Aion, a nasty confession
I’ll get the confession part out of the way, and then explain why.
My subscription has been canceled.
Is Aion a crappy game? Not at all. The game is really what I want to be playing, but I have come to a realization that it came about ten years too late for me. While I see the merits of a game which forces you to play your character as much as it does, I finally got to the point in the game where the grind was more than I was really willing to work through. I don’t mind the grind, let’s get that straight. But what I do mind is when it comes down to playing Aion versus Dragon Age, Team Fortress 2, Torchlight, or any other title that I’m trying to squeeze into my already limited play time, Aion gets sent to the bottom of the list. What I really need right now from an MMO is a game that I can pick up and play a few nights a week. Not a game that makes me feel like I’m required to play every night to get somewhere. If it were my only game, or if I was ten years younger with loads of free time, I wouldn’t have a canceled subscription. I simply don’t feel that I’m getting my moneys worth in Aion.
This doesn’t mean I won’t pick it back up. There is supposed to be a patch on the way to increase the experience gain and help to even out the leveling curve. I still want to try out the PVP in Aion, so I may revisit it if getting to the PVP becomes something a little less time consuming.
In the mean time, I’m enjoying my trial of Fallen Earth immensely, and I’m actually working on an initial thoughts article for Lord of the Ring Online which I’ve been trying out this week. I plan on picking one of them up until either Aion becomes a bit friendlier to my time constraints, or until something else comes along to tide me over until Star Wars: The Old Republic arrives.
We’ll most likely be talking about Aion and the other MMO’s on our radar a bit more on this weeks podcast, so be sure to check it out when it hits!
November 19, 2009 - 3:35 pm
I’m only level 30, but I haven’t found the xp to be a grind at all. Maybe it is when it gets higher, I don’t know. I have found that Aion is the most enjoyable MMO that I have played in years, in regards to overall MMO experience.
November 19, 2009 - 3:38 pm
I still don’t think it’s “bad” but when I only get an hour a night to play, and when I end up only playing Aion three days out of the week…it’s slow enough to make me feel like I’m going nowhere.
It’s truly a game that gives you back what you put into it, I’m just at the point where I can’t put much into it hehe.
Thanks for the reply btw!
November 19, 2009 - 4:33 pm
It comes fast and hard, like driving a sports car into a brick wall. However, it is important to note that I’ve never played EQ or Daoc, so I don’t really have that familiar experience of such a longass grind.
Being fully honest, I regret resubbing, I’m wasting my money on it at this point.
November 19, 2009 - 3:59 pm
Grind was to much for me as well. I’d rather watch TV, or play an FPS or some single player game with more advancement and fun than kill the same mobs 600+ times to level.
Advancement is to slow for me. My account expires Nov 22nd.
November 19, 2009 - 5:08 pm
I really liked Aion overall but I agree with you just too much of a time sink sometimes. However my biggest beef was the lack of communication from NCSoft.
November 19, 2009 - 5:28 pm
You know I’m right there with you. I actually canceled my subscription about 3 weeks ago, but I’m on the 3 month plan so still have lots of time left. I’m not sure why I disliked the game as much as I did. It’s a beautiful game with lots of fun little extras. But at 27, I felt like I hit a wall. So I’ve been doing something I haven’t done in forever. Playing stand alone games, like Torchlight and Mass Effect for the first time (thanks, Rer, for that heads up on the ten buck special on Steam) and having lots of fun with it.
And you must quit tempting me to go back to my abandoned hobbit hole!
November 19, 2009 - 5:43 pm
You’re welcome for the tip, warms my heart to know I helped someone out. /tear Tell me what you think of ME when you finish.
Also, I’m right there with ya on the 3 months, not sure why I did it… but I seriously regret it now. /sigh
I know this is a little controversial to say, but its really looking like Aion was just implemented in the West to make a quick buck and then drop off… or at least that’s what their lack of communication/action leads me to think. Perhaps its just that NCSoft West as like.. 0% power come decision time.
November 19, 2009 - 9:03 pm
You’re dead to me.
November 19, 2009 - 9:44 pm
lol, I know. I’m such a disappointment.
November 19, 2009 - 10:34 pm
Amen, Slurms, I am thinking of doing the same. I just can’t seem to level. I just don’t have the time this game requires to level, but don’t really have anything better to play right now. Maybe back to WAR. NOOOOOOOO.