If you're one of GameSpot's many European readers, you might be wondering where our review of MotorStorm: Apocalypse is, given that there are already a number of reviews out there. Evolution Studios' latest racer isn't scheduled for release in North America until mid-April, but prior to recent events in Japan, the game was due to arrive on European shelves this Friday. Our review, written by GameSpot UK's Mark Walton, was ready for posting when those of us in the US arrived at work last Friday morning, but given that the game takes place during a massively destructive earthquake, we decided that in light of what had transpired in Japan only hours earlier it would be insensitive for us to post it. Subsequently, we learned that Sony has decided to delay the release of the game as well, and so while our original intention was to delay the review for one week, our current plan is to post it only when it becomes relevant. In other words, we'll aim to post our review shortly before whatever new release date Sony decides on for the game.

Thanks for understanding, and if you haven't already, please consider making a donation to Japan disaster relief using the button at the top of the site.

Online role-playing games have already given you the chance to act as a triumphant superhero or dastardly villain, but DC Universe Online marks the first time one has used a well-known superhero license. In this new massively multiplayer game, you create your own hero or villain and run about the streets of Gotham City and Metropolis, aiding your allies while fending off evildoers--or doing some evil of your own. As with all such games, reviewing DC Universe Online will take some time, though at the current pace of leveling, I suspect that this game doesn't hide many aces up its sleeve. But so far, it's light, breezy fun, with a smooth feel and a charm that is sure to delight fans of the license. I don't know that it's the right choice for someone looking to find a new long-term virtual home, though I have yet to experience all of its features. In the meanwhile, I thought I would share some thoughts regarding my experiences thus far, as well as some screens and movies to help tide you over before I deliver a full evaluation.

It's hard not to compare DC Universe Online to 2010's Champions Online, given their obvious thematic similarities. If you've played last year's superhero funfest, you may be somewhat disappointed that DC Universe's character creation isn't as flexible as that of Champions. There are fewer cosmetic options, nor can you create your own personal origin story, since the game's narrative provides you one. Don't fret too much, however, since you still get the opportunity to create a great-looking character using a variety of skin types, belts, boots, capes, tops, and so on. Of course, what makes DC Universe immediately rise above its recent competition is that you can play as either a hero or a villain, which enhances its appeal. Your choices aren't just cosmetic, however: you choose a basic power set (gadgets, for example, or ice, or fire) and an initial weapon. My magic-focused villain uses a staff to beat up her foes, while my hero gadgeteer wields dual pistols. (Note that you are limited to your initial weapon choice for the first nine levels).

In time, you can improve your method of travel in addition to your core powers.

You also decide upon a method of travel. On the PC, I went with acrobatics for my villain, which allows me to glide and quickly scale surfaces; on the PS3, my hero takes to the skies in full-fledged flight. My fellow reviewer Tom Mc Shea chose super speed, and it's a hoot to watch him flash across the screen while we travel together. You also must choose on a mentor. There are three mentors for heroes and three for villains. If you feel particularly virtuous, you can side with Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman; scoundrels choose from Lex Luthor, The Joker, and Circe. After you make these choices, the game opens with a quality tutorial that introduces you to the story and combat. The battle system is striking for its clicky/mashy action, which is a refreshing change from the more usual, less direct, massively multiplayer online combat. DC Universe feels like an action game, which gives it an immediate user-friendly appeal, though you may find that the appeal wears thin over time.

Don't ever ask to see Dr. Fate's medical credentials.

DC Universe Online mixes up its open-area questing with instanced scenarios in which you enter private areas and beat up on adversaries and interact with non-player characters and objects as you make your way to the end boss. One thing I appreciate about playing as a villain is that there's a definite evil (but tongue-in-cheek) twist to the missions that 2005's City of Villains sometimes lacked. For example, in an early quest you convert helpless citizens into less wholesome beings, and there's something awful and wonderful about hearing their cries for help before channeling a demonic presence. The main quest chains culminate with those instanced quests, which reward you with a sharp-looking, narrated comic cutscene. There's a lot of voice acting in DC Universe, and most of the beloved DC characters sound quite good. (As you can imagine, Mark Hamill is impeccable as the Joker.)

I've tried other types of content as well, including player-versus-player battles. Your introduction to PVP play has you and your teammates taking the roles of iconic characters and capturing key points while fending off an opposing team. I prefer using my own characters, however, since I am beginning to develop a bond with them, as I would in any online RPG, and have had more fun in the arena as a result. The PVP is flashy and enjoyable, though I haven't played enough of it to know if it has lasting appeal or if it's balanced particularly well. I've also taken part in alerts, which are extended player-versus-environment team missions. My first alert's end boss took some time to defeat, but that was due more to an inflated health bar than to an actual challenge. Most of the PVE content I've seen has been rather easy, which has led to a certain sense of shallowness. That impression is enhanced by other aspects of the game--the simple combat, limitations to how many powers you can equip at once, the fact that there are only two major locations (though they are impressively large), and certain interface and feature quirks. (For example, you can't share your quests with teammates as you can in most similar games.) Some of those limitations make sense from the console perspective and make the game friendly for those using a controller. Keyboard jockeys, on the other hand, may miss many of the interface standards and the flexibility they've grown used to over the years.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is that you loot new gear and weapons, but you can choose whether or not those items should appear on your character when you equip them. This way, you can get the stat bonus without messing with your physical appearance. My flirty she-villain doesn't look so hot in a flouncy blouse, but I enjoy seeing different looks appear on her as I progress. On the other hand, I love the appearance of my mysterious gadgeteer so much that I refuse to change it. This was a smart way to allow players the satisfaction of collecting loot without forcing a new look on them. And speaking of looks, DC Universe has them. This isn't a technical stunner, but the game's art is colorful and captures the spirit of the source material, and DCUO has performed admirably on both my work and home machines. I've experienced some performance hitches on the PlayStation 3, but nothing particularly earth-shattering.

Want to play as a famous hero or villain? Don't worry--DC Universe Online's got you covered.

Mind you, these are top-level impressions based on a dozen-plus hours of play, and I expect that my weekend will be spent spreading my online infamy. I'll have a review ready soon, but until then, I'll be posting screens and videos for you to feast upon. And if you're already cavorting about Metropolis in a cape, I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts!

It has been a long time coming, but Gran Turismo 5 is finally here. I've been playing the game for a few days at this point, and while I'd love to post a full review when the embargo lifts at midnight tonight, it's just not going to happen. That's not only because GT5 is a big game with a lot of different components, but also because the game's online functionality (which was just patched in last night) hasn't actually been available for most of today. I daresay it'll be up and running in time for launch, but as of right now I haven't been able to get into a single online race. I was able to set up my online lounge last night, and I unlocked a handful of photo exhibits for my museum just by logging on, but to date that's the extent of my online experience. Clearly, I need to spend some more time with the game before I can deliver a review. In the meantime, though, I thought it might be helpful for me to give you my impressions of the game thus far. To give these impressions some context, I've apparently completed 30 percent of what the game has to offer. I've mostly been concentrating on the GT Mode's A-Spec events and Special events, taking time out only to complete three of the six license tests, to race in Arcade mode using cars imported from my Gran Turismo PSP save, and to start leveling up a driver in B-Spec mode.

One of the first things that struck me about GT5 is how rare the "premium" cars are early on. Starting out in GT mode with only $20K to spend, your best shot at getting a competitive car is to check the used-car dealer where, to date, I don't think I've noticed a single premium model. A handful of new used cars replace old ones at the dealer after every event, so I've gotten into the habit of checking it often, and because I'm a sucker for '60s and '70s models, I've been spending money on plenty of vehicles that I don't really need. I'd love to use some of these classics in the game's Photo mode, but that's reserved for premium cars unfortunately, though it's still possible to pause replays and take photos of standard cars that way. Premium cars look significantly better than standard ones; the former actually look like they're constructed from individual panels, while the latter are more like carefully shaped blocks of wood with details like gaps between panels, door handles, and lights just painted on. Quick tip for when you buy used cars, by the way: Regardless of what their mileage is, used cars always need an oil change before they'll run at their best.

Driving in GT5 feels easier than it has in previous games because there are a number of driving aids switched on by default. These include both traction control and antilock brakes, the effects of which can be adjusted on a 10-point scale. Other aids, like the driving line, skid recovery force, and active stability management are either on or off. It really does feel like GT5 is customizable for players of just about any skill level, and I'll point out that while I plan to use Logitech's latest force feedback wheel for most of the day tomorrow, I've had no problems playing with a regular DualShock 3 so far. Regardless of how you're playing, there's no denying that these cars feature believable handling (I'd say realistic, but I'm not sure my few laps of the Catalunya circuit in an Audi A4 several years back or my limited go-karting experience qualify me to do so) and that it's fun to put them through their paces on some of the world's finest courses.

The A-Spec (you driving) and B-Spec (you giving instructions to an AI driver) modes use the same series of events. I've completed only a few events in B-Spec mode, but in A-Spec mode I've beaten the Beginner, Amateur, and most of the Professional series. All of the Expert series events are unlocked for me now, but I need to hit level 20 before I can see what the Extreme series has in store for me (I'm currently level 19, so not long to go.) You earn experience points toward the next level for just about everything you do in GT5, including the license tests, which are completely optional this time around.

Race events, like those in previous GT games, require you to adhere to different car restrictions. Early on, you might simply have to use a compact, a Japanese classic, or a car with an FF or FR drivetrain, but later the requirements get a lot more specific. This works in the game's favor because while it's possible to "cheat" early events by entering them in cars that are significantly more powerful than the rest of the field, that becomes increasingly difficult as your career progresses. Very few of the events that I've entered thus far restrict the maximum horsepower of your car, so after earning only a bronze or silver trophy I've found that I can often turn that into a gold simply by adding a few parts from the tuning shop and racing again. I know that I won't have that option for much longer though.

The options available to you in the tuning shop are impressive, and regardless of how much you know about cars, it's easy to figure out where your money will be well spent. Not all of the upgrades are available for all cars, but most of the restrictions seem to make sense. You can't make the diminutive Caterham Seven any lighter, for example. I'm a little disappointed that the option to add full-on racing modifications isn't available for more cars, but if I remember correctly, that was the case in GT2 as well, and it's one of the features I remember most fondly from that game.

When I look back on GT5 in years to come, I'm hoping that I'll feel that way about the online play, and I know for sure that I'll feel that way about some of the special challenges. There's a really good assortment of challenges on offer, and they're made more challenging by the fact that none of them give you the option to upgrade or even choose which car to use. The Gran Turismo Karting Experience is the most obvious of the special challenges to call out since it's so completely different from everything else in the game, but other highlights for me have included the Jeff Gordon NASCAR School (a series of lessons that test your high-speed cornering and drafting skills), the Top Gear Test Track (where you race in a VW camper van, a Lotus Elise, and a 1944 VW Kubelwagen), the AMG Driving Academy (timed Nurburgring events in different cars and weather conditions), and the Sebastien Loeb Rally Challenge (chase a ghost car around some of the most challenging rally courses in the game). The special challenges pay really well, but unlike regular events, you can't keep repeating them to earn more money. Earning a gold trophy also pays out for the silver and bronze, and at that point there's no more money to be made from them.

In my garage right now I have a total of 68 cars, 10 of which are premium. I've been keeping all of the cars that I win as prizes thus far, but since I need to start investing in some racecars soon, I think that's probably going to change. I probably don't need four Honda Civics, after all. Even with that many cars to choose from, it's not difficult to find the car I'm looking for at any time because there are options to filter my collection by country, make, and drivetrain, as well as to sort them by manufacturer, maximum power, and a bunch of other options. The only slightly odd thing is that premium and standard cars appear in completely separate lists, so if I'm just looking for a car that's eligible for a certain event and don't care whether or not it looks good, I have to search twice.

Anyhow, I think that's about all I have to say on the subject of Gran Turismo 5 right now. Be sure to check out the embedded movies of some of my replays, and check back next week for the full review.

In Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty's opening cutscene, the gruff, cigar-chomping Tychus Findlay opines, "Hell… it's about time." He's talking about his release from prison, but he also speaks for Starcraft fans that have waited many years for the original game's sequel. Well, it's here, and like many of you, I am voraciously gulping down the game's campaign, in which I am already totally invested. As you may already be aware, the press didn't get copies well in advance; GameSpot received boxed copies yesterday and had to wait for the battle.net servers to go live and allow the game to be installed. This is why you haven't seen any advance reviews, but the good news is that we are well into the game and will bring you our review as soon as we've finished the campaign and spent significant time with the other modes--both online and off. Obviously, we're not ready to pass on a final verdict, but I am willing to say this much: The campaign is pretty great.

The early campaign missions are what you would expect: smaller-scale battles that gradually introduce you to the units you will be commanding. In this case, of course, you will only be controlling Terran units (or at least, we assume) because Wings of Liberty includes only a single campaign. Yet even the early missions are super fun, thanks to small and subtle details that get you invested. Even the first mission--a typical "lead all your units around and shoot everything that moves" task--gets under your skin. You shoot down propaganda holograms, which give you a sense of the emotional influence Emperor Arcturus Mengsk wields over his subjects. And when the colonists you save rise up and fight, you taste their desperate desire for freedom.

If you're particularly skillful in this level, you can earn an achievement by making a Zerg boss feel the burn.

And so the campaign continues, having you fight the Zerg while avoiding overflowing lava, shoot down racing trains, retrieve artifacts in the midst of Protoss versus Zerg showdowns, and more. The between-mission activities are what make the campaign so intriguing--not just the missions themselves. There's a point-and-click adventure element here in which you can click on the various characters aboard your ship, and they fill you in on the backstory or further flesh out their motivations. Not only does it get you immediately interested in Jim Raynor and his colleagues, but it also allows players unfamiliar with Starcraft to get up to date quickly and easily.

You aren't just advancing the story onboard your ship, however. You also research advancements (using research points you earn for doing missions and finding important items during missions), hire mercenaries that you may summon during your mission, and spend the currency you earn for doing missions on upgrades to your base and units. Many of these enhancements are either/or propositions, so there's clearly some replay value here, if just to see how these choices manifest on the battlefield. In-game achievements also provide a reason to return to single-player missions, and many of them are a real challenge to complete, often requiring you to play on harder difficulties to unlock them.

Jim prefers to be lit through a slatted window.

As you might have guessed, Starcraft II's cinematics are incredibly impressive, but what's more impressive is how well the gameplay pulls you into the story--through varied objectives, through unit and hero feedback, through visual and musical touches that set just the right tone for your mission. Obviously, there's a lot more to talk about with Starcraft II: the social features, the challenges, the editor, the online ladders, and more. We'll bring you a full review when we can, but in the meanwhile, we'll be uploading movies and screenshots for you to feast upon. We hope you enjoy them!

Can you believe it has been two years since the launch of Age of Conan, Funcom's low-fantasy online role-playing game? Time sure has flown, and that game has grown by leaps and bounds since its release, which isn't surprising given its slightly rocky start. Last month, AOC's first expansion, Rise of the Godslayer, hit store shelves, and I've been sinking many hours into it. I had hoped to have a review published for you today, but even after 40 hours, I feel like I need to spend a bit more time in the newly added regions of Khitai before I'm ready to pass along a verdict. But I will say this: I am having a lot of fun, and the new content is significant. Since I won't be able to write a review until after E3, which will fill up all of next week, I thought I'd show off a little of what Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer has to offer.

You meet this big boy toward the end of your initial adventures in Khitai.

Rise of the Godslayer's content centers on Khitai, a vast area composed of five different regions. If you create a new character and select the Khitan race, you voyage to Gateway to Khitai after you finish your initial exploration of Tortage. If you've got an existing character and want to journey forth, however, you should talk to the new caravan master in Khemi. He gives you a choice: pay a fee for immediate and uncomplicated travel, or get free passage, but only if you're willing to work off your debt--that is, perform a randomly chosen quest. I've traveled this route several times and have encountered three different missions: one that involves a bit of climbing and combat, a high-seas Kraken assault, and a moody underwater reverie in which you must collect a number of artifacts.

This undulating underwater dreamscape is beautifully soothing.

The new level 20-40 content (level 40-80 characters are left out in the cold, unfortunately) seems uniformly excellent, though that's no great shock, considering the great quest writing that permeates all of Age of Conan. You free slaves from the bonds of their captors and assault Hykranian archers on horseback, all while traversing the region's beautiful grassy plains and rocky cliffs. You also come face-to-face with a number of gruesome bosses, such as the one pictured at the top of this article. The demonic creatures known as Kang Zai will also put up a fuss, and I enjoyed chopping them up along the great wall separating the Gateway from the neighboring level 80 grasslands.

This terrifying Kang Zai's scales and claws could make a fine-looking necklace.

If you're in the level 40-80 range, be warned that Rise of the Godslayer doesn't offer much new questing for you, though if you've strayed since Age of Conan's launch, you'll appreciate the new areas that have been added since the game's initial release, such as Ymir's Pass in Cimmeria. If you've quested and pillaged your way to level 80, however, there's a ton of stuff in the expansion designed to stir your interest. I marvel at the visual diversity on display as I travel deeper into Khitai. The detailed architecture, character design, and exotic landscapes were clearly inspired by the Far East, yet the environmental variety is impressive. For example, the idyllic coastlines in Paikang are far removed from the charred villages you glimpse in Chosain Province. Yet all of these areas capture that grim Age of Conan essence, and even the most tranquil oases exude a touch of barbarism.

In Rise of the Godslayer, there is no rest for the wicked.

There's no increase to the level cap. Instead, Rise of the Godslayer adds an alternate advancement system, in which you spend points on new types of feats and perks. There's a bit of a Guild Wars-inspired twist to the perks you acquire, however: they must be equipped to your perks bar, but that bar has limited space, so you have to pick and choose which perks you wish to be active at any given time. The other major addition is the faction system, which requires you to take sides in the never-ending struggles for dominance in Khitai. You earn and lose favor by completing quests, triumphing over enemies, and even choosing your responses carefully in random conversations with non-player characters. Gaining favor leads to fun rewards, including new mounts. I'm currently working toward a wolf mount, which entails questing on behalf of the Wolves of the Steppes, though the need to repeat some of the related quests ad nauseam becomes a mild grind after a time.

Fourteen guildmates and I pound on a resilient boss. Take that, battle commander!

As you might be able to tell from the above screen, there are also new raid dungeons and bosses to conquer. It's a good mix of solo content, small-group instances, and large-scale raids, and I'll be spending more time checking out the new group-oriented content today and this weekend. If you've been away from Age of Conan and are looking to return, I do recommend checking out some of the fine interface mods available. I am using the Plagued UI, which comes in multiple versions, and the Age of Conan UI Installer, which makes it easy to get a new mod up and running quickly.

The Kylikki dungeon isn't new to the expansion. I just wanted to show off a great screenshot from last Wednesday's raid.

I have encountered some glitches and bugs here and there, and even two years later, the graphics engine remains demanding, though performance has greatly improved, and the DirectX 10 features inserted after launch add a nice shine to an already eye-catching game. Expect a review the week after E3, and until then, consider this blog a preliminary thumbs-up to Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer, an expansion I've enjoyed thus far.

Our review for Iron Man 2 just went live today, and some of you alert readers may have noticed that the review is only for the Xbox 360 version. So where is the PlayStation 3 version?

Well, it's like this. We purchased the two versions on launch day and then proceeded to play through the Xbox 360 version. When we fired up the PS3 version, disaster struck! In the middle of the second level, our PS3 abruptly shut off and could not be turned back on. The poor thing died with Iron Man 2 in the disc tray, and we didn't have time to run out and pick up another copy before the weekend. Rest assured, we'll have a review of the PS3 version early next week, but the Xbox 360 review will have to tide you over until then.

Hi all! I know some of you must be incredibly curious to see what we think of Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii. We originally anticipated having a review up for you tomorrow morning (the US embargo lifts at 9 a.m. on 4/20), but as it happens, the fates were not kind enough to be in our corner. Capcom sent us a version of the game playable only on a debug unit--that is, a developer Wii unit that can play final code burned to DVDs that have not yet undergone the retail manufacturing process. Unfortunately, a number of outlets, including GameSpot, could not take part in scheduled online sessions due to limitations of certain debug units. And as you may know, Monster Hunter's online component is an integral part of the experience.

In the meanwhile, we also ran into difficulties getting a retail copy of the game from Capcom. We finally received a retail copy today, though the game's online servers will not be activated until later tonight. Because saved games and character data from the debug version can't be transferred to a retail version, this means starting the game from the beginning and replaying large chunks of it. It'll take some time, but I wanted to assure you that I'm spending lots of time with Monster Hunter Tri, and we'll have a review for you as soon as is feasible.

I'll be taking screens and video throughout the week, so keep an eye on the gamespace. I'll also get up some early impressions later this week so you have something to chew on until the review is published. And should you have any questions, don't hesitate to message me. In fact, if you pick up the game before the review is up, message me and maybe we can get some co-op in. Until then, I appreciate your patience!

After a rocky launch earlier this week, the first downloadable map pack for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has settled into place and started attracting a lot of virtual soldiers. The so-called Stimulus Package includes five multiplayer maps for 1,200 Microsoft points ($15). Three of these maps are completely new, while the other two are from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Of the three new maps, Bailout's sunny residential streets and sprawling apartment complex offer the most visual variety, though all provide good settings for the chaotic, lightning-quick combat for which the series is famous. That said, none of the maps are standouts that really change the game in any intriguing ways, so they don't offer a particularly strong incentive for players that have strayed from the servers. Similarly, those who are still engrossed in the cycle of prestige will likely welcome the variety and the return of some old favorites. If you find yourself on the fence about the Stimulus Package or just want to hear more about the new maps, read on.

As mentioned earlier, the Bailout map feels the most novel of the bunch. The map is roughly rectangular, with a long driveway littered with cars running lengthwise down the center. Along either side of the road are apartment buildings with hallways, balconies, and multistory rooms that you can sneak your way through. Some of these provide long sight lines down the road, making them attractive for snipers with claymores, though the number of ways in or out of these places makes prolonged tenancy difficult. The central road is a dangerous place, though it is the quickest path between the many tough-to-defend headquarters points. Bailout is like a cleaner, cozier Skidrow, distinguished by its seemingly smaller area and rectangular footprint. It also nicely captures the strange suburban warzone feeling of the campaign level Exodus.

Salvage is set in a wintery junkyard littered with smashed cars and sections of large concrete pipe. A house and a large garage set at opposite ends of this squarish map offer defensive anchor points for Capture-the-Flag matches. The area between these points is crisscrossed with paths that wind around, over, and through the aforementioned junk, and a few elevated positions provide better sight lines at the risk of increased exposure. Claustrophobic firefights are the name of the game, and enemy air support is even more fearsome, thanks to the lack of cover. The arctic whites and grays make Salvage feel visually familiar, and the large hanging magnet and lonely doghouse are welcome pieces of flair.

The final new map is called Storm. Yes, the weather is inclement and you will see flashes of lightning illuminating the sky. The setting is industrial, so warehouses, shipping containers, and elevated walkways carve up the open paved areas, leaving a lot of compartmentalized combat areas. This creates a combat flow reminiscent of Sub Base as you move from buildings into open areas and sprint up stairs to travel between sectors, perhaps cruising by an eerie and distracting row of mannequins on the way. There is a decent interplay of elevation here, though the industrial aesthetic also feels very familiar.

Any one of them could be wielding two shotguns.

The other two maps are oldies but goodies. Crash is set in the heart of a war-torn desert town where a helicopter has crashed and broken into pieces. Lots of buildings and windows make this a fun place for snipers, and sneaky types can also thrive by moving quickly along the streets. Overgrown takes you to a rural village bisected by a dry riverbed and dotted with houses. Long sight lines and cramped buildings provide a great variety of combat. Neither of these maps has been changed in any significant way, so if you've played them a lot, it will be like deja vu all over again.

The Stimulus Package maps can currently be played as part of only two playlists: Stimulus and Hardcore Stimulus. Both automatically cycle through different maps and modes, so if you're hoping to pick your poison, then you are out of luck for the time being. You'll have no trouble finding a match in either of these playlists, and the issues that plagued the DLC's launch have been rectified. So is it worth the higher-than-usual price for this 60 percent new, 40 percent recycled map pack? Well, if you're looking for some variety in your regular MW2 play sessions, then odds are you've already downloaded the Stimulus Package. If you're still undecided, then it depends on how much disposable income you've got lying around. For 1,200 Microsoft points, you can buy some of the best games that Xbox Live Arcade has to offer, and the novelty of the three new maps is good, but not great. Ultimately, the Stimulus Package feels like a tough sell to all but the MW2 faithful.

It's that time again--time for another licensed online role-playing game to vie for World of Warcraft's stranglehold on the US market. Developer Cryptic Studios' Star Trek Online was released earlier this week, much to the delight of Trekkies everywhere, and it doesn't seem to have a shortage of players in its first few days. We're still a week or two away from being able to deliver our final verdict in a review, but fellow editor Justin Calvert and I have spent a healthy chunk of time with the game this week, and I wanted to give you some early, top-level impressions. Our initial thoughts? Star Trek Online is underwhelming, though as any veteran role-player could tell you, 15 hours just isn't enough time to draw too many conclusions about a massively multiplayer online game.

If there's one thing that's not underwhelming, however, it's the character creation (though there's a caveat even there, which I'll get to in a moment). Cryptic is the same studio that brought us City of Heroes and Champions Online, so if you've played either of those games, it's not so surprising that the tools here are flexible and robust. You can stick to the basics, choosing a known race and skill template, and tweak your options from there, but if you want some real fun, choose the "alien" option and start from scratch. You can mix and match everything from facial ridges and beards to breast size and tattoo color. You should note, though, that you must play for the Federation when you begin, though at level five, you unlock the ability to create a Klingon character. It's wholly clear, however, that the Klingon side is simply unfinished now, useful only if you stick with just player-versus-player combat. Character and ship creation are incomplete (some dropdown lists contain only one option, for example, and ship customization is much more limited when compared to the Federation side), and player-versus-environment content just fades away after a short time.

Most of your time is spent in your ship, which you fly from sector to sector to complete missions in the various solar systems you find there. Early on, you choose either a tactical, engineering, or scientific career, and set out to boldly go where--well, you've heard this one before. And obviously, you'll be seeking out enemies to blast into smithereens. Space combat is slow and mildly tactical; your initial ship (you'll get a better one about 10 levels in) has slots for fore and aft weapons, and four shield arcs surround your ship and take local damage when hit. For now, at least, combat has been relatively simple against the majority of enemies--just blindly fire your shield-weakening phasers (you can even have the game fire some weapons for you automatically) and hull-damaging torpedoes, occasionally activating your special powers (siphon emergency power to your shields, for example) while maneuvering to keep your strongest shield arc pointed toward your enemy, or repositioning so you can fire a specific weapon.

The space combat makes for a good first impression, and large-scale battles, in which you join other players to defeat masses of Klingon Warbirds and other imposing-looking ships, look bright and colorful and feel appropriately explosive, if not quite epic. Why not epic? Because for now, combat is exceptionally easy, so I rarely feel like I am struggling against powerful battleships. And if you do die, no matter: There is absolutely no death penalty--you just respawn at a checkpoint and start from where you left off. The combination of easy combat and lack of a death penalty means that there's little tension to combat. However, even if it isn't grand and challenging, it can still be fun; there's something satisfying about defeating an enormous vessel, and the resulting explosion, even if it took patience rather than skill to make it happen. Even now, however, tedium is setting in, and I look forward to purchasing better ships and earning new skills to see if they can add a little of the oomph that battles currently lack.

Blue moooons…

Battles in space are generally more fun than those on the ground. You will requisition officers who man particular stations (again, engineering, tactical, or science), and they join you on the ground as away team members. This means you get to manage multiple paper dolls, not just those of your own character and your ship, so loot sorting has some appeal as you decide the right weapons and shield types for your various officers. You also get to customize their looks and uniforms, which lets you again play with the cool customization tools. The combat itself is much less compelling, perhaps because it's just as easy as, if not easier than, skirmishing in space. It's somewhat typical of an MMOG--you use hotkeys or click on the interface to fire weapons and perform special skills, but it's all a bit messy and dull. You can do things like sprint and tumble, and being able to do flanking damage when hitting an enemy from behind is a good idea. But right now those things feel superfluous, since you can just sort of hammer on hotkeys and make it so, while your teammates and enemies flit around without much rhyme or reason.

Having crew members fight at your side is really quite terrific at first; it's like having your own little group wherever you go. But while having them there to draw aggro is handy, the poor AI makes them a liability sometimes as well. Officers get stuck in the environment quite often; I'll be running along and suddenly notice I've left a crew member behind, so I'll go back and find him running helplessly in place because he couldn't find a way around a crate. Or perhaps I'll return to find him dead, because he stood in the middle of a fire and didn't think to move. At least crew members can be easily revived--even if their bodies have been engulfed in flames for 10 minutes.

If you're interested in the game because you're a Star Trek aficionado, you'll be glad to know that the game, more or less, feels like a Star Trek game should, making any number of clever references and rendering the various races with care and detail. The visuals aren't stellar by any stretch of the imagination, but they look appropriate and have been solid enough in spite of some noticeable annoyances, like jarring texture pop-in and slowdown during ground battles. Considering the potential for excellent storytelling here, however, it's too bad that the mission design is so cut and dry and that the NPCs have so little personality. In fact, some missions involve beaming down to a planet, activating a series of consoles, and then…beaming back up. Others don't even make a whole lot of sense: Why would a Ferengi captain decide to trust me only if I inspect for safety violations? Why would bar patrons attack a Federation officer for turning off the holodeck? Another oddity: Space, as depicted by Star Trek Online, is not vast and expansive, but rather made up of small pieces riveted together. This might make the game easily digestible, but it also makes exploration feel chunky and awkward.

At least our time has been relatively stable, though on one of the three systems I've played on, I have run into some crashes during ground missions. Most of the technical annoyances I've encountered are minor--tutorial pop-ups that never stop popping up, errors when spending skill points, and whatnot. Of course, I have a lot more time yet to spend with Star Trek Online, so consider these impressions as highly preliminary--as MMOG players know, a lot can change as you progress. Look for a full review in the next few weeks.