Assuming you didnt 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.
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style="font-style: italic;">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 weve had several patches and
even a free expansion to
the game at this point. Surely
they mustve
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.
style=""> Why was the grind
unbearable? Well,
lets talk about what was crap then,
and is fixed now!
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Large
quantity gaps in the questing force a ton
of grindingyoud have enough to get you halfway through a level, and
then I hope
you like seeing the same model for 8 hours straight.
repeatable quests are now in to keep you
completing objectives and getting rewards besides a random pile of bear
asses
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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.
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Find
a good grind spot? Just
hope the rivals dont 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, theyre nerfed
to the
point of near uselessness.
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/101383"> style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: center;"> style="font-style: italic;">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. Theres
something for
everyone, in the name of convenience, loot, and above all else, fun!
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Several
new solo instances have been
released. These
have absurdly good
experience rates, and their own set of bosses/quests.
Theyve been strategically placed in level
ranges that people used to complain about as well!
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Old
zones have had a plethora of quests added,
both repeatable and unique.
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Empyrean
Crucible really looks and feels like a
more hectic Trial of the Crusader, from WoW.
You might not have liked it, but its a big step up for
style="">Aions dungeon design.
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/101382"> style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: center;"> style="font-style: italic;">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.
style=""> What else do you have to
look forward to when
you return to Aion?
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style="">Still the
best damn armor and weapons design on the market.
style=""> No contest, and the latest
Korean designs are
raising the bar even further.
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Pets!
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Sometimes they do stuff for you, pick up items, or even do
special
emotes that are earned through quests.
Hell, theyll even autocast your buffs and consumable
buffs for you!
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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.
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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!
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Of
course, the obligatory level cap increases
are in play as well, for the few of you that actually made it to max
level.
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Overall,
a lot more stuff drops! This
means you dont have to rely as much on
the auction house, which has stabilized, but is still expensive as hell
nonetheless.
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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 havent
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
style="">Aion has implemented it as well.
style=""> 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
youre 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!
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Aion Game Page.
