriptions. Unlike contemporaries, the game was much easier to pick up due to more intuitive gearing and much, MUCH faster gameplay than had ever been seen by the likes of Everquest, Dark Age of Camelot, or Anarchy Online. The character customization was also orders of magnitude more complex than anything seen before. It was truly an evolution of the genre, and there was genuine artistic effort put into it. Then one day some suits that had never played the game in their lives (or any game perhaps) closed out the development studio for reasons that could be described as lunacy at best and malice at worst, unemploying tens or hundreds of people, rendering this product I spent over $100 on unplayable, and displacing a community of thousands of fans who will probably never play another MMORPG again, much less a soulless WoW-ripoff grindfest like an NCSoft title. Do not buy NCSOFT.… Expand
  3. WildFire15
    Oct 4, 2012
    10
    with a powerful character creator and a wealth of well written (if slightly repetitive) content, City of Heroes truly is a hidden gem of the MMO Genre.
  4. Fira
    Jun 20, 2012
    10
    Big thumbs up to one of the best MMOs nobody every played.

    This game includes a lot of features you wish you saw more in games, such as dynamic and settable difficulty, dynamic missions, a crapton of PvE and PvP arena and zones, time traveling pve missions, custom missions designing, heavily upgradable guild bases & associated raids and artifact control, real-time permanent order based    Big thumbs up to one of the best MMOs nobody every played.

    This game includes a lot of features you wish you saw more in games, such as dynamic and settable difficulty, dynamic missions, a crapton of PvE and PvP arena and zones, time traveling pve missions, custom missions designing, heavily upgradable guild bases & associated raids and artifact control, real-time permanent order based auctions... also.. well, you get it.
    All this in a well made superheroes city environment, neat in-depth costumes customizations, a load of different superpowers, and generally somewhat good music!

    No really. This game is great. The only very big problem is that there's so few people playing it that three quarters of the features are unused, such as pvp arenas, and often the pvp zones... Hopefully you can still find people for some heroic coop action.    … Expand
  5. garndass
    Jun 2, 2011
    1
    So far this game sucks... although i'm sure itll be worth the wait... it has taken me six hours to get it started.
    first the installation... it crashes every 10 mins, i had to pray to keep it going the whole way through.
    then i had to update the updater (:P) and that took about 4 hours in itsself. after all of that i'm relieved and click the 'play' button, and a popup appears telling me to    So far this game sucks... although i'm sure itll be worth the wait... it has taken me six hours to get it started.
    first the installation... it crashes every 10 mins, i had to pray to keep it going the whole way through.
    then i had to update the updater (:P) and that took about 4 hours in itsself. after all of that i'm relieved and click the 'play' button, and a popup appears telling me to update my drivers or the game wont play... so now one day of my month of free gameplay is wasted!    … Expand
  6. zodiac6573
    Oct 1, 2010
    10
    The greatest and most addictive game ever. If you've ever wanted to be part of a hero comic book, if you've ever wanted to fight for truth and justice, or if you've always wanted to be part of a team that is unique and yet the same, then City of Heroes is for you. And if it isn't buy it anyway and give it a try.
  7. LordKinoda
    Sep 27, 2010
    8
    Most MMOs out there deal with "sword and sorcery" and are fantasy based. Meaning they have elves, orcs, dwarves, dragons etc. But this game is most certainly a breath of fresh air for any jaded MMO Fantasy player, or just any MMO player who wants something different, or taking a break from the former. You start off with character customization. And let me tell you, I have yet to see anyMost MMOs out there deal with "sword and sorcery" and are fantasy based. Meaning they have elves, orcs, dwarves, dragons etc. But this game is most certainly a breath of fresh air for any jaded MMO Fantasy player, or just any MMO player who wants something different, or taking a break from the former. You start off with character customization. And let me tell you, I have yet to see any game out there that can beat the options available for CoH (one could say Champions Online, but it's basically the same type of thing). Create your superhero/supervillain with a magnitude of options. Choose his/her origin, archetype, and powers. You may change the way your avatar looks at any time at the local Tailor/Facemaker when the mood strikes you.There is no "gear" for you to wear in this game. Instead of the clothing and armor pieces to upgrade your character, enhancements take their place. These temporary/permanent boosts to your own abilities make you stronger with a particular power. They are always easily available at any Store or Auction House (known as Wentworth's for Heroes and Black Market for Villains), assuming you have the necessary funds to purchase them. You also gain special Enhancements through completing story arcs, or just picking them up while you fight your way through a mission. There are no "drops" in CoX in the traditional sense. All drops are automatically allocated to each player on the team, or just to you if you play solo. Instead of gold, or cash, currency takes the form in Influence/Infamy. As you progress through missions from your "Contacts" and defeat various enemy groups you gain influence/infamy for each defeat. This may seem slow at first, but let me assure you it adds up rather quickly. Especially when you work with a team. You also have the option of using Inspirations, (temporary boosts to your powers that only last a short time, but can seriously make the difference in a tight situation between dying and living), these are also available for a price but so very much lower than enhancements.Death has a penalty of course, as most MMOs do. It takes the form of experience debt. Seasoned MMO players will be acquainted with this system. It means you will have to continue on playing your missions and hunting villain groups as usual, only that half of the experience you earn will go towards paying off your "debt" until it is settled. Then leveling up will continue on as normal. Fret not though, just like influence/infamy it is paid off quickly enough, especially when on a team.There are many wonderful story arcs to explore throughout the game. You should love almost everyone of them. The bigger story arcs in the game take the form of Task Forces for Heroes, and Strike Forces for Villains. These arcs take hours to complete akin to dungeons from traditional MMOs, and usually require a full team to start. These offer up many chances to earn Influence/Infamy and plenty of experience points. And of course the prestigious badges. Badges are awarded through achieving certain milestones in your character's career as a hero/villain. You get them for defeating a certain amount/type of villains. For defeating titan like monsters that can only be bested by large numbers of characters. Completing Task/Strike Forces, attending special events, logging in during a celebration, exploration, and many others. Badges are not a requirement of the game, but they offer up a chance for something to "go after". Or simply just to one up your friends or show off to the community. There are also certain power boosts and special abilities you can gain from collecting a certain mix of badges. These are referred to as accolades. PvP isn't as strong here as I would like (at least back when I was playing; I've been told it's changed some since then). In my opinion, it's very unbalanced and in drastic need of an overhaul. But there are plenty of people who like it just the way it is. I think mainly because their chosen archetype is more built for PvP and they have the advantage. There are little in the way of rewards for playing PvP anyway. You of course can gain badges, influence/infamy, but no special enhancements to be had. The developers are keen to add new content updates every few months in form of "Issues." These are completely free, and usually offer up more costume creation options, story arcs, new zones to play in, and maybe a few new powers. All in all you will definitely love this game if you're into comics and/or superheroes. Creating your own personal character is very fun, and you will find it is easy to get attached to your favorite avatar. However, in my opinion, it is entirely possible to end up "seeing it all" in this game. Eventually collecting badges becomes boring, the level cap still hasn't been raised since launch, and not enough Task Forces or high end content are added to keep high level players interested. You should have plenty of fun though, but not forever.… Expand
  8. scottd
    Jan 1, 2010
    7
    unlimited custamisation and brillaint powers dont make up for horribly unbalnaced solo experience
  9. TerryD
    Nov 30, 2009
    0
    I wouldn't recomend this to anyone. You buy the game then either buy a subscription or loose your money ? I won't loose any more of my money to this company.
  10. MichaelF
    Sep 7, 2009
    10
    I started playing a year ago and I am completely captivated by the gameplay. Exploring the city and finding missions I haven't played yet is very rewarding. Playing the player-generated story arcs created in the AE Building is an absolute blast. Ignore the farms, check out the stories that have been created!
  11. BernardoB
    May 12, 2009
    10
    I Loved this game because just by getting a group of heroes and go kill some mutants you get a HUGE amount of Fun. Best MMO I ever played. Props to Cryptic for the amazing work, well done.
  12. MountainMan
    Apr 25, 2009
    8
    The most customisable online game ther eis on the market. Costumes, powers, missions, maps, all can be altered as you see fit. There is truely no other game on the market that will let your imagination run riot. Combat is hilarious fun. There is no other game I can think of with so much ease of use, yet difficult to master gameplay like this. Combat is laugh out loud funny at best and The most customisable online game ther eis on the market. Costumes, powers, missions, maps, all can be altered as you see fit. There is truely no other game on the market that will let your imagination run riot. Combat is hilarious fun. There is no other game I can think of with so much ease of use, yet difficult to master gameplay like this. Combat is laugh out loud funny at best and mildy grinding at worst. Your graphics card and monitor will love you for the rioutous colours on display at all times as powers and punches zing about. On the downside, the game was never as deep or polished as other MMOS on the market so it must suffer in score for it. To sum up the review, its a flawed masterpiece. The most fun MMO out there tempered with the fact that it cannot expand much more as a game on its limited engine.… Expand
  13. CharlesT
    Apr 23, 2009
    10
    I have been playing this game for quite awhile now and I noticed one major thing. All of these reviews are ancient. From what I read these people never even got to super movements. That is like playing the tutorial and giving a review. You haven't even started playing the game yet. There have been 14 major content updates since the game started. My only gripe is that the level cap is I have been playing this game for quite awhile now and I noticed one major thing. All of these reviews are ancient. From what I read these people never even got to super movements. That is like playing the tutorial and giving a review. You haven't even started playing the game yet. There have been 14 major content updates since the game started. My only gripe is that the level cap is the same as it was 3 years ago when I started playing. Good thing I have dozens of amazing characters to keep me coming back.… Expand
  14. MikeS
    Apr 22, 2009
    10
    Excellent game from the start and it never stops improving. Now with user-generated content (like Little Big Planet or YouTube), it will have never-ending content also. The development studio has tripled in staffing in the past year and a half and NCSoft is investing heavily to make this one of the best "triple A" mmorpgs in existence.
  15. BrettD.
    Dec 12, 2007
    10
    Thrilling, lifelike, intriguing. Hour of non stop action and adventure. The variations of individual hero creation keep you in the game for a long. long, long time. Is there an end? The in game variety leaves you wondering if there is an end to the game. The game itself has regular updates with new action waiting. The official forum is awesome and the people (characters) playing the game Thrilling, lifelike, intriguing. Hour of non stop action and adventure. The variations of individual hero creation keep you in the game for a long. long, long time. Is there an end? The in game variety leaves you wondering if there is an end to the game. The game itself has regular updates with new action waiting. The official forum is awesome and the people (characters) playing the game are first rate, a great mass of great gamers!… Expand
  16. SteveS.
    Aug 17, 2007
    10
    I've been into super heroes for 4 decades now. For me, this game is a godsend. I'll never forget the first time my character flew. I got giddy. The entire game is that way. If you're a fan of super-heroes, and/or comics, this game will be addictive forever.
  17. Peter
    Jul 16, 2007
    10
    Adding variety to a fantasy dominated genre, with a nice atmosphere and relaxed gameplay, this game continues to entertain me even though the gameplay may feature little less than combat and the engine may be old and wonky. Relatively frequent updates of content over the years add new stuff to explore over time.
  18. DanielY.
    May 18, 2006
    10
    This is king of MMOs, despised all online games, but CoH showed me the error of my ways.
  19. JoeyK.
    Aug 15, 2005
    7
    Combat is fun, and quite unique. For example, there is no autoattack, and every ability costs endurance (=Mana). Endurance is a big problem for players though. It's fixed at 100, and people never have enough. But it's still fun. Missions are cool and have a nice feel, the villains are diverse and entertaining, especially within missions. Then there's Task Forces, in which Combat is fun, and quite unique. For example, there is no autoattack, and every ability costs endurance (=Mana). Endurance is a big problem for players though. It's fixed at 100, and people never have enough. But it's still fun. Missions are cool and have a nice feel, the villains are diverse and entertaining, especially within missions. Then there's Task Forces, in which you sit down for hours and get tons of XP. Task Forces are one of the biggest "Pro:"s of this game. Story Arcs are like personaly, soloable task forces. The classes are well defined, but not entirely balanced. The system and setting is unique, making it a good, fun escape for any casual player, or any any MMO player a little tired of fantasy and complexity. The system isn't the best, but it is unique, and that makes the game fun. What eventually made me lose interest was the lack of depth. There's only combat. Whether you're hunting or doing missions, or solo or teamed, whehter your DPS or support, it all makes the game fun, but there's nothign else besides combat. No equipment, no real loot, no crafting, no side professions. This doesn't make the combat any less fun or effective, but for people like me, it makes the game go stale after about a month. I played it for a month, and it got old. 6 months later, I tried again, and played for about another month, before it got old again. It's fun and addictiing, but it's not a significantly long lasting experience. If you're a casual gamer, especially if you like super heroes, play it until you're bored. If you're a player of other MMO's play this for a month, have a blast, then return to your other games with a newfound respect and refreshed enjoyment of it. One more thing, leveling is pretty hard. There are 50 levels, and by the time you're nearing thirty it already gets slow. I hear the last ten are a real pain. I only got to 28 myself, on my highest level character. And it's not even possible to get the penultimate skill in your primary power set unti level 32. Ouch.… Expand
  20. Demo_Boy
    Aug 10, 2005
    8
    It all comes down to combat mechanics. And COH with 30-40 enemies against 8 players makes you feel like a hero and there is a lot to keep track of. Now you are either going to like fighting against 40-50 enemies at once all with different powers and attcks or you are going to find that boring after 100 times. Me I find it exciting to see how many enemies the team can handle. Weve been on It all comes down to combat mechanics. And COH with 30-40 enemies against 8 players makes you feel like a hero and there is a lot to keep track of. Now you are either going to like fighting against 40-50 enemies at once all with different powers and attcks or you are going to find that boring after 100 times. Me I find it exciting to see how many enemies the team can handle. Weve been on pulls with over 100. It gets pretty crazy. That is how COH is different than any other MMO. Lots of enemies to deal with at once.… Expand
  21. AndrewJ.
    Jul 30, 2005
    10
    Without doubt, the most addictive game I've ever played. If you love superheroes, you won't be able to drag yourself away.
  22. KridenK.
    May 29, 2005
    10
    I think it's an amazing game... no doubt one of the best mmorpgs to this point.
  23. AdyB.
    Apr 15, 2005
    8
    Have very much enjoyed playing COH - but I do wonder whether I am going to get rather bored with it fairly soon: there isn't much by way of variety - the core gameplay is simple monster-bashing. But standing round dressed in a crazy costume, chatting to people and larking about (there are some funny preset actions you can do, yoga, dancing, waving etc) is fun - until the novelty Have very much enjoyed playing COH - but I do wonder whether I am going to get rather bored with it fairly soon: there isn't much by way of variety - the core gameplay is simple monster-bashing. But standing round dressed in a crazy costume, chatting to people and larking about (there are some funny preset actions you can do, yoga, dancing, waving etc) is fun - until the novelty wears off! But I reckon I've got my money's worth so far, so I'll give it an 8.… Expand
  24. ArtB.
    Mar 10, 2005
    10
    This is a great MMO for a casual player like me. I can login, play a mission, and log off, all within 30 minutes There is no big penalty for dying leveling up hasn't been tedious at all, and its really easy to fight guys when you want to and avoid them otherwise. All in all, its the perfect MMO for a casual gamer like me.
  25. MiikkaK.
    Feb 16, 2005
    10
    An excellent game that really makes you feel like a superhero!
  26. JohnK.
    Jan 4, 2005
    10
    1) A breath of fresh air in terms of content ( I mean how much more fantasy based titles do we need?), interface (minimal AND user controlled), gameplay (very intense effort on part of the design team to reduce tedium, implement variety), makes the player feel unique AND powerful from the get go ( no getting killed by rats lol, character gen is beyond par), teamplay options are innovative 1) A breath of fresh air in terms of content ( I mean how much more fantasy based titles do we need?), interface (minimal AND user controlled), gameplay (very intense effort on part of the design team to reduce tedium, implement variety), makes the player feel unique AND powerful from the get go ( no getting killed by rats lol, character gen is beyond par), teamplay options are innovative and very community oriented...and i coudl go on...but with the updates..even MORE reasons are coming to why this is the best MMo around ...i like it better even more than WOW… Expand
  27. AlbertoF.
    Dec 26, 2004
    10
    It is the best game period.
  28. BradleyM.
    Nov 19, 2004
    10
    Amazing visually, addictive, well planned and executed.... a boy or girl's superhero dream come true.
  29. TimboJ.
    Nov 15, 2004
    10
    DUDE this game by far one of the funnest, addictive, and exciting games i ever played....so what it costs 50 dollars...one day of work for the minimum wage worker.
  30. BlakeT.
    Nov 11, 2004
    10
    Up to this point and at present, there has never been a better developed and more thought-out game. This games design is amazingly intuitive and incredibly easy to navigate. Unlike a lot of MMOs, the controls and game management don't get in the way of some seriously fun gameplay. And, with each new patch and issue release, you get innovation. Evidence of this masterpiece can be seen Up to this point and at present, there has never been a better developed and more thought-out game. This games design is amazingly intuitive and incredibly easy to navigate. Unlike a lot of MMOs, the controls and game management don't get in the way of some seriously fun gameplay. And, with each new patch and issue release, you get innovation. Evidence of this masterpiece can be seen in current release, who are desperately stealing this game's design and innovation for their own. I've played Everyquest (I and II), Asheron's Call, SWG, and FFXI. This one tops them all. I still can't resist playing this game, long after FFXI got boring and old.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best PC Game of 2004
15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
87
#87 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 58
  3. Negative: 0 out of 58
  1. IC-Games
    84
    Anyone new to the genre can certainly make this a choice without expecting to get in too deep and losing their way, while seasoned MMORPGers can have a blast playing out their superhero dreams.
    Read full review
  2. Computer Games Online RO
    85
    The overall quality of the game cannot be denied, and if you're a comic book fan, or like MMORPG's, or both, you owe it to yourself to see what City of Heroes is all about.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    85
    An original superhero MMORPG that has excellent character creation and a well-designed world. Gameplay is quite combat-intensive and the game lacks sufficient content to stay interesting for longer periods of time. [Feb. 05]
See all critic reviews »