DC Universe Online lets you fulfil your destiny as a hero or villain, fighting side-by-side with legends like Superman or The Joker. In this alternate version of the DC comic book universe, Lex Luthor has travelled back from a future in which all heroes and villains have been destroyed by the villain Brainiac. With him, Luthor has bought a swarm of Exobytes - nanotech devices capable of giving superhuman powers to ordinary people. Armed with this new army of superhumans, the Earth might just stand a chance against Brainiac's onslaught.
Although circumstances have forced an uneasy alliance between heroes and villains, the traditional enemies continue to vie for power. Who you fight and what you hope to achieve depend on which side you take. Either way, you'll be facing some of the greatest names from the DC pantheon, going toe-to-toe with the likes of Raven, Scarecrow and even Superman himself.
Your first move is to create your character and choose your powers. You only get to choose between small, medium and large, with no further customisation. However, a wide range of costumes, accessories and skin effects help make your character distinctive, from bird wings to rock-like skin and biker jackets.
There are plenty of abilities to choose from, with powers such as mind control, sorcery and ice blasts and combat styles including martial arts, dual swords and firearms. As you advance, you can take on iconic powers modelled on those of your favourite heroes, such as Superman's heat vision. You can also choose from three movement types: speed, acrobatics and flight.
Unusually for a melee-oriented action game, we found DCUO easier to control with a mouse and keyboard than with a controller. If you use a controller, you have to hold down your main attack button and a modifying button to use a power, making it harder to strategically launch a barrage of superhuman attacks while fighting. Flying is also easier with a mouse, and we were soon performing daring aerobatics amid the skyscrapers of Metropolis.