Aion Review:The new MMO soars high

Other than the few rough spots where I had to do the repeatable quest grind in order to get to the next level, I find questing rather enjoyable. Quite honestly, I am one of those players who hardly ever read the full quest text, especially if I know that it all boils down to killing ten insert-mob-name-here. In Aion though, you sometimes get clues from the quest giver that you won't find in your log later, so there's more motivation to read. For those who absolutely refuse to do that, the game uses cinematics to emphasize crucial points in the narrative. I think it's one of the best ways to tell a story in an MMO and NCsoft continues to employ the technique rather effectively.

The flight combat adds an interesting element to the game.Character customization is quite detailed, with sliders and color palettes that let you mold your avatar just the way you want it. All the character models are pretty, perhaps too much so in some cases. Yes, it's quite possible to create a repulsive-looking creature but the majority ultimately go for the garden variety supermodel. Character animations, both in and out of combat, are flashy and fun, although some might find them annoying. Avatars have a mind of their own and when out of combat for more than a few seconds, they start fanning themselves or catching fish with their bare hands or doing something equally unexpected.