Unlike the presently popular "City of Heroes", this has a multiplayer mode, but wasn't made as a big online multiplayer style game, focusing on a single-player campaign. Thus, there's not a lot of room for creative characters. As you play, your team gains prestige, and can use some of that to recruit new heroes to your cause. However, all the characters are premade ones. If you have the time and inclination, though, you can make your own character, and import them into the game. You can choose from the lists of powers, creating just the hero you want, and you can design the skin to look how you choose. The more powerful they are, the more prestige it'll cost you to recruit them.
Obviously, I can't say no to that.
So, just to show off the work I did, here's some screenshots of my character, Holocaust.
Harry Cosker had been a mid-level enforcer for the Mob for a long time, rising above the grunts, but never quite slick enough to go further. One day, he was helping to coordinate a bit of arson in the warehouse district, when one of the bombs exploded prematurely. He looked for an escape, but found only one, a high window. As he climbed towards it, the faces of some of his underlings appeared in it, forcing him back and laughing. They taunted him, telling him that the Don was tired of his lack of ambition. He'd been set up! His guns roared, and the traitors paid the price of their treachery, but Harry was stuck. Just as he was about to give up hope, he was struck by a bolt of strange energy (Energy X, as the game refers to it...all the characters gain their powers through its influence) that hit him through the window, infusing him with the fire around him. No longer did it burn him, instead it bent to his very will. Vowing to get his vengeance, he escaped. After a conflagration worthy of a Greek tragedy completed his revenge, he was converted to the side of right and recruited into the Freedom Force.
As implied by his name, his powers are all fire-based. For close-in melee, his 'Flaming Fist' is no fun to face, but it's rare that he uses it. His standard attack is the 'Flames of Fury', as he brings both guns to bear on his enemies, unleashing fiery bolts at his target. And, should the need arise for an explosive area attack, his 'Hellfire' shot focuses all his energy through a single pistol, sending one concentrated firebomb at his target, exploding with devastating force and sending a couple smaller firebombs ricocheting outwards for secondary explosions. He's fairly resistant to damage, can jump from building to building, and can throw cars around like snowballs.
Cost me quite a bit of Prestige to recruit him, but once I did, I've barely needed any other characters.
I'm VERY happy with the way the graphics came out. Took a lot of work, but he's great looking...
Holocaust, front view:
Holocaust, rear view:
Holocaust, facial view:
Holocaust, in action: