Aion Review:The new MMO soars high-page three

Combat boils down to pushing buttons and watching your character perform his moves while the timers are on cooldown, rinse and repeat, but it feels responsive and is actually quite fun. As far as skills go, there's not much room for customizing as everyone gets exactly the same skills as everybody else in his class, and there are no discretionary points to agonize over, at least not in the early stages. At higher levels, the Stigma system allows you to slot 5 out of a possible 10 or so Stigma stones plus 3 more that can be unlocked through quests, providing you with abilities that enhance your other class skills. I like the simplicity of it, but it doesn't give you much leeway to set yourself apart from your peers.

Outside of the Abyss, good gear is not all that difficult to acquire. As I've mentioned before, crafters can make weapons and armor that are comparable to any random loot drop so there is no need to go on endless hunting expeditions in order to equip yourself with the best armor there is. Sure, leveling up your crafting requires an investment of time and money but at least you know you'll get it in the end. What I like about this is that it makes everything accessible to everyone and evens the playing field so that PvP domination is not all about who has the best gear but rather who plays the smartest. Well, at least initially. Ultimately, the best equipment can only be obtained by putting in a great number of hours of Abyss fighting.