It’s strange, because for a game that certainly looked like it could be another step along the evolution of a complex genre, Aion is quite a traditional game. There is little here that can truly be called new or innovative, and the game-world itself reflects traditional values from both sides of the world. An extremely focused (and slightly linear) title, this game is a curious mix of themes, tangible opposites and old fashioned grinding.
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| Redbull gives you wings. | The environments are nicely done, I’ll give them that. |
You should all know at least some details about the world of Aion by now: Set in a fantasy world that naturally defies the laws of physics, Aion see’s you take the role of a normal human (complete with a slightly clichéd past) living on the world of Atreia who is either an Elyos or an Asmodian. Literal opposites, these two factions of humanity we’re divided when the world’s guardians, the Balaur, went on a power trip and fought a war that resulted in the world being literally split into half. The Asmodians live on the top side of the planet, and thus in never ending twilight and the Elyos live on the underside and are always in the light of the sun. Naturally, the two sides hate each other; however the fighting is waged between the ascended guardians of the two sides, known as Daevas.
An interesting plot, to say the least, and a respectable amalgamation of eastern and western themes. The main ‘story’ is told through Campaign quests – non optional missions that plot your character’s journey through the world of Atreia. To be fair, the developers have really tried to make this area a more cinematic and all round ‘epic’ experience. Quests are accompanied by cut scenes and dialogue that could have been from a bog-standard RPG, and while this is certainly refreshing, it’s not used enough and only really gets in the way of gameplay. There also optional side-quests which tend to be your more generic missions, and then there are also ‘work orders’ which are connected to crafting.
The idea of opposites is rather prevalent in the game. Humanity is divided between light and dark, top or bottom, fight or flight... even the leaders of the two sides: Seraphim and Shedim Lords - Angels and Demons. This theme runs deep, right down to the class system. Whilst everyone starts out by choosing the basic classes of warrior, scout, priest and mage classes, at level 10 you get to specialise within that class and these specialisations are also near-polar opposites of each. For example, the warrior can either ascend to an offensive (Gladiator) class, or a defensive (Templar) class.
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| There’s not much of an emphasis on teamwork until the very end, which is a mixed blessing. | Despite limitations, flying can make combat more interesting when used properly. |
It felt a bit too soon to be specialising to such a degree however. Having only played through the beginner area, it’s hard to truly get a feel for the game, or what play style you prefer. There’s no real sense of achievement, and from a more practical point of view you’re unlikely to have joined a Legion (Guild) by level 10, and so are unlikely to know which sub-class would best suit their needs. Still the classes themselves are fairly interesting, and go some way to break out of the stereotypical classes that every MMO seems to fall into and provide more playing options.
Aion’s one true unique feature however has to be the ability to fly. After you ascend at level 10, you’re able to use your wings in certain areas to fly up as far as the game will allow you. Not only does this open up the game world vertically, but it also affects combat and transportation. Every MMO to an extent has to have something that defines it – WAR had public quests, AoC had a revised combat system, and Aion has flight. Unfortunately, you appear to be limited in the areas which you can fly, and through testing more time was spent on the ground than in the air. Kind of defeats the point of having it in the first place, but things get better towards end-game.
It’s not always kosher these days to talk about the graphics of a game in a review, but in this case they really are something worth noting. Utilising the CryEngine, the world of Atreia has been brought to life beautifully, with varied environments, fluid character motions, and gorgeous vistas. Although if looks translated into success, EVE Online would be the best MMO around, and so Aion needs to remember that there’s more to a game then just it’s rendering.
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| Yeah, Aion tries to sell itself using sexuality... but who doesn’t? | There’s little proper PvP till the end-game, which is a shame. |
This is a game that is geared towards the end game. Subtle things such as Daeva Points, a power metre that only fills up when you’re online, encourage the player to play, and to play for as long as possible for maximum effect. Even the PvPvE system encourages (or forces) players to see things through to the near end in order to get to bits that everyone prefers – battling other players. There are only so many ways for constructing an MMO, and this is one of them. It’s probably not the best, but it’s at least different, and despite its flaws Aion is setting up to be one of the more successful new MMO’s.
AION: ASCENSION VERDICT
That being said, the emphasis on grinding, the linear environment and the rather uninspired early levels pose a serious threat to this games growth. Whilst these are things that cannot be changed, it will depend on what NCSoft will do next which will ultimately make or break it.
