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Value

97ExcellentThe C-store's lineup of goods features mostly service-oriented items (rename tokens, respec tokens, character slots) and cosmetic upgrades (rocket jump, flame flight, enlarging potions), just like before FFA launched. You can easily get along without these items, but they're either fun and reasonably priced enough to splurge once in a while.

Perhaps the best part about Champions Online Free For All is the fact that the majority of the content is unlocked from the get go, even for free subscribers.  Only freeform character design, a few archetypes,and costume packs require payment to access for customization, and some of the most recent content (Adventure Packs like Demon Flameand The Serpent's Lantern will require a more than reasonable $5 purchase, and the just-announced Resistance) is on the horizon), but such high-end content isn’t necessary for at least several weeks of gameplay.  For once, you won’t feel gimped running around the city without having a credit card on file.

Lasting Appeal

87Very GoodChampions Online draws a lot of comparisons to City of Heroes for obvious reasons, and both tend to suffer from the same drawbacks. Alt-itis, or the temptation to create new characters every few days to tinker with the powers and costumes, is really hard to kick in games like FFA, though a limited set of archetypes and character slots does address this compulsion to some extent.. If you decide to stick with a character, the base gameplay is solid, if not fairly chaotic and too formulaic for my tastes. Since, as a Silver member, it costs nothing to keep your account active, there's no reason not to fire it up when you're in the mood to bring law to the lawless.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• A robust character creator, with tons of unique travel powers

• Some fancy encounters with above average voice work for  a few quests.

• A ton of content for free-to-play purists, unlike the other big names that have gone F2P..

Cons

• For a game that came out less than two years ago, the graphics and sound really don’t impress.

• Boring progression, with a good chunk of grinding and long interludes of mundane normal quests.

• No new content at FFA launch could tempt long-term players to wait for the next Adventure pack.

Conclusion

Champions Online : Free For All is a fantastic F2P option if you’ve never tried the basic Champions Online. The few things you’ll be missing out on won’t even matter unless you find yourself really drawn in. Either you won’t reach high enough of a level to get to the meaty content that requires a purchase, or you’ll want to be a subscriber at that point because you’re enjoying the game so much and want the new areas and archetypes for a small monthly fee. But if you’ve got an itch to dole out some justice in the streets with spandex and superpowers, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better free option out there!