How Korean MMO's are changing for the future.
Aion features two races, the Elyos and Asmodians. In Korea, Elyos is by far the most popular faction and would likely be the same for the US as well. Yet, the game manages to balance out for both factions in the end, providing different advantages in terms of community.
Aion looks fantastic, a brilliant expose of art and graphics. While it certainly isn't on the same level as Crysis, it is appealing enough to have some lasting impression for a year or so.
One dislike I have about Aion, however, is the combat system. The global cooldown system coupled with individual cooldowns is a marked difference from the typical Korean styled rapid cooldowns and fast paced action. While Aion is fast paced, it presents a more tactical feel as compared to C9 or other new MMO's released. However, some will delight in this new system as it provides a set of challenges and where mistakes cannot be made.
But problems and benefits aside, the greatest question rests in the long term viability of the game. While Aion has met great success in Korea and the rest of Asia, it has easily done so as it does not face strong competition such as World of Warcraft and is easily able to carve out it's own niche market.
However, the US Market remains a challenge for many MMO's and not just Korean. 6 months from now, the true measure of success of the game will be determined, as to whether the developers have truly grasped what gamers prefer.
However, I am confident that Aion will succeed on its own for the time being. As long as development aggressively continues and end-game content is enhanced, Aion will be more than competitive to the likes of the new onslaught of MMO's and expansions being released.