CBT6 day 1

Can't have the rain ruin his hair, can he?

Soooo Closed Beta 6. Although this is Aion's last CBT, this is actually my first time playing it. I went in with some high hopes, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

Graphics were absolutely breathtaking. A few clipping issues here and there, but really, what more can you expect? Everything was just so pretty, I can't bring myself to find fault with anything else. I also really loved the Daeva city, mostly because it has architecture that makes me imagine Corridors of Time playing whenever I walk through it.

Background music is great, most battle themes remind me of Final Fantasy, and some of the zone themes are just awesome. (seriously, there are not enough words to describe how good this game is)

Of course, me being me, I rolled a Scout right off the bat. I had read in a few places that the first 10 or so levels for a Scout are boring as heck, and boy were they right. I practically had to bandage/rest after every fight, and most fights I finished on about 1/10th health. Combat was a bit bland until about level 7, when I got the Quick Strike combo, then things went a little faster. If you're planning to level up solo, just hang in there till you reach level 10. If you're gonna be playing with a friend, then you really shouldn't worry too much.

At level 9, you get a storyline quest that lets you get your wings. That same quest chain practically gives you a free level too, so drop everything you're doing the moment you hit level 9 and just do the Ascension quest.

BoEs in this game are srs bsns.

Being an ex-WoW player, there were many things that were familiar, but that was probably just due to the innate similarity that all MMOs share. I was actually surprised by the number of people running around in the game, considering this was a closed beta.

I played about one level after getting my wings and full-fledged Ranger badge, and it really just picked up the moment I equipped my bow. I only started with a basic concussive shot and extra damage shot (read: Arcane shot, lol), but somehow I just managed to have so much fun with it even though I was already so familiar with Ranger/hunter mechanics. Maybe it was because of this that made me have so much fun.

I only have one word for you - Kiting. Because Rangers don't have pets, you pretty much have to play like as if your pet is dead the whole time. That's initially what I went in with, but as I kept playing, I started getting used to it. The thing that makes kiting easier/more fun in this is that you can shoot while you run. That's right folks, no more stand-still-to-auto-shoot anymore. Well, technically there isn't even an auto shoot command in this game for Rangers, but nonetheless. It was awesome! I loved it to bits and I can't wait to play more tomorrow.

Anyway, that's my thoughts for today, I'll have another post tomorrow (hopefully level 11 and beyond) and finally another one summarising Aion vs. WoW. Stay tuned!

The hero of Azero- oh wait, wrong MMO.