Aion Review

A new challenger to World of Warcraft has landed, and we have defeated legions of monsters to find out how Aion actually is performing.
Read our opinion right here.

I being starred upon of two huge creatures and before I know it, they have engaged in combat. Shared blows battle between the three combatants are being thrown, but there is no way I can win. My vision reveals a single way out, a steep cliff in front of the marvelous sunset. I jump off the cliff while the monsters stay behind looking at me. My bitter enemies are left on the mainland, while I unfold my wings and enjoy the brief moment of peace.

It is basically the same procedure each time a new MMO is launched, the comparisons are the same with the all-embracing World of Warcraft, and maybe the new challenger can topple one of the most profitable game in history from the throne? What is really best? How AIONs future looks, only time will tell, but I have enjoyed to the fullest.

Aion hosts two playable factions, Elyos and Asmodians who once were a complete people.



After their world was split in two, however, quickly arose disputes and now they are on opposite sides in an epic struggle for survival. The fight will be extra spiceb by a third faction, the abominable Balaur who has been corrupted and have now rejected their only task to protect the world and its inhabitants. Your task is obviously to help your chosen faction to bring victory and absolutism in the house.

That there is only one race per side, could possibly cause terror in many minds, because it is easy to imagine a world full of identical warriors. But thanks to a solid and varied character design menu, it is possible to play a long time before you meet your own twin, if ever!



After a dramatic intro sequence I wake up to a true role-playing cliche, the familiar amnesia. With no recollection of who I am, I am left to my temporary identity as a mercenary who is sleeping on the job. It is recognizable state of the genre, but also works as a catalyst for future motivation. However, it is a little strange to imagine that the same fate has undergone several hundred thousand warriors, and it takes the epic mood and distorts it just to be an acceptable excuse to start from scratch.

The player's journey from meager mercenary for indomitable warrior in the heat of battle is exciting, with few flaws. Some of the tasks are poorly put together and their story, although a small part of the larger world, is badly told, by the corresponding characters. But everything thats not working for some of the plain quests, will very quickly be over and gives the player a good reason to get to work with the challenging and well-structured campaign missions.



The inevitable battle between Elyos and Asmodians obviously remains stagnant without players who want to seize their weapons for what they believe is the fair side. This opens up the first player-versus-player when you've proven yourself worthy, or more specifically when you have reached 25th level There is considerable focus on this aspect and how the battle goes, has effects that extend over the rest of the game experience.

A game as large in scale as this, of course needs good frames, which even the most cynical person must admit that Aion has. There is a great degree of detail in even the most obscure areas and it is one of the finest games I've played to date. When you see a new area for the first time it's hard not to gape at the hypnotic beauty of the landscape. For example, the sight of Canta-coast for the first time, without a doubt one of the few times I gave myself time to enjoy the surroundings in a game like this where the race against the highest rank otherwise what would normally be desired. Despite the rich detail and impressive surroundings Aion runs like a dream, and rarely have I seen such an optimised gameengine.



The tale is accompanied by a fine soundtrack, which never leaves itself as particularly memorable. There are no bombastic tones and eventually you become so accustomed to this melodic companion that you only discover it in the few quiet moments in the game.



With all the time needed to become the fearsome warrior whose destiny is to save the nation, it is important to have the right equipment, and what better way to ensure the best equipment than to do it myself? Crafting is about the same way as in other MMO games, there must be assembled components and they must tap into a finished product that makes other clothes look like some tea-towels. It seems all very familiar, but to better themselves in Aion is a less burdensome than in many other games, since you can receive work orders. These make it possible to become a master blacksmith or fænomonal seamstress at a fraction of the time and for a fraction of the price you as often have to pay in this kind of a game.

Aion is the most polished and thourough worked through MMO I have ever played, and a year in trade in Korea clearly shows its worth. The childhood diseases that often plagues these games are nowhere to be found. Something as refreshing as a smooth start is really a good change from what often happens with games that have fixed release dates.

It all recalls things, places and people we've seen before in other outfits, but Aion stands out with its eastern aesthetics, a different way to tie together the components and a game that works perfectly from day one. It is the fresh breath to the genre which has been needed for so long. The picturesque scenery and the incredibly polished experience it is to move from puny warrior to supernatural war hero will not disappoint. Aion is a hit and all fans of the genre should give a trial.