DC Universe Online: Massively multiplayer

It's been about a month since power-hungry billionaire Lex Luthor unleashed scads of superpowers on the unsuspecting citizens of Metropolis and Gotham, turning everyday folks into superheroes and supervillains to bombard Brainiac, the intergalactic baddie intent on invading Earth.

That explains why Superman and company have hundreds of new friends and foes in DC Universe Online, a massively multiplayer online game inviting players to craft their own characters to do battle.

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman provide new superheroes with their origins and inaugural missions; those who side with the villains choose among the Joker, Circe or Luthor as their evil mentor.

The missions themselves aren't any different from other online games, ranging from tedious (rescue a certain number of bystanders) to creative (become a gorilla and destroy a science lab).

It would be a dynamic experience if everything else about DC Universe Online wasn't so buggy. During my time in Metropolis and Gotham, we witnessed citizens climbing the walls, servers going down without warning and the game crashing our system when we battled inside the Batcave. To make matters worse, the interface and chat system are wonky.

PLOT Lots of superheroes and villains to choose from

RATING T for Teen

DETAILS PlayStation 3, $60; PC, $50

BOTTOM LINE Not superpowered enough