Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Assuming you didn’t just start playing this genre this year, you might have noticed a certain negative trend in MMORPGs; they launch half assed and eventually are refined into a decent product.  Even the ill-fated Final Fantasy XIV is beginning to take shape as something remotely playable and interesting, as the developers overseas slowly start to ‘get’ the western market.  So what about Aion?  So many of us thought it was going to be the next big thing with flight, stellar graphics, and the most badass group pulling ability ever, and we got Korean RPG #782.  Ugh.

If you saw the Templar trailer back in late 2007, you were already foaming at the mouth for this game.  And it STILL looks awesome years later.

But we’ve had several patches and even a free expansion to the game at this point.  Surely they must’ve fixed all of the problems, right?  Right?  The good news is that yes, they have listened.  Finally the game can begin to realize its true potential!

The Grind

When Aion comes up among my friends, we talk about the grind.  We talk about how awesome it was for 20 levels, and then things just fell apart once you left the second zone for either side.  Why was the grind unbearable?  Well, let’s talk about what was crap then, and is fixed now!

-          Large quantity gaps in the questing force a ton of grinding—you’d have enough to get you halfway through a level, and then I hope you like seeing the same model for 8 hours straight. 

FIXED – Tons of daily and repeatable quests are now in to keep you completing objectives and getting rewards besides a random pile of bear asses for your trouble.

-          Instances had the worst drop rates known to man – SOMEWHAT FIXED – While there are still lots of rare drops, you will likely see an orange-class weapon at some point during your instance runs, rather than just coveting them on a wiki.

-          Find a good grind spot?   Just hope the rivals don’t come through a nearby rift and train wreck you in one shot.  FIXED? – The question mark is that while rifting offensives have largely been nerfed and are more manageable for the defenders, they’re nerfed to the point of near uselessness.

Even your guild gains new levels, and unlocks a hell of a lot more than stupid tabards!

The Content

We all want a steady stream of new things to do, and surprisingly enough Aion is delivering here.  There’s something for everyone, in the name of convenience, loot, and above all else, fun!

-          Several new solo instances have been released.  These have absurdly good experience rates, and their own set of bosses/quests.  They’ve been strategically placed in level ranges that people used to complain about as well!

-          Old zones have had a plethora of quests added, both repeatable and unique. 

-          Empyrean Crucible really looks and feels like a more hectic Trial of the Crusader, from WoW.  You might not have liked it, but it’s a big step up for Aion’s dungeon design.

At least there aren't any Faction Champions to worry about here.  Or are there!?

The Odds and Ends

So the grind has been fixed and there is a bucket load and a half of new content available for all of us to play now.  What else do you have to look forward to when you return to Aion?

-          Still the best damn armor and weapons design on the market.  No contest, and the latest Korean designs are raising the bar even further.

-          Pets!  Sometimes they do stuff for you, pick up items, or even do special emotes that are earned through quests.  Hell, they’ll even autocast your buffs and consumable buffs for you!

-          The graphics engine has undergone significant upgrades and will tax your system even moreso if you want to see some of the most beautiful art and effects ever to grace an MMORPG.

-          For those of you complaining about flight being stupid in the game, a lot of the new zones have great flight areas or even wind streams to ride on.  Show off those wings!

-          Of course, the obligatory level cap increases are in play as well, for the few of you that actually made it to max level.

-          Overall, a lot more stuff drops!  This means you don’t have to rely as much on the auction house, which has stabilized, but is still expensive as hell nonetheless.

-          Tons of new coin vendors, which work similarly to reputation and faction vendors in other games.  These can keep you geared regardless of level!

The Community

The developers certainly haven’t forgotten about this game.  Every few months, you can catch a free week and see if the game is to your liking, and even get your friends involved!  One of the great MMORPG developments of the last few years is the Mentor system, and Aion has implemented it as well.  Higher characters can get a variety of gear and non-combat rewards for assisting lower players, so there are incentives to pay attention to the lower end of the community.

So in the end, is Aion worth your time once more?  Will you return to being a Daeva?  I can actually say that yes, the game is now much more playable, accessible, and enjoyable.  If you’re sick of Rift while waiting for The Old Republic, then maybe a little stint with Aion is what you need.  Because now, a little stint can actually get you a level or three as opposed to 10% of one!