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By now I’m sure everyone has heard of Aion, and some of you may be asking yourself that same old question…so why pick it up? Here’s are a few good reasons to head on over to your local retailer of choice, or pick it up through digital order before launch day on the 22nd.

Graphical Presentation: Aion is by far superior to any other MMO out there currently in design, utilizing the much touted CryENGINE.  The shocker here is that you do not need an over the top machine to run Aion. But you’ll certainly see the benefits of picking that new graphics card up, if you need it.

Character Customization: Ever want to make a character that looks like you, but found that the character creation process was lacking in the options department? In Aion you are given the ability to customize even the smallest details to make your character truly an expression of yourself, or you could just make a 2 foot tall whatever you call it, that anyone can hardly see as you run by. Whatever you choose your soon to  be Daeva to look like, it can certainly be done in Aion.

Built-In Quest Assistant: You read this right, there is an incorporated quest helper that will show you where your quest objects are (granted the area has been opened up by exploration). It will also link important items of interest to you, which you can click on for more information about just what it is.

PvPvE: With 3 available factions currently find in Atreia…Elyos, Asmodian, and the wretched Balaur, you’re bound to run up against the Balaur sooner or later. Once you reach the Abyss at level 25, you will be introduced to the Balaur in various ways. However, you will not be alone. The opposite faction will also be in your midst as well. Also of note here, gaining rank  through your PvE kills in the Abyss, and members of the opposing faction will grant you points you can spend on PvP  gear, and various other goodies.

In-Game Item Customization: If you’ve ever wanted that cool looking helm to look like your current one, but only if it had those stats…look no further. Within Aion you’re able to make your gear look however you want it to, and keep the stats you love. Along with this nice feature, you’re free to do your own weapon and gear enchanting by way of manastones and godstones, item enchantment stones and power shards. In other words, you can make your weapons look amazing, and buff your abilities pretty nicely too.

Crafting System: Look into the various crafts available, if you really want something else to do. There are currently 6 crafts available including: Alchemy, Cooking, Handiwork, Sewing, Weaponsmith, and Armorsmith. There are also others that are available to all Daevas such as Extract Vitality, Extract Aether, and the Morphing ability.

Skill Chains: This nice little feature allows you to maximize damage by allowing certain skills to trigger upon execution of others, and adds an extra kick to each player’s grind. Not all skill chains activate every time, for instance, the more powerful chains activate less frequently while other chains will every time. While these abilities will certainly mix things up in PvP, they will also have plenty of application in PvE as well.

20 Instances Total Since 1.5 Update: That’s right, PvE gets some love too. Looking for new instances to explore? Ways to get your raiding fix? Well look no more - Aion is going to release packed with content that is going to be very engaging, with dynamic fights requiring teamwork - so get to know your Legion.

Your faction’s control in the Abyss affects item prices and access to instances! By participating in battles against the Balaur and your opposing faction, and winning over territories you will tip the influence in your favor!

Legion Levels: Currently in Aion there are 3 Legion levels. Each one grants you a higher membership cap, cloak/emblem abilities, and more. Any good legion of daevas should progress and level through this together, as achieving the third level is a big deal!

Hmm, what are we missing here?… FLIGHT, which is one of the main selling points of the game. The flight system is very nice, and when used to glide through other areas it can prove an invaluable mode of transportation. I should also note the gliding trick does take some practice to master and in areas you can fly, gliding ticks your flight timer at ½ sec for each actual second you glide. In the end game or as you progress through levels you’ll see opportunities to expand on your flight time, so you’ll want to keep a look out for these.