Ya know...I have the "Level Up" sound as my text tone, and the Atlas Park theme for my ring tone. So, I am reminded multiple times a day that there was this thing called City of Heroes, and how much, despite all evidence to the contrary, including my own gut feeling; I still hold out hope that this game will return. If not in its previous form, then in something VERY closely resembling it.
My fear with the successor projects is that, while they might capture the look/mechanics of the game, there was something more to it that really was greater than the sum of its parts, and that aspect of it will be damned near impossible to replicate. Like looking at a replica of the Statue of David, or any other special thing you can think of, you can see it is a very good imitation, but an imitation none the less. I am certainly more than willing to give one, or all of them as close to an unbiased try as I can, but that nagging fear that there is something crucial, but at once undefinable, missing would be there until proven otherwise.
I played the game from go-live to shut-down. One of my sons practically grew up playing it, and he misses it as much as I do. Its just too bad that money, and business reputation (in the case of NCSoft in particular), have to be the overriding concern in all of this. If the love of this game, and folks devotion to it were a consideration, we would have had it back minutes after it closed. As it is, those things are for us to cherish, and for them to disregard.
Wow! That turned into a sentimental, and nostalgic rant before I knew what I was doing. Just another example of how much a miss it, and want it back. The nice thing is, I know I am not alone here.