Champions Online vs DC Universe Online
Paying to Play: Winner Champions Online
You don't have to pay to play CO like you have to play for DCUO. But with you paying for DCUO you overall get a better game to play, PvP and do raids. But if you're looking for a quick and fun game to play than I would recommend playing Champions Online.
Character Creation: Winner Champions Online
The character creation in CO is just way to over the top in all the choices you have. You could spend hours just perfecting every imperfection your guys has. I just randomed my guys till something cool comes out. While DCUO barely has a character creation. You have 3 different types of body's, small medium and large while in CO you can make hundreds of different body's. Also DCUO doesn't have a great amount of armor to wear but they change as you collect new items.
Story: Winner DCUO
When you are playing DCUO you recognize the hero's you are with and who you are against through their fame. While in CO, they introduce their round up of hero's and they just don't feel right when you are fighting alongside them. People may argue that the "DCUO characters suck, Marvel is better" -Tagowar, but it's better than playing with hero's you never heard of.
Graphics: Winner DCUO
While the cartoony style of CO looks good, the DCUO cities just take the win on this part.
Abilities: Winner DCUO, but CO if you didn't have to pay for more abilities.
CO has the same basic abilities that DCUO has. But CO has more travel abilities other than DCUO's speed, flight and acrobatics. But with CO you have to buy the new flight types and different abilities, while you get everything you need off the start of DCUO.
Play style: Winner DCUO
The fighting and PvP of DCUO blows the fighting of CO right out of the water. It's fun to be flying around a giant city and come across a giant battle with 20v20 people going at it. You jump into the brawl and the game just feels awesome. The fighting in CO just feels clunky and awkward, having dueled Jello, I hit him 8 times and they never registered. Also you don't get knocked down if you pick flying and get hit. In DCUO if you are hit trying to fly away you would fall. Also the auto-attacks of CO seem to never register same with the targeting they just feel weird. The click to attack of DCUO makes you feel more involved in the battle, having to change between your combos to knock back and stun.
Overall Winner: DCUO
I would definitely recommend playing both games. CO if you really don't have any money to play DCUO. But the play style is really worth getting the game. I only hope it lasts and doesn't go bankrupt like many MMO's in the past.
Feel free to argue with me, I'm just giving my opinion having played both.