After years of waiting (and reporting) DC Universe Online has finally made its way to both the PC and PlayStation 3 console. And we are happy to see it has lived up to the hype. While DCUO isn’t a ground breaking experience that will redefine the MMORPG genre, it does provide an addictive and fun super hero world for people to play in.

Taking a few lessons learned from previous super hero titles like City of Heroes and Champions Online, DCUO allows players to experience an MMO world in an iconic universe with well known locations and super hero and villain compatriots at their side. Unlike SOE’s previous iconic MMO with Star Wars Galaxies, players are actually able to fight alongside their favorite heroes and villains instead of just receiving missions from them. The game also has a fully voiced cast, a much notable difference to players of past titles like classics like Everquest or Galaxies.

Gameplay:

DC Universe Online plays similar in many ways to most other successful MMOs. It is to be expected since those formulas have proven successful for the type of game. Players move using the traditional WASD format combined with their mouse for changing directions and looking around and aiming. Different tap and hold button combinations on the mouse (unlocking more as players increase in level) release different attacks on foes. Additional super powers are unlocked and assigned to the 1 through 8 keys that can be used during combat.

Combat itself is fast paced and fun without much down time between. Unlike many MMORPGs, combat is not item-centric where players must worry about equipping tons of healing items to use after each combat instance. As long as players don’t run through like a lunatic kamikaze, they should be able to take a breather between fights to allow their character to quickly heal up before heading into the next encounter.

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While the game may be delayed until next year, it hasn’t stopped Sony Online Entertainment from ramping up the voice talent for DC Universe Online. Names like Adam Baldwin, Kevin Conroy, and James Marsters are already attached, and the list is only going to get bigger. From Sony:

The new cast additions include Arleen Sorkin (Batman: The Animated Series), Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Corey Burton (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) and Dwight Schultz (The A-Team, Star Trek: The Next Generation).

“The addition of these actors to our existing cast reaffirms our commitment to gamers to deliver the most fun and authentic DC Universe experience possible,” said Sony Online Entertainment executive producer John Blakely.

Wheaton will be upping his geek cred by voicing Robin, the Boy wonder, while Alreen Sorkin returns for the role that made her famous, Harley Quinn. Also, Dwight Shultz steps in as The Flash and Corey Burton will be voicing the living computer Braniac.

Filling out the rest of the cast is Summer Glau as Supergirl, Mark Hamill as The Joker, Diedrich Bader as Solomon Grundy, Michelle Forbes as Circe, Robert Patrick as Hawkman, and Gina Torres as Wonder Woman. This could end up being the best voice cast for a video game ever seen…if the game ever comes out.

Fans of the MMORPG DC Universe will be happy to know that today Sony Online Entertainment announced that two of their best-known vocal talents will be voicing two of their most popular characters.

Mark Hamill (Star Wars), who voiced The Joker for both the early ’90s Batman: The Animated Series as well as the hit game Batman: Arkham Asylum, will be returning as The Clown Prince of Crime; and Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman himself, also in The Animated Series and Arkham Asylum, will again lend his talents as the Caped Crusader.

In addition to Hamill and Conroy, a number of other well-known voice talents fill out the cast, among them Adam Baldwin (Firefly, The X-Files, Angel) will be providing the voice of Superman while Gina Torres, star of the ABC series Huge and previously the voice of DC favorites Vixen and Superwoman, will be playing the Amazon Wonder Woman.

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Back in September, DC’s animated studio announced that after Batman/Superman: Public Enemies and Green Lantern: First Flight, the next film they would be taking on was an adaptation of DC’s alternate universes storyline, and a little bit of their “Crisis” plot. The film would be a hybrid of the two, focusing more on the alternate universe where the Justice League is an evil gang called the Crime Syndicate.

Much like DC’s other animated films, this project pulled no punches with their voice talent. With names like James Woods as Owlman, William Baldwin as Batman, Gina Torres as Super Woman, Mark Harmon as Superman, and even Erica Durance as Lois Lane, the film will be packed with plenty of talent.

The fllm is set to hit DVD and Blu-Ray on February 23rd, but before that even comes, the very first clip has hit the net, featuring the Justice League facing off against some alternate universe baddies. We were able to pick out evil Elongated Man (with a mohawk), evil Black Lighting (with bell-bottoms) and even evil Vixen (with pigtails).

Check out the clip after the jump, and let us know if we missed anybody.

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