September is set to be a big month for new MMOs, with NCsoft set to release its new MMO, Aion. The game has already been a runaway success in its native Korea, and in China. With a fantasy setting, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons with the global phenomenon that is World of Warcraft, but is that being unfair?

While Aion may never see the heights of success that World of Warcraft has achieved - the retained Eastern flavour may put some blinkered gamers off - there is a middle ground of success for MMOs that seems to get ignored by pundits. All Aion needs is enough gamers to generate the monthly revenue to make it profitable and by extension to ensure that enough gamers are in the MMO world so that it has a convincing and engrossing social and gameplay environment. Aion does have enough new gameplay ideas that it should attract an big enough audience for this.

Comparing Aion with World of Warcraft is tempting because it is easy as they are both fantasy MMOs, but the backstory to Aion is very different. It draws upon legends and mythology from around the world, although most heavily from Korea. The whole game world then both looks and feels different enough from World of Warcraft for gamers to feel they are experiencing something new.

A new MMO needs more than different graphics and environment though, and Aion supplies this. The new feature that will have most people interested, or at least the most obvious reason to be interested, is flight. Hit level 10 and you regain your wings (an Amnesia story arc explains why you’d lost them). Suddenly quests and combat can take place in all three dimensions rather than just on the ground. Hover over an enemy and blast them while they wave a sword ineffectually at you! Naturally, there are limitations on flight or else you would be invincible, so in the main world you have a limited flight time before you must land. This is removed in PvP areas. Flight certainly adds to the gameplay in Aion, but there is more to it than just this.

The classes in Aion might look a little slim on first glance - choose between Mage, Fighter, Scout and Priest when you create your character, but again level 10 holds the key. At this level you get to choose a sub-class or specialism. The good thing about this is you’ve had ten levels to hone your style of play before you have to choose what exact skills you will pursue. As an example, a Priest might opt for the buffing route or the out and out healer route.

Customising your character class doesn’t stop there. At level 20 another gameplay extra comes in, Stigma Stones. These give you the ability to slightly change your characters abilities. So, a Cloth Armour wearing class may decide that it likes to get stuck into the melee, and so the ability to wear metal armour would be very useful. Your class may prevent it, but you can overcome this with a Stigma Stone. This is quite change from other MMOs, as your character in Aion can have different abilities from other characters who are the same class.

Big ideas are great, but Aion has plenty of small touches too that make your realise how well-rounded it is. Want to sell some goods you’ve crafted? Set up a Private Store and sell them direct to the public, rather than via Auction (good for potions outside of raids). Struggling to find a quest location? Click on the Locate button in the quest dialog and then use the semi-transparent map to navigate your way there.

Nitpickers will want to know what’s wrong with Aion. Well, although NCsoft has very successfully localised the game, some might feel it retains too much of an Eastern feel - the Talking Weasels can feel strange even in a fantasy setting. Also, you can’t help but wish that Aion had taken a leaf out of World of Warcraft’s book and opened up the UI to third party extensions. These are, however, quibbles of a minor nature with what is clearly a polished MMO.

Due for release in September 2009, Aion is going to be a monthly subscription based MMO available on PC.

Tags: Aion