Sunday, August 16, 2009

Closed Beta 6: Final Thoughts

I'll be honest in admitting that this is the first time I've ever beta-tested a game... but then again, this doesn't feel like a "test" at all. The game is near perfection.

There are a few things however, that I found mildly irritating, though no where near stopping me from loving the game:
  • No Auto-Loot Option: I'm an American, I'm lazy, sue me XD
  • Small Questing Issues: Just little things here and there like incorrect descriptions, the inability to assist others with some quests, etc.
  • Flying Accessibility: Surprisingly enough, I'm not referring to the flight mechanic. Some cities have Obelisks, but no flight points. So when you die, it can be bothersome to get around sometimes.
Of course, there are also some things that I really enjoy about Aion (that I haven't already mentioned):
  • Aion's Crafting System: There are so many things that I love about this, that I'm going to make a list within a list!
  1. Universal Resource Gathering: This is huge! By making it so all players can gather resources, regardless of their professions, players are able to be much more efficient and helpful. A Blacksmith need Iron Ore? Ask the Cook, he probably picked some up when he was questing!
  2. Abundance of Resources: I love being able to gather without having to worry about resources being scarce. Aion's zones are chuck full of material goodness.
  3. So Much to Do!: Fairly self explanatory, Aion's Crafting System is very detailed. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different items players can craft. Normally, I'm not that obsessed with crafting, but I've fallen in love with Cooking.
  • Customization: From your UI to your abilities and very appearance, Aion is filled to the brim with customization. You play how you want to play, with little to no borders.
  • Emotes: Aion's abundance of emotes is amazing. Whether it be the l33tness of /victory, the sadness of /despair, or the silliness of /taunt, there is definitely an emote for you.
  • Channels: Someone farming a mob or quest item you need? No problem, a quick switch of channels and your competition is but a faint memory. (Just an fyi, channels mean different instances of Aion. As in there are 10 different instanced versions of the same zone.)
  • Difficulty: This is another big thing for me. Aion strikes a good balance between hardcore and easy mode. If you're doing an elite quest, you need to be on your game and paying attention. Players have to rely on each other for well timed CC and heals. Succeeding in Aion isn't impossible by any means, but its no cakewalk either.
  • Community: I've yet to meet a single person in the game who has been a jerk. Players are very helpful to one another. If you have a question that you feel may be dumb, you need not fear asking. Even players within the Arena are polite enough to not kill you if you are turning a quest in.
  • Much MUCH more: That's just it, Aion never ceases to impress. The further I get into the game, the more I find to enjoy!
Honestly, this game is the waffle. Aion's foundation is more solid than Fort Knox. If you're on the edge about buying Aion, fly your butt off the fence and join the party. Hehehe... /taunt.

Update: Every player just received free in-game items for filling out a quick survey about what excites them about Aion v 1.5. Free stuff for telling the creators of the game how much I love it? Alright!

2 comments:

  1. I like waffles, but I LOVE Aion.

    Great review!

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  2. I am sick of waffles and can't post how much fun Aion was this weekend... seems Mythic killed my posting privileges when my sub ran out :)...anyway, agree with everything you said just wish I could have gotten a better feel for PvP. But if it is like L2 as they say it will be fun.

    ReplyDelete