Reviewed by: DNM
Developer: Cryptic
Publisher: NCSoft

Never been in this situation before now, but it's kinda hard to know how to go about writing this review! One the one hand, the Alfies have never actually reviewed 'City of Heroes' despite a couple playing the game, but it is now a little too far along the line to consider writing a full review of a game that was released to the European faithful in February 2005! On the other hand my task is to review 'Issue 9: Breakthrough' the ninth expansion for the game, only, the expansion is what I would generally consider a patch release. Indeed, NCSoft's method of delivering new CoH content along with bug fixes et al is to cunningly disguise them as comic 'Issues', much like the Anarchy Online boosters/adventure packs. They're free though, so no grumbles there. As I type this, Issue 10 entitled 'Invasion' is now in testing for release imminently, so I'd better get my skates on and write something!

In a nutshell Episode 9 adds four major game world changes to the mix. First up we have the 'Invention System', available to both Heroes and Villains, which allows the player to collect 'loot' from fallen enemies. This occurs automatically and will either be Salvage or Invention Recipes. The benefits of these is your ability to combine them together to create new costume pieces and greater Enhancements for your character. I have to say I really do dig the non-camping nature of the game here, meaning that loot just gets chucked in your Enhancement and Invention slots to be used or sold how you please. No whining over loot! Yay! They have also rather nicely continued the non-crafting mentality to the game, making this a viable option rather than an arduous task to create X item with Y components, which will then be obsolete a few levels later! There are certainly some impressive designs out on show in the gaming world too, and I can see this area being a massive plus for the game without it being at all necessary to do so.

Also a new addition with Episode 9 is the inclusion of an Auction House, pretty much a default inclusion with most MMOs, but they got there eventually! Of course if you have no intention of using the Invention system or just have spare loot on your person, this is the place to flog it. With only the briefest look one can tell that Heroes have been around for a lot longer than Villains purely on the fees alone for Heroes gear at the high end. I'm sure that in the end this will balance itself into a working marketplace, but at the very least adds more options for the way you play.

With the above being game dynamic changes you will be unsurprised to hear that the other two additions to the game a purely on a gaming level. The first new inclusion is the 'Statesman's Task Force', which is high-level PvE content allowing eight heroes to battle it out against some of the gaming world's greatest foes. As I have alluded to, this is high level content and as such not something that I can truly comment on in this review being the relative CoH newbie that I am! General feedback I have received is favourable however, though Villains may feel aggrieved at their exclusion. One thing to note though, and again this is on general word-of-mouth, you really have to be on your game to succeed in this instance, so casual players need not even try!!

If Villains do feel aggrieved then they can take out their angst on the newly revised 'Hamidon Encounter', which has been redesigned and now allows for Villains to experience their own end-game encounter to take him down. The redesign also means that Heroes must now devise new strategies for this encounter too, sparking new life into it.

Obviously the items above are just the main additions to the game, there are lots of nips, tucks and fixes also. The expansion as a whole has breathed that little bit more life into the game, and if Cryptic can continue this level of quality work then the City of Heroes franchise has a bright future.

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