Aion launch day roundup

A WoW player's guide to Aion
So, you're a big fan of World of Warcraft (or at least you were at one time) and you've heard about this new MMO called Aion. "Hmmm, I wonder what that's all about?" you ponder. "Anything similar?" you posit. "What's so different?" Well, we've written a WoW player's guide to Aion just for you! Sit back with a cup o' joe, while we compare and contrast the two MMOs for you.

The Aion server queue survival guide
So you pre-ordered Aion and you're super excited to jump into the game during the headstart release that's going on right now. You've set aside a whole block of time for your game play, you have your snacks at your side and your DVR ready to play some great entertainment while you grind your night away. You type in your username and password, accept the EULA, select the server that you made your character on during the pre-selection annnndd..... ...you get slapped in the face with a 2 hour wait time.

Aion is the single most pre-ordered MMO this year
In a piece of news that we're betting surprises precisely nobody at all, Aion has just broken the 400,000 pre-order mark. What's notable about this number is that it's enough to make Aion the largest number of pre-orders on an MMO for 2009. As Aion is also holding strong in the Steam and Direct2Drive sales charts, we wonder how many more we'll see added to that number before the official launch next Tuesday.

Five reasons to play Aion
We hope this article will shed some light on Aion and help you decide whether or not it pleases your taste buds. Aion is undoubtedly a unique game but it also offers enough familiarity to make things feel homey. It all comes down to player preference really, but based on the anticipation leading up to release, we are sure the game will have a successful launch.

Everything Aion: Transportation 101
Transportation is important to any MMO, especially one like Aion which doesn't include the option of a mount. Yes, there are no cats, no horses or flying creatures to ride. It's just you, your feet, your wings and a little magic. Now the starter zones might look small but the main areas are ten times the size which can take a good half an hour to cross, not including time spent dying. Today we're going to have a look at transportation and what you need to know to navigate around. Elysea and Asmodae so join us after the jump to find out the secrets of travel in Aion.

Everything Aion: Flight 101
Flight is probably the thing which has drawn most people to Aion. The idea of soaring high above the cloud on a pair of white/black-feathered wings is a universally appealing one. The reality, however, is a little different. Flight in Aion is not something you can do immediately nor indefinitely and the rules for this are not just to be annoying, they are a part of the game's world and lore.

Everything Aion: Five things you need to know about surviving in Atreia
With NCsoft's release of Aion coming up on the 22nd and 25th September in North America and Europe, we thought we had better give you the basics on the land of Atreia ahead of the open beta which begins today. So, we're going to give you all the info you need to dive into their beautifully detailed world. After the jump, we're going to look at the five things you need to know if you've never played Aion before.

Hands on with the Aion beta: The lore of Atreia
Now we've had a good look at Aion and tried out both factions it's time to look deeper into what makes the game tick. You might have got your wings and may even have done a little PvP but you've probably starting to pay more attention to the reasons behind the enmity between Elyos and the Asmodians and the lore of Atreia. Indeed, it's hard not to as, like any MMO, lore is the backbone of the game itself and the reasons we play.

Massively's top four upcoming MMOs that let you fly
The ability to fly has always intrigued us as humans. Even in Leonardo da Vinci's day, the fascination with flight was so overwhelming that he dedicated much of his life to the discovery of getting us off the ground. Modern(ish) technology has helped us realize da Vinci's vision, through the use of enclosed vehicles or other large mechanical contraptions, but we have yet to truly master the art of personal flight.

Hands on with the Aion beta: Becoming a Daeva
As the Aion: Tower of Eternity Closed Beta Test 2 continues, it's time to go deeper into Asmodae. You've explored Tunapre Lake, passed through Sap Farm, explored the Odella Plantation, braved the ghost-filled Ishalgen Prison Camp and you've even discovered the Forgotten Place of Exile. As you level, the Raiders and other NPCs start to mention Daevahood and an old man called Munin. Are you ready to meet destiny? Join us after the jump to find out what the future holds.

Hands on with the Aion beta: Your first steps in Asmodae
Welcome back to Aion. Yes it's Closed Beta Test 2 weekend and this time round I'm rolling Asmodian to explore a very different side of the shattered planet of Atreia. During CBT1 we showed you the lower half of the planet, a land known as Elysea and home of the angelic Elyos. I walked you through the character creation process, the first ten levels as a frail mortal, the Elyos ascension quest and those first steps into Sanctum and Verteron. Now it's time to visit the upper half and home of the Asmodians, the continent of Asmodae.

Hands on with the Aion beta: Exploring Sanctum and Verteron
After leveling your stunning avatar to level 9, ascending to Daevahood and getting your wings, it's time to go out into the world -- well Verteron at least. But first, let's talk a little about the glorious city of Sanctum and what your new Daevic powers really mean. Join us after the jump as we take a closer look at Aion's hub city of Sanctum, the zone of Verteron and the basics of flying.

Hands on with the Aion beta: Your first steps into Elysea
Yesterday, we showed you the character creation process for Aion: Tower of Eternity and today it's time to enter Elysea. The lower portion of the fractured world of Atreia, Elysea is, for the most part, as beautiful as its inhabitants. Poeta is a starter zone (actually more of an island) where the Elyos level from 1 to 9 on their journey to become Daeva and choose a subclass. It is where you learn how to play and are gently introduced to the mechanics which make Aion a very different kind of MMO.

Hands on with the Aion beta: Creating your Elyos
So the Aion beta has finally begun! You won a key, downloaded the client and now is the time to take your first steps in Elysea. For the purposes of this beta you get to play on what amounts to a PvP server and can only create characters from one faction, in this case the Elyos. However you get eight character slots meaning you can create a male and female toon from every class should you wish to.