|
I used to play regularly in Heroclix tournaments, right before they changed the rules on flying figures carrying other figures. Don't get me wrong -- I actually liked the rule changes, that's not why I quit. I quit because my life changed and I didn't have the time to go to the monthly tournaments.
The release schedule for Wizkids was perfect for someone like me. They released new sets regularly enough that it kept the game fresh, but not so quickly that you couldn't fully learn the game with the current set before a new set was released. D&D Miniatures is an example of a game that releases sets way too fast, in my humble opinion.
The dial mechanic works very well for a superhero combat game. I can see how they'd work extremely well for battletech, too, though I haven't played mechwarrior. The color coding and dials allowed for many different combinations of super-powers, though that didn't prevent people from constantly debating whether the powers were "right" on their favorite Superhero.
I'm curious as to how Marvel Heroscape feels. I'm skeptical that they can do a better job than Heroclix with the superhero genre. But the thing I'm really looking forward to is being able to play whichever game I like better -- Heroclix or Marvelscape -- on the Heroscape terrain.
I'm not sure I agree that Heroclix is more "skill" based. I'll admit I haven't played enough Heroscape yet to say with authority, but reading over the battle reports on this site and getting to know the game better, it still seems like a pretty tactical game. The squad mechanics of Heroscape are extremely interesting (though, again, maybe not so well-suited to a superhero genre game), and the order marker system pushes it over the top, in my opinion, as a skill-based game. Sure, a lucky or unlucky run with the dice can turn things around, but that's the same in Heroclix.
Heroscape beats Heroclix hands-down on the visual appeal. The Heroscape figures are, in general, better painted than the Heroclix ones. And the Heroscape terrain is amazing.
That said, I give Wizkids mad props for identifying their sculptors (they are identified in the promo posters of each new Heroclix release). Also, the Heroclix figures are extremely easy to strip with acetone, and if you re-paint them they can look really good, because the sculpts are quite good. You just can't get away from the ugly click bases and the ugly flat maps. If I like Marvelscape, I will likely use Heroclix re-paints re-mounted on Heroscape bases.
|