by Jin Lovelace, HSM team writer and filmmaker

Recently I’ve created a brand new league for any newcomers to the DCUO community, leveled a character from 26 to combat rating 64, and flew right above the South Gotham area to prepare for my fight against the Sub-Avatars. All the while managing to take out Killawog and Nephiritos in a short swoop and saying goodbye to the minions that were terrorizing the streets of Metropolis and Gotham, as I learned that these bounties that I took up at the respective Police Stations will no longer be catered towards low level players but will instead be counted as daily missions.

Now, as of this writing, I’m hovering above what seemingly is to be Robinson Park, where the floating rocks showcase an ominous spectacle which has been a staple ever since Trigon’s appearance and how it has amazed some who longed for his return (and would do whatever it takes to make his grand return imminent), but struck fear into the hapless citizens of Gotham.

For heroes, it’s  just another day on the job.

However, for us players that enjoy this immersive experience, it’s completely a brand new look — all thanks to Sony Online Entertainment and their latest Game Update 31 patch. And it couldn’t have come any sooner.

What’s been the hype up for this update are a few notable game-changing elements that will make you feel you’re playing an entirely new game. First and foremost are the graphics. As mentioned by Jens, both platforms — the PS3 and PS4 — will receive a graphical update, and it truly shows. You can tell the difference for the latter system (seeing as the game is now running in native 1080p at 60 FPS) but surprisingly enough the PS3 version has been a major step-up in terms of colors, shading and details. Now I’m able to view every nook and cranny of my armor and see a much richer planet Earth in the Watchtower. While Gotham City have a few notable changes, Metropolis is much different this time around, where you have fog dancing around certain areas. Even the Centennial Park received a major uplift. The Superman Statue looks exactly as that: a statue.

The gameplay elements in DCUO have also received a facelift. Though this update really brought a lot to the table for new and veteran players alike, GU31 is also an especially welcome mat for the new players who just purchased the PlayStation 4. Before, you had a choice between three mentors for each faction (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman for heroes and The Joker, Lex Luthor, and Circe for villains) that has specific exclusive missions, depending on who you choose. Whereas previously it was a slight inconvenience to either have to know someone to gain access to the mentor-specific missions, or you had to have a stroke of luck to get someone to help you (which is crucial to gaining more Skill Points), now these missions are conveniently unlocked for everyone of each faction. This also is beneficial for someone, such as myself, that grinds heavily for feats and not so much as a chore any longer.

Another change to the gameplay are the Bounties. Gone are the days where you’re a level 12 and have to face off against Solomon Grundy, or being a level 30 with a combat rating of 72 and you’re somehow knocked out by a level 29 Killer Frost. Now every Bounty consists of level 30 enemies that you can face off against daily, which grants us not only the normal reward but Marks of Triumphs as well. So if you have friends or Leaguemates that are able to help you take down these baddies, you can stock up on Marks early before you reach level 30 and obtain your first piece(s) of armor.

Professor Zoom Bounty

With the side missions that are now available as dailies (even after you finish Campaign mode , which is good while you have something to do when you’re helping your friends level in the game), normal Alerts now reward you one Mark of Triumph, and early access to your Sidekicks via Base Vendors, it’s obvious that the developers have streamlined this game to tailor it to everyone of all skill levels. Everything feels like a natural balance, and this is just a few of the two-thousand elements in the game that they’ve fixed.

Now that Game Update 31 has finally hit all platforms, what’s next for DCUO?

My expectations are pretty simple: hotfixes. While I’m thoroughly enjoying this game again, the recent fix on the past glitches have now created some terrible new ones. This is to be expected, but when you have a screen with absolutely no HUD and can’t even tell what anyone is saying to you, then we have a problem here. Though it doesn’t occur on a normal basis, the convenience kicks in when you’re in Nexus and you’re being smacked for god knows how much damage and you’re all of a sudden knocked out. Not a great thing.

Speaking of Hotfixes, I would also like to see more League options in the game. Right now in this community I have several friends that are without a League mostly because not many are willing to focus on team play. It’s a daunting task to play in a pick-up group that aren’t willing to cooperate and manage to utilize teamwork efficiently; thus, the only solution is to find a quality League that can be of some assistance to you. But when you have so little options like League ranks, and Message of the Day, it gets pretty tacky and makes you wonder why you should join one in the first place where you can just add players to your friends list and set up a time for Raids and Alerts.

Though this isn’t something that would deter me away from the MMO, I’m really enjoying this game again. So many problems have been solved before and I’m looking forward to the War of the Light DLC coming up. DCUO have managed to recapture the essence of why I play this game — and, moreso, why I thoroughly love the heck out of it. Whether you’re looking for a game to play for your PS4 or you’ve quit the game before and since contemplated returning, now is a great time for you to return.

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