GDC 09: Aion Impressions

It’s probably not common knowledge that I’m not a huge MMO player. I could never get into the idea of playing a quest based multiplayer game, mainly because of the monthly subscription fees. After seeing NCsoft’s Aion, a Korean MMO being localized for the West, I may just upgrade my computer and start.

The first thing about the game is the amazing graphics. Using the Crytek engine, it’s amazing what NCsoft was able to do. The character models are highly detailed and have the Asian-influenced art. The higher level armor and weapons they showed in their presentation all have small animation attached to it and only add to the character designs.

I had a chance to play a bit through the two races, along with seeing the customization options in the character creation screens. The amount of customization that Aion contains is staggering. The facial options are either based on a preset or slider option bars which possess a diverse array of possibilities.

There are only four basic character classes in the game, but along with the character customization possibilities, the general warrior can look like a stealthy quick fighter or just appear as a tank. When players reach higher levels, the character classes branch into two new subclasses, opening more possibilities. The world itself is beautiful as well. The environments around the Abyss, the center of the world, are detailed and since characters can attain the ability to fly, gliding around levels illustrates the beauty that Aion contains.

While during my playtime, I was only a level 2 character and basically a worthless fighter, the farmland setting fit the stereotype of many other MMOs. The main difference is that the environments were diverse, but still following the theme of the set environment. The water effects were great, courtesy of the engine, but just running around the environment was enjoyable because of the great detail.

NCsoft showed a video of massive battles between two of the races, with characters flying in from above, while others ran forward on the ground. The NPC enemies contain a lot more detail and don’t seem recycled at all. One enemy had a sword which looked close to the Soul Edge, but much more deadly.

Overall, I’m more and more impressed with the Korean video game industry’s knowledge of the MMO genre and all the work they do to keep it fresh. Aion may not ever rival World of Warcraft, but it will find a secure niche in the MMO world.