You probably know the publisher NCsoft from games like Guild Wars 2 or Blade & Soul, both of which were quite successful in Europe. Also, the now-mature AION is still very popular during this time. Today, in 2017, I’m taking a closer look at the game and showing you what AION has to offer now.
The MMORPG AION has existed in Europe since 2009. At that time, the game impressed mainly with good graphics and offered the feature of exploring the world of Atreia with wings. However, over time, sales numbers have declined, prompting the publisher to decide to turn the MMORPG into a FreeToPlay title in spring 2012.
And it worked! The number of players increased, and even today, many diligent veterans are playing AION and fighting on the battlefields for glory and honor, even though AION has now disappeared from the front line of MMORPGs and rarely receives media attention.
The Story – A World in Shambles
The storyline of AION takes place on the fictional planet Atreia. There, a war broke out between humans and Balaur, which ultimately led to the destruction of a gigantic tower that tore the planet into two parts. On one side, the sun shone and warmed the ground, while on the other side, everything was dark and barren. Two races emerged here: the Elyos, who lived on the sun-facing half of the planet, and the Asmodians, who had to cope in the darkness and endure some changes to their bodies, such as the bluish skin color. These two factions are now at war to claim the beautiful corners of Atreia.
The Gameplay – A Touch of Nostalgia
AION plays like a classic MMORPG from the old days and does without the – which has become increasingly popular in recent years – active combat control. Here, you click on your enemies with the mouse and select from the diverse abilities. The special feature: You have the ability to execute various combinations of skills to create powerful combo chains. The variety of abilities is quite large, so you have to prove yourself as a tinkerer, especially to advance in the endgame.
Besides the combat system, there are the elements that belong in every MMORPG. There is trading, an auction house, and housing where you can unleash your inner architect. A story with a huge quest line is also part of the complete package AION.
The Classes – Warrior or Musician?
For the classes, you have a choice between 6 different playstyles, each playing differently. In any of these classes, you can choose between two additional specializations as you level up. For example, the warrior can later choose to become a gladiator and deal decent damage with his battle axe or play as a templar, who focuses more on defense and has a heavy shield at the start. The good thing about class choice: You can decide whether to play male or female characters. I am not a fan of gender locks and was surprised that AION takes a different approach. If you are not satisfied with your gender later in the game, you have the option to change it:
- Warrior: This class has swords and shields available and is the classic fighter. For specializations, you can choose either the powerful gladiator or the defensive templar.
- Scout: The scout can be trained as an archer and fights with bow and arrows. Additionally, he has access to various traps. If you’d rather sneak up on enemies and deal massive damage from ambush, the assassin with his daggers is the right choice.
- Priest: The priest is the well-known healer and a crucial member of every team. If the focus should be on healing friendly players, take the cleric. With him, you have the ability to resurrect fallen characters. If you are more of a supporter and still want to deal damage, you should take the cantor.
- Wizard: The ranged glass cannon that deals a lot of damage. The specialization wizard lets you play with the elements while you can summon powerful companions with the summoner.
- Engineer: Engineers are masters of technology and forge weapons. As a marksman, you shoot around corners with your pistols, and as an ethertech, you can even control your own mech.
- Artist: This class currently only has one specialization. With the bard, you kill your enemies with music – yes, you read that right! A string instrument in your luggage ensures a homely atmosphere during battle.
The Feature with Wings
A special feature of AION is flying. Upon reaching level 10, you get the opportunity to spread your wings and fly away. But those thinking they can fly everywhere and anytime will be disappointed. We need areas with aether, which are mainly in villages or the main points of the maps. Additionally, the flight time is limited there, so make sure to get close to the ground in time, otherwise you will literally break all your bones. Another cool feature: You have the ability to glide, and you can do this anywhere. For instance, you can use a cliff to speed up your movement in the areas.
PvP is Everything
AION offers various instances and an open world, along with a sophisticated PvP system, where the two factions fight each other. On the one hand, there is the “Abyss.” This is a large PvP zone where, in addition to completing quests, you have to capture fortifications and artifacts. The castles are defended by the NPC race known as the Balaur, and they need to be driven away. Once you have conquered fortifications, you obviously need to protect them from the opposing faction. If one faction becomes too powerful and has too many castles, the Balaur will come back and enter the fight. Here, the developer especially wants to ensure a certain balance, so that no one faction dominates everything and the other side spoils the fun. In addition to the Abyss, there is also the opportunity to engage in open PvP. Since the Elyos and Asmodians live on separate grounds, portals open in some areas that allow you to access the other faction’s territories. There, free PvP is possible. However, be aware that while you are completing quests, you can be attacked at any time by the opposing faction. I have often experienced being attacked by other players while questing. So, you have to enjoy the associated thrill of being vulnerable at any time in certain areas.
The Current Status
AION is continuously supplied with updates and expansions compared to other games of similar age. With some patches, various mounts and housing have been integrated into the MMO. The level cap has also increased in recent years, and new classes such as the bard or engineer have made their way onto the servers. In recent updates, even new servers and additional instances have been released.
A new German server & even more story for the F2P MMORPG AION
As AION is continuously developed in Korea, it is just a matter of time before new content arrives.
Fair or PayToWin?
Since the publisher of AION is Gameforge, they follow the same path regarding the FreeToPlay model as in the MMO TERA. Here too, AION allows you to enjoy the game and its story, classes, and races for free. There are also 3 different account types.
Firstly, we have the starter account, which every user receives when they download the game for the first time. If you played AION back in the day or own a copy of the game, you will automatically become a veteran, enjoying some special benefits. Lastly, there is the subscription – this is called the Gold package – which guarantees you most bonuses. I took a closer look at the three versions and must say that starters are significantly more limited than paying players. Starters have only 2 character slots and are not allowed to access the auction house, for example. Additionally, trading is strictly limited, and group/world chat is not available, and these are just some of the mentioned advantages. Anyone planning to play AION more intensively will have to make at least a one-time payment.
Conclusion AION 2017 in Review: Is it Worth it?
AION is a classic role-playing game and has been around for several years. Nevertheless, the game continuously receives updates and small expansions, and several players still roam the capitals of Atreia. Considering that AION is free to play, it’s definitely worth checking out and forming your own opinion. I will certainly continue to fly around with my assassin and engage in battles here and there.
Also interesting: TERA – Inspection Visit to the Action MMO
