've been on this closed beta and open beta for the past few months, and here are my impressions so far:
- Typical Korean architecture. You have basic classes, and oh my god you get a job upgrade. In a break from the stupid grind requirement that Lineage II demanded from players, it's an "Ascension" by level 10.
- Extremely irritating "sticky targeting", and very impossible to try to dictate range and pull, especially when in melee.
- Impressive server performance so far. Ten minute server restarts have lasted for ten minutes instead of the "We are going down for an hour" which end up lasting for 8.
- Aion Generica. So far, this game hasn't innovated, nor evolved much beyond the typical Korean spectrum. It caters especially to the Asian player who gets lost when put in an open world setting and needs to be pushed down a path. As a liberal-minded individual this annoys the heck out of me. I've spent two years in uniform being forced down a path and I'm not amused by being made to follow a road again by a game that's supposed to entertain me.
- Boring class design. Played all four classes, gave all eight advanced classes a go. None of them impressed me.
- Spectacular music. The scoring is the most inspired I've heard so far for a MMO, certainly a trend NCSoft picked up from Lineage II and hasn't failed in that department, and still continues to impress.
- Has a PvP and PvP ranking system that has some interesting ideas, but yet falls short of expectations
- Last point, and I always make it a point to never emphasize graphics. The engine runs well, decent framerate, and has some interesting animations. But still, very much generic Korean generica.
Overall, not a game I would take my wallet out for. It has some interesting ideas but the overarching Korean generica just made me bored. I don't really understand the hype surrounding this MMO. Next, please.
try eve-online. Is time to break the Koreanlogy MMO.
www.eve-online.com
WoW is still pretty much the game to beat when it comes to mmo.
yeah i agree it not worth to buy aion. below are afew pointers in my view
you will never get below 250ms playing this game. its a fact wether u are using starhub or singnet. and for a hardcore pvp game like this. its a killer tested and proven when u get to abyss u will only get own by mage who has lower ping then you. we all know lower ping mean faster casting time. faster respond time from the server.
its a grindfest game. i personnelly like to grind like mad. but this game when u are lvl req u to train in a place where u will get backstab by elyso (which is another race) ganked or wat with above 250ms of ping vs ppl who are lower then u u know u are at a big disadvantage.
i bought the game. enjoyed it for the first time. and slowly realised it when i turn lvl 25. perservered till 37. and decide to give up.
great graphic. above average gameplay. but.. not the rite country to play in. in my personnel view.
Theres another MMO i set my eyes on. Blade and Soul. hopefully they will come out a oceanic server that is actually base in oceanic country.