Sony is giving users their first glimpse of the upcoming DC Universe online game.

The virtual world, which is being produced in tandem with DC Comics, allows users to play online as either heroes or villains in a world that includes the likes of Superman and Batman.

Sony's Online Entertainment branch is showcasing the game at the Comic-Con convention in San Diego.

The company has not yet set a release date for the game, which is currently slated to appear on the PS3 and PC.

Sony is promising comic fans an "unprecedented experience". The game boasts such features as a physics-based combat system and the ability to use environmental objects in combat.

Users will be given the option of playing as either a hero or a villain, and special missions will be available in addition to interaction with other players.

"The rich, storied world of DC Comics has never been available to players like this before," said Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley.

"For the first time, gamers can actually open the door and step into the vast world of DC Comics and choose their own fate. Who would not want to infiltrate Batman's cave or fly over Metropolis as you speed toward a mission to help Superman?"