World of Warcraft… on crack

Ever since World of Warcraft was released in 2004, I have loathed it. Partly because its so popular, but mostly because I despised the art style and graphics. Also, the gameplay style didn’t spark my interest either. It’s not just because of the type of game it is, I like the concept behind MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games). In fact, some of my friends and I have been patiently waiting for an MMORPG that appealed to us. We think we may have finally found that game in Aion: The Tower of Eternity. Aion, the biggest MMO launch of 2009, is a new game by NCsoft;  the same publisher who brought us Guild Wars, the only other MMO that my friends and I have sunk our metaphoric teeth into. This game has many of the features that I feel WOW was lacking, and will therefore be the first pay-2-play MMO that I purchase.  I could write a giant wall of text talking about why I think Aion will be better than its competitors, but I’ve decided I’d rather just state the top five reasons instead; creating a somewhat smaller wall of text. So with out further adieu I present to you,

The Top 5 reasons to play Aion over WOW:

1: It Doesn’t Look Like Ass

The game uses a modified version of the Crytek engine that was used in FarCry. This allows for very long draw distances along with highly detailed textures and character models. All of this comes with system requirements that don’t need the latest hardware to run it smoothly. A single core CPU and a graphics card that is relatively ancient are all that’s needed.

2: Fun and Engaging Combat

While high-level combat in WOW is certainly engaging, from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t have the style or flair of Aion. Awesome animations and effects make even low level combat in Aion interesting. Progression seems better than WOW as well. You get to specialize your class at level 10, ability changing stigmas at level 20 and so on up to the current level cap of 50. Also at level 10 you receive your first wings, giving you the ability to fly. There aren’t any mounts, you are the mount. This opens up options like mid-air combat. When you do reach higher-level combat, the effects and animations going on can only be described as epic.

3: Character Customization

The ability to customize your character in Aion is unmatched. You can chose from dozens of hairstyles, facial features and tattoos. You also have the ability to change your characters’ face and body shape through numerous sliders. In-game you can dye armor and even apply a previous armor’s look to a new armor with better stats. After level 20 you gain access to stigmas which are basically like enchantments to further make your character look and feel unique.

4: PvPvE

When you create a character, you choose between Elyos and Asmodian; similar to Alliance and Horde. After level 15 you are able to enter the Abyss. Abyss acts as a gate between the two sides. Here your main objective is to defeat a third AI controlled race called the Balaur. The catch is, the other race is as well. Imagine you and a group of friends are attacking a group of monsters when all of a sudden a group of the enemy race comes in and joins the battle. There are even optional quests that ask you to go into enemy territory, with increased rewards. Awesome.

5. Art Style

Many people say that even though WOW has sub-par graphics, the  art style makes up for it. While I actually hate the WOW art style with a passion, I can see why some people might like it. Aion, on the other hand, has great graphics and a great art style. Armor is extremely detailed and is dynamic, growing shoulder spikes or a beautiful aura in battle. There is no shortage of beautiful vistas. Environmental details like giant flying beasts make the world seem alive and give the game a great sense of scale. These are some of the reasons Aion is a fascinating and often times awe-inspiring game.

Well, if you made it through that wall of text I hope you can see why Aion is so promising. It improves upon many of the things that I want in an MMO; good graphics, cool and deep gameplay, etc. The game comes out in the US on September 22nd but if you preorder now you get access to the ongoing beta. Hope to see you in Aion!