Aion 2 - First Impressions Review

Introduction

Searching for an MMORPG can be daunting. The most popular MMOs are still from the 2000's to the 2010's. There hasn't been anything that has taken the number one spot from 2005's World of Warcraft. Even WOW has died off over time from its own disappointing updates; transforming from a communal game to a single-player game that exist in a world build for multiplayer. In order to fix that Blizzard is launching World of Warcraft: Forever. Only time will tell if that is any good. However, there is a new game in town. will it compete with WOW Forever? Who really knows. This is my review of NC's new MMORPG, AION 2 (Steam page: Here).

Game Summary:

Since 1998, NC (formerly known as NCSoft) has brought to life multiple MMORPGs; from Lineage, Guild Wars, and City of Heroes. AION 2 is the sequel to their 2008 MMORPG AION. The game takes the player back to the world of Atreia, where two factions are fighting for control of their shattered world. Comprised of PvE, PVP, and a unique flight mechanic, AION 2 tries to modernize the gameplay of the MMORPG genre. The question is, does this modernization work, and makes AION 2 stand out in the MMORPG space that is still dominated by games that are nearly twenty years old?

Note: At the time of this review, I have played about 10 hours of AION 2. While that isn't enough time to judge the endgame, it is enough to get a feel for the gameplay, story, and overall game loop. This review is focused on the new player experience and whether AION 2 is worth playing for someone looking for a new MMORPG.

Graphics and Artistry:

Let's start with the thing everyone sees when looking for a new game to play, the graphics and art style. Whether we like it or not, graphics are still a huge selling point for video games. Granted, AION 2 is free-to-play, but graphics are still a deciding factor in whether this game lives on your hard drive. Running on Unreal Engine 5, AION 2 does have that distinct Unreal Engine look to it. However, that does not take away from the fact that this game is beautiful.

The environments have tons of vibrant colors that make you want to look closer at the trees, buildings, and other players. In years past, a lot of games went gray or brown. AION 2 does not do that. The color palette is diverse and bright. The landscapes and skybox give the world a surreal feeling while still keeping it grounded in the game's reality.

Then there are the character models. Characters look realistic enough without giving you that uncanny valley feeling. At the same time, they aren't so realistic that they take the player out of AION's world. The characters have an idealized high-fantasy look instead of trying to represent ordinary, fat, and ugly people realistically. It seems like the developers took care to make their world feel like a high-fantasy setting that people would actually want to spend time in.

However, the enemies, at least in the beginning areas, don't have that same level of detail or personality. Most of them feel generic and aren't particularly interesting to look at. There is a noticeable difference between the care that went into crafting the playable characters and the enemies you encounter early in the game.

Combat and Gameplay:

The best part of AION 2 is the combat. It is probably some of the best combat I have experienced in any MMORPG. It brings the combat to life and makes you feel like you are actually controlling the character instead of just selecting attacks from a hotbar. Basically, the left mouse button is your main attack, while the right mouse button is your secondary attack. Holding either button down will continue the attack, and letting go will immediately stop it. You can also dodge enemy attacks using the Shift key. However, I am still not sure if you can i-frame through attacks while dodging. Other keys control your abilities that operate on cooldown timers. All of this gives AION 2 much more of an action RPG style of gameplay. The game even has limited controller support.

However, if you are not interested in action RPG-style gameplay, pressing "/" on the keyboard switches back to an AION 1-style control scheme. This plays more like a traditional MMORPG. Clicking the mouse can move your character or target enemies, and attacks can be activated by clicking the hotbar or pressing their assigned hotkeys. I can't speak too much about this control scheme because I didn't spend much time using it. I much prefer the faster, action-packed pace of the action RPG controls.

Traveling is another part of gameplay that we don't really think about outside of fast travel. AION 2 actually makes getting from place to place interesting. With the flying mechanic, you can travel faster by flying over mountains or avoiding mobs altogether, all while managing a flight bar. Once that bar runs out, you will fall. Luckily, you don't die when you hit the ground.

On top of that, when a quest is complete and you need to turn it in, the game gives you the option to have your character automatically run to the location where the quest needs to be turned in. This can be a huge time saver. I don't know how many times in other games I've seen where to turn in a quest on the mini-map, only to get there and still not be able to find the NPC. Usually, they are above me, below me, or hidden somewhere in a crowded area. The autorun feature takes care of that problem, and best of all, it is completely optional.

Overall, the gameplay and combat are delightful. I was entirely engaged during battles. I'm no longer looking at my second screen or picking up my phone while waiting for an attack to come off cooldown, just so I can press it and start waiting again. The combat actually requires me to pay attention, and that alone makes AION 2 feel refreshing compared to many traditional MMORPGs.

My Issues:

I've gone over the graphics, combat, and gameplay, but what I haven't discussed are my issues with the game. None of these have to do with the story, as I haven't played enough to give a fair opinion on it. Most of my issues stem from the free-to-play model, the menu system, controller support, and the lack of communication options between players.

Free-to-Play

When it comes to MMORPGs, there are two main business models. The first is the subscription model. This usually involves buying the game, its expansions, and paying a monthly subscription. This is most notably done by games like World of Warcraft. The second is the free-to-play model, which many MMORPGs use either at launch or after moving away from subscriptions. These games typically make money through battle passes, cosmetics, and in-game currencies that can be purchased with real money.

AION 2 is the latter of the two. It's a free-to-play game with what seems to be many of the usual tropes that come with it. However, I haven't found them particularly intrusive. Many free-to-play games bombard players with advertisements as soon as they enter the game. I think I only encountered one pop-up advertisement during my entire time playing. The ad even had a checkbox that said, "Don't show again." This made the free-to-play aspect much more tolerable than I expected.

Menus

One of my biggest issues with AION 2 is the in-game menu system. There are simply too many options and separate menus to navigate. Some of them make sense, while others feel completely unnecessary. For example, character leveling, enchanting, and pets all have their own menus. I feel these could easily be grouped under one character menu. Doing this would help unclutter the interface and make the game easier for new players to navigate.

Controller Support

AION 2 is built in a way that could easily support a controller. While the game does have partial controller support, the implementation is lackluster. For starters, there is no option to customize the controller inputs. For a player like myself, who prefers an inverted Y-axis, there is no way to change that in-game.

Another issue is navigating the menus with a controller. Pressing the pause button brings up the menu along with a mouse cursor. You can move the cursor using the analog stick, but it moves far too slowly. This makes navigating the menus frustrating.

If I were designing this system, I would get rid of the mouse cursor altogether. Instead, I would make the menus full-screen, use the left and right bumpers to switch between pages, and allow the analog stick to highlight different options. This would make navigating the menus much faster and feel more natural for controller users.

Player Communication

This is probably my biggest issue with AION 2. Granted, the game is still new, and this could be fixed over time as more people start playing. However, player communication is one of the most important parts of an MMORPG. These worlds are supposed to feel massive, with players creating experiences that the developers never intended. Communities form around shared interests, gameplay styles, or even friendships made within the game. Right now, I don't think AION 2 has that.

Let me explain. In most MMORPGs, the chatbox is always visible, with players constantly talking to one another. In AION 2, the chatbox disappears shortly after a message is sent. This means a reply might go unnoticed unless someone specifically sends you a whisper. This discourages players from asking to party up, trade, or even talk about absolutely nothing. On top of that, the chat bubbles above players' heads disappear far too quickly. During my time playing, I barely saw anyone using the chat feature at all. If AION 2 wants to build a lasting community, this is something that needs to change.

Some of the most fun I've had recently in an MMORPG was during the WoW Forever beta in Asmongold's guild, OLYMPUS IV. When we're all together, we act like Asmon is our king. We end up mobbing around like a bunch of CHUDs, goofing off, making fun of each other, and annoying other players by constantly inviting them to OLYMPUS. None of this has anything to do with WoW Forever's actual gameplay. It's something we created ourselves, and it's just plain fun.

These are the kinds of experiences that make MMORPGs special. The players create their own entertainment, friendships, and communities within the world. AION 2 needs to encourage that same kind of interaction. But if players can't easily communicate with one another, those experiences are going to be much harder to create.

The Verdict:

Overall, I like AION 2. There are some glaring issues, in my opinion, but these are things that could be fixed over time. For a game competing with WoW Retail, Classic, Forever, and Final Fantasy XIV, I think AION 2 could be a contender for anyone looking for the MMORPG experience with a little more action.

I plan on continuing to put more time into the game, and maybe my opinion will change. If that happens, you can expect a follow-up review. For now, if you haven't tried AION 2, or you're looking to dip your toes into an MMORPG for the first time, I would definitely recommend giving this game a try.