Aion

Whenever I try to imagine what the development process might have been like for Aion, I usually picture a circus performer trying to manage half-a-dozen spinning plates on sticks. See, NCSoft's latest MMORPG tries so hard to simultaneously cater to a number of divergent tastes: Namely, fans of either Western or Eastern MMO design. The developers have made an admirable effort, for sure, but I'm afraid it's one that's doomed to disappoint on more than one front. Aion's heritage as a Korean MMORPG lends it a refreshing and distinctive look, especially in a genre dominated by Tolkienesque clichés. Though it's possible to finagle something resembling a dwarf or an orc out of the game's robust character creator, Aion steers clear of typical fantasy tropes for the most part. And as fond as I am of my gnome warlock, the slender, angelic beauties that inhabit Aion's shattered world are a welcome sight.

We find ourselves on a rope bridge, between two temples of rock, overlooking a tropical river basin. Odd birds screech, waterfalls thunder, and slithery things splash in the shallows below. We leap off, plummet flailingly for two seconds, then spread our wings and glide, soaring through the humid majesty of a weird new land. Then we stop. Our wings are still spread, but we’ve hit a huge invisible wall. PARP! PARP! ...

This fantasy massively multiplayer online game makes a great first impression, but almost every aspect of it devolves into a grind before you're even halfway to the level cap.

Aion, the latest offering to the MMO Gods has met with some success since launch, but can it do better? (PC)