I've just been playing the pre-Alpha and would like to provide my feedback.
Firstly, one small point regarding current playability - there needs to be more low level mobs (level 1-2)around the spawn point. Currently, groups of level 5 - this makes the pre-level 4 tedious.
Regarding the game progress itself - I won't make any comment as its early days and being updated all the time.
My comments are related primarily to the game design.
On the plus side, I like the 'tab to target' style and varied recharge time of powers, both as per CoH.
My major concern is the enhancement drop; the game requires the player to click on the enhancement. In CoH the enhancement drops were automatically given to members of the team based on a dice roll/chance. This may seem like a minor point but affects the game play massively.
If the drops are automatic:
The game/missions keeps flowing - no delays to check who will take what.
No argements within the team on who has taken more/less. This is a major in that it allows PUGs to thrive and makes the whole teaming experience more fun and less combative and distrusting.
Power choices. Obviously early days but from what I've read Valiance will follow a tree format - select A then B which opens C etc.
CoH didn't use this method, the powers opened up based on the level of the player, because of this it was possible to leave some powers and jump straight to others as they open up. Players could and would select from various power pools to supplement their primary and secondary power sets. The ability to do this allows for alot of customisation and variation between builds.
In my opinion the reason that CoH had such a die hard following, was this ability to customise builds and then test them in the field.
