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Wings Over Atreia: First impressions of Empyrean Calling
IT'S HERE!!11! OMZG *cue altered cheer emote* The wait is over. Yes folks, Aion 2.5 Empyrean Calling has finally arrived on the North American servers. And just as they did when 2.0 (Assault on Balaurea) launched, Daevas have been flocking back to check out a shiny new Atreia. My friends list is lighting up with names I haven't seen in... well, longer than I can actually recall! Only the second Aion update to warrant an actual name, this patch certainly brings some new goodies to the table. While not as extensive as its predecessor, it still offers substance enough for Daevas to really sink their teeth into. But after so much anticipation, did it live up to expectations? Does the fact that I have lost track of my week since last Wednesday say anything? From the new instances to the mentoring system, there is certainly more to do in-game, especially for those who have made it to level cap and endgame. But don't just take my word for it! In honor of the release, NCsoft is offering another reactivation celebration: For 10 days (beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday, June 3rd and running until the same time on Monday, June 13th) any player with an Aion account can log in and experience the changes for herself. Can't wait until the 3rd for a taste? Barrel roll past the cut to check out my first impressions of Empyrean Calling.%Gallery-123657%
Aion patch 2.5 goes live, free trial program introduced
It's time to spread your wings and take to the skies once again as Aion's patch 2.5 (which we were fortunate enough to personally explore not long ago) goes live today. The new update from NCsoft introduces two new areas of content: the new Esoterrace instance and the Empyrean Crucible. Players will be conquering both of these new areas in style with the addition of stunning graphical updates and new character customization options. New skills and PvP gear will help players to triumph over their enemies with finesse, while the new mentor system allows low-level players to get a helping hand from their elders. If you're not a current Aion player but you're still dying to take these new features for a spin, then you're in luck -- NCsoft is celebrating the new update by introducing a free trial program. Players in the program will be able to jump into the world of Atreia for 10 days and experience 20 levels' worth of content, all for free. You can choose your side and join the battle at the Aion official site.
NCsoft releases Aion pet and conditioning guides
The folks at NCsoft are going gaga over guides this week, and Aion's 2.5 update looks to be the most well-documented patch in the history of the fantasy title. We've already shown off a mentoring guide as well as a walkthrough of the new Esoterrace instance, and today NCsoft has updated its Aion website with a guide to 2.5's pet changes, a guide to weapon and armor conditioning, and a forum thread that serves as a guide to all the guides. Empyrean Calling boasts 13 new pets as well as new pet moods and a pet management minigame that allows for pet-related emotes and social actions. The new weapon and armor conditioning system serves as a method for temporarily boosting the attributes of your gear. Of course, both of the new systems are much more complicated than the couple of paragraphs we've allotted to them here, so head to the official Aion website for all the details.
Massively Exclusive: Guide to Aion's Esoterrace instance
Massively's exclusive Aion info is back for another encore, and today we've got an in-depth walkthrough of the new Esoterrace instance for your viewing pleasure. Esoterrace is a level 50 dungeon coming to the live servers with next week's 2.5 update, and we've teamed with NCsoft to bring you the instance's first complete guide. The dungeon is designed for full groups and is accessed via a rift inside the factional fortresses of Gelkmaros and Inggison. Players will only be able to enter Esoterrace if their faction controls one or more of the Balaurean forts, so get out there and take the fight to the Asmos (or Elyos) when the patch drops next Wednesday. Esoterrace is a large zone featuring windstream transportation, a number of challenging mob types, and a final boss, Kexkra, who can be fought in either normal- or hard-mode. The zone also features a number of easter eggs and hidden treasure chests, so head past the cut to start your preparations.
Wings Over Atreia: 2.5 -- Going live on 25!
The wait is nearly over! Before long, we... oh... pardon me a moment while I grab the door... Ah, it was just the grammar police. Yes, I know that technically it should be the 25th, but that really doesn't have the catchy ring to it. And who doesn't want a catchy title? Luckily, I was let off with just a warning this time. So back to our topic at hand! This past week, before Aion's public test server reopened its doors to the masses, Massively had the opportunity to explore patch 2.5 right at NCsoft's PR offices in San Francisco (*cries for having moved to the East Coast*) -- diving into the new content, enjoying the graphical upgrades, and even asking a few questions about what's still to come. Our very own Bree Royce donned some leather, grabbed a bow, and descended upon the new instances -- Esoterrace and Empyrean Crucible -- to get a taste and share some hints about these new fights. Catch a windstream past the break to check out her impressions as well as some other interesting tidbits about what is in store for Daevas in Aion's upcoming patch, Empyrean Calling.
NCsoft aiming for Aion 2.5 test at the end of April
Aion's 2.5 update has been a long time coming. We first heard tell of the patch in early January and are happy to report that NCsoft is looking to take the wraps off the new content via the game's test servers in the next few weeks. In a new interview at the official UK Aion website, producer Sean Neil and brand manager Dominic Wai take turns answering player-generated questions relating to the new patch, which Neil says should be "on our player test servers (PTS) at the end of April or beginning of May." What, exactly, does 2.5 bring to the world of Atreia? Quite a lot, actually, and whether you're talking about the extensive graphical overhaul or the new Empyrean Crucible and Esoterrace dungeon instances, chances are there will be something interesting in the update for every daeva. Getting to endgame should be less of a chore as well, and while Aion still possesses one of the more daunting gear grinds in the genre, NCsoft is introducing a mentoring system in 2.5 that allows "new players [to] level up quicker with the help of a friend."
