I keep hearing alot of people say "You should play Aion its alot like FFXI".

Looking at the screenshots and videos.. about the only thing I see they have in common is the "asian" look of the game. And even then, FFXI still isn't quite as asian (no annoying sound effects and whiny voice overs). And from what I can tell, its more WoW like.. if you had to make an accurate comparison. My friends who are playing it, love it. But none of them have actually played FFXI to know exactly what its like, and only have WoW and AOC to compare it to. They say that is "wowlike" but has its differences as well.

I was thinking about picking up Aion or going back to FFXI until FF14 comes out. But, From the way people are talking Aion is nowhere near as in depth as FFXI even though FFXI is the older game. Is Aion just an asian WoW with little to do other than quests and the abyss stuff at end game?

For one...I could never play FFXI.  Threw the $50 pkg out the window after a week of play.  My friends insisted I play so I did...for a week...The game just didn't fit my taste...the combat system was really ackward too.  I don't know about community much, but the game did have alot of content. 

Can't say I'll even try FFIV if it uses the same combat system.  Hopefully not. 

Originally posted by raystantz

I keep hearing alot of people say "You should play Aion its alot like FFXI".

Looking at the screenshots and videos.. about the only thing I see they have in common is the "asian" look of the game. And even then, FFXI still isn't quite as asian (no annoying sound effects and whiny voice overs). And from what I can tell, its more WoW like.. if you had to make an accurate comparison. My friends who are playing it, love it. But none of them have actually played FFXI to know exactly what its like, and only have WoW and AOC to compare it to. They say that is "wowlike" but has its differences as well.

I was thinking about picking up Aion or going back to FFXI until FF14 comes out. But, From the way people are talking Aion is nowhere near as in depth as FFXI even though FFXI is the older game. Is Aion just an asian WoW with little to do other than quests and the abyss stuff at end game?

And yet, another misused term comes to the site, “WOWlike?” Please, explain that one to me. Does WOWlike mean the game looks, feels, smells, sounds like WOW? Lol, at least come up with some new definitions to compare games.

yeah people comparing every game to wow is stupid nor is it always a bad thing like people intend the comment to be.

I played FFXI and I can see how people would say Aion has a FFXI  like quality. Here is why.

The ememies right off the bat are a little more difficult to kill then those in other MMOs. It has a beautiful art style which FFXI did too.. even if it's a bit outdated by today's standards. And it also has this FFXI feel. When I log into FFXI I get this relaxed "i'm actually in the world type feel" instead of a mechanical I'm ready to quest for exp feeling. This is personal preference but Aion did pull me in more than most other MMOs as far as it's world is concerned.

Originally posted by raystantz

I keep hearing alot of people say "You should play Aion its alot like FFXI".

Looking at the screenshots and videos.. about the only thing I see they have in common is the "asian" look of the game. And even then, FFXI still isn't quite as asian (no annoying sound effects and whiny voice overs). And from what I can tell, its more WoW like.. if you had to make an accurate comparison. My friends who are playing it, love it. But none of them have actually played FFXI to know exactly what its like, and only have WoW and AOC to compare it to. They say that is "wowlike" but has its differences as well.

I was thinking about picking up Aion or going back to FFXI until FF14 comes out. But, From the way people are talking Aion is nowhere near as in depth as FFXI even though FFXI is the older game. Is Aion just an asian WoW with little to do other than quests and the abyss stuff at end game?

I would not pick up FFXI at this point, as someone who has spent their time in the world, getting several toons to 75, its just not worth it when there is XIV coming out, everyone I know is quitting XI until XIV.

Besides, the time it takes to get to high level in the game which is where most of the "epic content" is, well lets just say that by the time you got there XIV would be out.

Aion feels like XI because it has an epic feeling storyline from the very begining all the way to its higher levels, yes its a quest driven linear game like WoW or EQ2, however it has a lot of character and personality that makes it unique.

I won't say its like FFXI, its not in any way except the fact that you actually get to watch cut sceens and listen to epic music while playing a game.

Oh and the storyline is as good as you try to imurse yourself in it, I mean honestly a lot of people will say FFXI's story sucks just because it takes SO MUCH WORK to get to see ANY of it.  However its a great story indeed.

There's a similarity between Aion and FFXI, but Aion is the PvP oriented game. Aion is Lineage 2 with updated graphics, better combat (imo) and animation and quests that deliver decent XP. If you are expecting enforced group grinding with quests on the side that give no real 'reward' prepare to never play anything after FFXI because even FF14 will be more like Aion.

You should only want to play Aion IF you also expect to PvP or have fun PvPing otherwise you won't like it like you enjoyed FFXI. It has cutscenes like FFXI but I found them more like Guild Wars so far and not as cinematic as FFXI. Meh it's up to you, if you want a nice game to pass the time until FF14 and have something against FFXI (whatever that may be) then you can try Aion and see if you like it. But if you are already enjoying your time in FFXI I don't see any reason to pick up Aion. :)

Originally posted by raystantz

I keep hearing alot of people say "You should play Aion its alot like FFXI".

Looking at the screenshots and videos.. about the only thing I see they have in common is the "asian" look of the game. And even then, FFXI still isn't quite as asian (no annoying sound effects and whiny voice overs). And from what I can tell, its more WoW like.. if you had to make an accurate comparison. My friends who are playing it, love it. But none of them have actually played FFXI to know exactly what its like, and only have WoW and AOC to compare it to. They say that is "wowlike" but has its differences as well.

I was thinking about picking up Aion or going back to FFXI until FF14 comes out. But, From the way people are talking Aion is nowhere near as in depth as FFXI even though FFXI is the older game. Is Aion just an asian WoW with little to do other than quests and the abyss stuff at end game?

I really wish i could give a complete in depth comparison,but i cannot because i will never play Aion because of NCSOFT[who i despise] and it is a PVP game ,again i despise PVP in the MMORPG genre.It would be nice however,because i am sure FFXI would just blow the doors off of AION for content and originality.There is no flying or abyss fighting to entice players in FFXI,it is all about the COMPLETE game.

I could probably draw MANY comparisons with AION and Lineage or any other Asian game,i could draw almost nothing from FFXI and any other game.FFXI truly is its own unique game,i give them a lot of credit for the effort it takes to do that.There really is none of the simplistic things in FFXI that draw players from other games ..such as >>>.  mounts,PVP,player housing,raiding,flying,playing as a dragon,solo game play,childish or egotistical chat,nope FFXI is a different game.Heck FFXI is all about macros,you dont drag and drop onto hotbars.

One thing i can say for sure is that Square has had a hard time controlling the balance in FFXI since beyond level 50.Players now are more egotistical,they have changed the play design of the game to be more superficial[easier] and soloable.The game has creapt closer to other games than it was originally designed to be.

Let me try to come back with a little bit more info..

I'm currently playing WoW, I have played it for a very long time. I at one time, enjoyed the pvp. I never did do alot of raiding in the game, as it just seemed like 5 man instances on a larger scale. I also played FFXI a long time (so no I wouldn't be starting from scratch). The reason I was going to pick back up FFXI was because I wanted to have some "completeness" before 14, by at least finishing the rest of the stories. I may even stay with FFXI after 14 if they offer a bundle package which I am betting they will do.

I was interested in Aion solely for the PVP. There wasn't much else about it that interested me. I don't really get into the super human cybersquad looking armor. The combat seems cool, but at the same time most of the videos I have watched look like WoW pvp on crack or sped up. I'm one of the people who happened to like FFXI's combat system as slow as it was.. it was not meant for pvp in the first place.

The similarities my friends are talking about when they say its "wowlike".. are as follows:

UI is similar (this seems to be the trend these days, and really if its not broke.. dont fix it)

Combat is similar, just faster with slight differences but basic action bar spamming.

Level by questing, and solo to level cap

I was kind of wanting to steer clear of more games that feel "easy". But your all saying Aion isn't "easy". But is it "epic" like FFXI is considered?

Originally posted by raystantz

The combat seems cool, but at the same time most of the videos I have watched look like WoW pvp on crack or sped up.

Yea...it is WoW pvp on crack...I have a lvl50 elyoss assassin on Kaishinelle server, and with the aspd gears that are pretty much a "must" in the upper end PvP, you can't help but feel the game is WoW on crack...

Originally posted by Wizardry

I really wish i could give a complete in depth comparison,but i cannot because i will never play Aion because of NCSOFT[who i despise] and it is a PVP game ,again i despise PVP in the MMORPG genre.

Why are you here? O.o

Ok Aion is like WoW in the sense that is is Quested based, and some of the gameplay elements.

It feel kinda like Lineage 2 in a sense, with some of the gameplay elements.

The UI Looks like just about every other MMO... but like it was said above why fix what isn't broke.

Mobs take longer to kill then in WoW, but not that much longer... you do have to watch what you are doing.

The only thing I can compare to FFXI, is the XP lost on death, really.

Originally posted by Wizardry

One thing i can say for sure is that Square has had a hard time controlling the balance in FFXI since beyond level 50.Players now are more egotistical,they have changed the play design of the game to be more superficial[easier] and soloable.The game has creapt closer to other games than it was originally designed to be.

I agree for the most part, but I'd have to say that FFXI players have ALWAYS been egotistical.

The changes in FFXI that have pushed it toward being more casual have all come from player feedback.  These changes effect the pace of leveling more than they do the challenge of the end game, however, so it seems like a logical change to make if they're to attract more players and get them into that content with the rest of the players. Square listens to their customers, this is something NC soft has never been accused of.  Ironicly, listening to their playerbase is exactly what's shifted FFXI game away from the things that made leveling so challenging.  Though even in it's more casual current state, it still manages to provide a challenging experience that no other MMOs even hint of. 

There is no way in Hell that a newly released MMO that focuses on challenge as much as FFXI will be accepted by as many people as a more casual one.   What is challenging to a very few of us, is just frustrating to everybody else. 

Originally posted by raystantz

I was kind of wanting to steer clear of more games that feel "easy". But your all saying Aion isn't "easy". But is it "epic" like FFXI is considered?

In my own opinion and bear in mind I've only played to 14 myself so it's not much to go on, it's a mix of both. Easy and hard are very subjective terms. I like Aion because I enjoy that the battles have skill combos from the very start, I've enjoyed grouping up with people and general interaction. Once the PvP opens up it'll be fun to take on the other side and so forth. The game is interactive to me on a level I haven't felt since FFXI. WoW and EQ2 for example are games that are very easy to just lose yourself playing by yourself, in Aion I expect to be surrounded by people all the time and have to interact with them and not feel like I'm in my own bubble.

The UI is rather standard, there needs to be improvements imo to make really user friendly but it's not terrible either.

What I really love above everything though is the immersion I feel, I love all the atmospheric details, even though the ground textures are not high res the combination of sounds, music, lightning and wild life moving around I found that it made up for the basic looking environment textures. And even though the graphics are light weight they are very well done. It's cool when lightning hits when it rains and you see the flashes on the trees, when you approach squirrel creatures or the chicken looking birds they run from you.

Like FFXI and WoW it's the attention to detail that I find very engrossing. But not everyone is like that. :p