Aion: MMORPG Game Review

As the fifth closed beta comes to an end Aion players are left once again in the dark cold world of MMORPGs to wait till the next time they can visit the areas of Sanctum or quest in Pandaemonium. However, this is just the right time for reviews of the game to start being written. We have played in the Abyss and created our characters. The Elyos already ran through the Asmodian starting towns and other areas 100 times killing other players in Aion's PvP. Now that the game is underway we can decide it if is right for us, or if this will be another MMO wash that no one will play.

First thing you encounter is the player creator. This is one of Aion's strongest aspects. You can be an elf with pointy ears, a slender build, blue skin, and tattoos. Or you could create a muscular gladiator that towers over everyone else and has two different colored eyes. Your options are endless. Alter your chest, hands, feet, neck, shoulders, and every other body part. Design your own head from the hair, facial designs, freckles, moles, lip size and shape, eyebrow slant, nose shape, cheek bone placement, and chin. Choose from an array of colors for your lips, hair, and skin that will set you apart from everyone else. There are many different face types and at least 20 different face shapes in each. This gives game players the option of over a hundred different faces to customize.

The mapping and tracking system the game offers cannot be beat. You can almost pinpoint the locations of where to go for quests without having to download any add-ons or constantly checking the wiki or other help sites. Simply open your quest log, click on a blue highlighted name in the quest you want to complete, and a map pops open with the location while the coordinates are given to you in the chat window. You can open another map that allows you to view your game world and fight while also finding your way at the same time. You cannot beat that.

There are two races in the game. The Balaur is the NPC hostile race while the Daeva is the playable race. The Daeva is divided into two factions; Elyos (those in the light) and Asmodian (those in the dark). When creating your characters you can choose from either of these two factions. As soon as your character hits level 10 you can fly. Flying is only for short periods of time at first and there is a recharge on the skill that lasts a little over a minute.

Flying is the part of the game most people anticipated. This was a big selling point for NCsoft and something that was talked about at great lengths in gamer chat rooms everywhere. The wings you get are beautiful and the first time you take them out it is such a "wow" moment. You can glide and ride upon wind drifts when you're not near areas that flying is allowed. You can glide from one side of a lake to the other by jumping of a nearby hill or skip walking down a long windy road by simply taking out your wings and floating instead. The fact that you cannot fly everywhere is a bummer but Aion needed to keep things fair in the PvP based world.

The Abyss is a central area in the game that has multiple layers within it for players of all ranks and levels. You can participate in PvP and PvE battles throughout the Abyss. You can get highly desirable items from this area and experience some of the most thrilling features Aion has to offer. If you are going to the Abyss remember to tread lightly and be prepared with potions and food, you never know what will happen.

There is so much the game offers MMORPG gamers. You get professions, gathering, stones for improving armor and weapons, rare items and drops, unique armor types, the option of changing your weapon skin, and the ability to display your reward titles and show your achievements. There are eight characters to choose from in four separate classes. You can be a Warrior and become a Gladiator or Templar. Try being a Scout and take either the Ranger or Assassin path. Do major DPS with the Mage class and try Sorcerer or Spiritmaster. If healing is your thing you can be a Priest and become a Chanter or Cleric. There is a character class for everyone.

The Scenery, NPCs, characters, and overall graphics are the best out of all MMORPG games on the market at this time. You have cascading waterfalls that fall into nothingness next to bubbling creeks with fish swimming and butterflies flying all around. You can hear yourself walking on the snow and sand and also hear when a threat has been aggroed and you need to either stop and fight or start running. You will fly over beautiful towns in the sky and gather items in the air for your quests.

With the success the game has seen overseas already American gamers have been waiting for Aion's release with great anticipation. This beta has only made us want more. Since the characters we made, the gold we earned, and the achievements we accomplished are being erased after the beta things will be wiped clean for the games release ensuring an even playing field for all come September. Those who pre ordered will get a 2 day head start but nothing more.

With the next closed beta coming up those of us who have been playing wonder how the game will do upon going live. Currently towns are so packed you cannot find NPCs and monsters are dead before you can realize that you needed to kill that for your quest. So there are a great deal of players and it is only a closed beta. If things keep up this way WoW might need to start spending some of that money on upgrades and better graphics or Guild Wars needs to push Guild Wars 2 out faster since the release date for that was pushed back to 2010-2011 instead of beta 2008.

I will be playing Aion when it is released and until it either dies or something better comes along. Will Aion fade away like so many other MMORPG games of the past? Will all us gamers go back to playing Lineage or World of Warcraft? Let's hope not. Let's hope this is our saving grace from the lame graphics and closed areas the other MMOs offer.