Champions Online

The frantic PVP action feels decidedly more Counter-Strike than counter-spell and the areas are tight enough to support this play-style. And just in case you've been out of the loop for the last decade and are thinking, "You know what, how come nobody's ever thought of putting zombies in a game?" then yes, the now obligatory zombie component is in there. Sneaking around, blending in with the invading NPCs and taking shots at the heroes left standing – and unchewed – is incredibly fun stuff.

It's not all plain sailing though. Repetition of interior instances takes some of the shine off the overall experience. Pretty though the scenery is, if you look out of the corner of your camera's eye, you can sometimes catch cars with their pants down, stuttering as they roll along.

The controls require a certain amount of bedding in, as they lacks the crisp responsiveness of some contemporaries. At first you'll find yourself playing as you imagine your granny would – deliberately pressing one button before hanging a finger nervously over the next one, wondering if something terrible will happen if you carry on. Or even anything at all. (This of course is the very reason why Nintendo can afford to build its next regional headquarters out of gold-plated plutonium.)

Until you learn to adapt to the combat, there's a distinctly unresponsive 'rubber-key' feel to the game. Eventually though, once you've settled into the game's slower rhythm, it all comes together. Actions become more deliberate and consciously timed, you learn to look less at your cooldowns and take in more of the visual clues.

It's an adjustment you'll need to make quickly, particularly during the first dozen levels which feel a little imbalanced and decidedly un-heroic. After this point, with a bevy of Archetype powers at your disposal, you feel less vulnerable and more able to deal with the stickier situations you find yourself in.

If you find yourself rather guiltily feeling that you should throw some money Cryptic's way, additional purchases for the game are made through the Cryptic Store. Atari Tokens are available in bundles of 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 or 5000, with the best value being the latter at £37.50 (€44).

Some of the offerings – such as variations on the freely available travel skills – feel somewhat overpriced at 420 points. For 320 points, you're likely to want a little less random in your 40 Random Gift Boxes before parting with your money. But the necessities of a convenient life are more obtainable, with additional bags priced at 200 points.

Long-term, Cryptic is likely to find more profit in the Archetype offerings at 920 apiece, or the 420-point optional Adventure packs. With these significant exceptions, everything else amounts to largely cosmetic enhancements and you'll play a long game before you find this a problem.

There's an argument that pricing shouldn't come into the evaluation of this new sub-genre – and with good reason. "Extended Trial That Ends Up Amounting To Much The Same Thing As a Subscription" doesn't quite set marketing hearts fluttering in the same way that a bold "Free To Play" legend emblazoned across a publisher's website does.

But in the case of Champions Online, we need to make an exception. The greater part of its limitations are cosmetic and clearly laid out for you on a separate table, and there are no hidden surprises tucked away, poised to bring your enthusiasm and excitement crashing towards an invisible floor. There really is a lot of enjoyable game here for nothing.

If the traditional MMO studios entering the free-to-play market got together for a game of poker that would determine the fate of their relaunches, Turbine would be sat as rigidly as Steven Seagal doing that face. Sony Online Entertainment would be trying its best to play four hands at once without anyone noticing. Cryptic, on the other hand, would be playing with its cards face up, wearing a spinning bow-tie and sporting a grin so wide you could sail a ship through it.

Here, then, is the first not-quite-free, but very-nearly-complete MMO to take the brave leap into the unknown. Going all-in and showing much of your hand with little in the pot is a dangerous business. But if Cryptic has nailed the balance between content and currency, then it has also raised the stakes in the free-to-play game to the roof. That's something all MMO players should feel excited about.