Originally posted by Vallanor

Originally posted by Hrothmund

Originally posted by Vallanor

I tend to disagree Zorn.  WoW is mostly a solo quest grind to max level, then some more grinding with raids and instances, etc.  Is it more polished than pretty  much every other game?  Absolutely.  Is it more compelling gameplay?  Definitely not.

My take anyway.  By the way, you have a post style that makes your posts stand out more than any other poster I can think of.  I don't even need to look at the name.  If I see sentences separated into their own little paragraphs with a few random ones underlined, I know it's you.  More a compliment than anything, as your posts are very easy to read and usually pretty well though out (even though I almost always disagree).

Cheers.

 

Well, it is the balance and polish that makes the game-play more compelling.  If you fail in a raid encounter, you probably have an idea what went wrong. If you die in PvP, you most probably know the reason.

WoW's game-play does not have a huge RNG component like so many other games out there. There is no overwhekming class imbalance, and most classes can fill multiple roles. The game is also extremely accessible and the learning curve is well-designed. This is what keeps the masses happy.

I would love to see game with a more active combat system and less constricted character development, however for such a game to be successful they would have to still equal or beat WoW in accessibility, polish and game balance.

 

I'm sorry, class balance and the ability to fill multiple roles do not equal compelling gameplay.  For that  matter, neither does accessibility and a well-designed learning curve.  I won't even argue with you that WoW does those things better than most.  That said, a solo quest grind (kill x of this, gather y of that, yadda, yadda, yadda) to max level followed by a grind of another sort is the most mindless progression model I can imagine.  It does not encourage any sort of thought on behalf of the player.  I would very literally rather watch paint dry than pick up twenty or so quests from a quest hub, run around for an hour or two killing random mobs because my journal instructs me to, then run back with all the pointless crap I've accumulated for my quest givers.  Utter nonsense.

It's true that WoW didn't start that crap (well, maybe the solo quest grind), but it certainly didn't do anything to end it either.  Does it make for compelling gameplay?  Hell no.

Class balance makes for compelling game-play, so does accessibility. If there is nothing to pick up the players for the get go, the game will lose subscribers. If classes are horribly unbalanced, the game-play will be horrible. What you posted was your opinion of the game, what I posted was the reason the majority of the current subscriber base play the game. I do not think WoW has awesome or excellent game-play, it is just the best MMO out there for the moment.

Name me a game that has substantially better game-play than WoW, and I will give it a twirl.

Originally posted by DarkPony

Was of the same mind, untill I fell in love with Fallen Earth :)

I thought I would never get that special 'first mmo' feeling again. Luckily I was wrong ^_^

That is the thing, you are not a typical gamer. Be honest here, Fallen Earth is not polished enough to cater to the masses like WoW, not to mention the lack of content.

Originally posted by Vallanor

I tend to disagree Zorn.  WoW is mostly a solo quest grind to max level, then some more grinding with raids and instances, etc.  Is it more polished than pretty  much every other game?  Absolutely.  Is it more compelling gameplay?  Definitely not.

My take anyway.  By the way, you have a post style that makes your posts stand out more than any other poster I can think of.  I don't even need to look at the name.  If I see sentences separated into their own little paragraphs with a few random ones underlined, I know it's you.  More a compliment than anything, as your posts are very easy to read and usually pretty well though out (even though I almost always disagree).

Cheers.

Well, it is the balance and polish that makes the game-play more compelling.  If you fail in a raid encounter, you probably have an idea what went wrong. If you die in PvP, you most probably know the reason.

WoW's game-play does not have a huge RNG component like so many other games out there. There is no overwhekming class imbalance, and most classes can fill multiple roles. The game is also extremely accessible and the learning curve is well-designed. This is what keeps the masses happy.

I would love to see game with a more active combat system and less constricted character development, however for such a game to be successful they would have to still equal or beat WoW in accessibility, polish and game balance.

Originally posted by metalhead980

Stuff...

 

Blizzard is losing their more 'hardcore' gamers, so they are making the game more accessible to reach new markets. This has been going on since release. Still, it is the best game out there for the moment.

I doubt we will see WoW evolve to a more complex versatile and direction, Blizzard has a prize winning breed of cow, they are now in the process breeding their breed by focusing on its 'winning' abilities.

Originally posted by Zorndorf

Originally posted by krisooooo

You know what? After 5 years of playing MMO's i've finally decided why i just can't get into them anymore. MMO's are a second rate genre, and every game in the said genre is a piece of crap. Each and every one of them. We only play these games because of the community, because we can share the expirience with other people. But after all these years i just can't take it anymore... i mean come on!   Every MMO is the same, with no difference at all.

 

So from now on stick to regular gaming, at least there you get a product that has immersive, polished and FUN gameplay.

Fuck you MMO's. Fuck you.

Flame away.

 

Well you are partly right of course.

You have Blizzard and then indeed you have the "crap".

Problem is : before WOW it was crap and after WOW it was crap.

Blizzard made from a very crappy industry even an "undeserved" respected" one.

I know I played Ultima and Zork 1 in the 80's already. Back then it was already crap.

Pencil @ paper was always 100 times better.

We know that.

 

I have to agree with you on WoW still being the best game out there.

However, EQ was not 'crap' for its time, neither was DAoC or Ultima Online.

All WoW really did was polish it all to create a 'next gen' standard for MMOs.

I am eagerly awaiting a game that will outshine WoW in a similar matter.

Just bored of it, even Cataclysm won't bring me back.

League of Legends

Originally posted by Nasir64

My whole point. Non of these posts have anything to do with this thread.

You, my friend, are lost. Drop the crack pipe and seek some help.

Originally posted by Nasir64

 

In the five minutes of reading this thread you manage to troll the last 2 pages efficiently congrats.

 

This game to me is a breath of fresh air. I havn't been able to casually play a game like this since WoW. I personally like the atmosphere better then WoW and the pvp is top notch. To me this game strives for something different but on the same platform. Its like comparing one FPS to another. These are all MMORPGS but Aion is a different breed. It cannot be compared to WoW. Ya dig?

 

Just sayin

So I am trolling, eh? Please enlighten me as to by what definition.

Do you honestly believe the reviewer had ample endgame experience and longevity of play to give the game a 8.7?

I play Aion, it is a good game, but definitely NOT worth the 8.7.

Originally posted by DevilXaphan

Originally posted by Hrothmund

 

You miss the point. I don't care how good or bad Aion is, what puts me off is the unprofessional review. I expected more from MMORPG.com.

 

Really what was so unproffessional about it?.

Maybe have a gander at my post history in this thread before retorting with such a pointless post.

Originally posted by macmall

I don't post much here but I read all the forums, I have to say this post here is Win!

There is nothing wrong everyone with having an opinion, its how you voice it and how it comes across to others that matters. The best saying I ever head "When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me."

To say this reviewer did an inside job, it not only disrespectful but its flat out wrong with no facts to base your claims on, other then you don't agree with his opinion.

I like the game, have a 30 Cleric and I enjoy not rushing to the end and I like the grind I don't need to be max level and eat up all the content in a month cause I have ADD lol.......The gameplay is great, the animation is smooth the art is breath taking at times and most of all its FUN!!!

8.7 is imo too high, I would say around 8.4 to 8.6 if they can fix the rubber banding and some lag issues with large scale raids and add more PvE content(quests and such).

I have to respectfully disagree here. The fact that the reviewer chose to ignore all the flaws, especially the lack of endgame content is simply not what I expect of an official review.

Originally posted by Pharoin

I am directing this to all the negative for no good reason repliers. Ignorance is what makes people have closed minds. Why do u  give a freaking fudge about the score he game so bad. Is it because it can lead to other people playing a game that u didnt like? Or is it that it pains u to know that your opinion is not held by others who have an affect on another gamer? If u have such a problem then why u become a writer and spew your hate yourself and stop trying to hurt another persons career as a writer with your allegations of him receiving money or being biased. U have no idea about his or her bank account or what's in his mind. He may truly think it deserves a 8.7. Who are u to tell us his his opinion is wrong? I disagree with the OP saying that the other games have to catch up but thats only because the success over time of some of the titles not because my opinion of the games or fun factor. I could have easily taken the caveman route and said Aion is bad and W.O.W is good or vice versa. Basically what i'm saying is monday morning quarterbacks dont receive sign on bonuses. They just open there mouths and talk about shoulda coulda and woulda's while the real quarterback's play the game and put their careers on the line. So which do u think u are?

I think that my main qualm, probably shared by others, is how unprofessional the 'review' is. Being an Aion subscriber myself, I see the review as misleading and a discrediting factor to MMORPG.com, not like this site was review Mecca before, but this is just over the top.

Originally posted by Ethian

It cracks me up that people get all worked up because Aion got a good review here....Are your lives that boring that you take video games so seriously? I mean come on folks, its the best pvp MMO out there right now imo . And no I'm not a fanboi, I'm just realistic. When will you all grow up? When you retire? LOL

 

You miss the point. I don't care how good or bad Aion is, what puts me off is the unprofessional review. I expected more from MMORPG.com.

Originally posted by dstar.

High ratings aren't just an example of mmorpg.com fanboy write ups.  A lot of review sites have been doing this for a while outside of mmos as well.  It's been talked about on various forums, internet radio shows for gaming as to whether or not review sites even have any credibility anymore.  I certainly do not make decisions to buy games off of reviews from some jobber that makes a little cash to fluff up a game or trash it.

I do not respect any review of an mmo unless the write up is from someone that hit level cap.  I really don't care if I think it's the greatest game in the world and the reviewer raved about it.  That's just how I feel on it and have always felt on it.  Especially in a game like Aion where every 10 levels all the way to 50 changes the course and pace of the game.

Agreed completely.

Originally posted by Cammy

Man you haters make me LOL... seriously - what a bunch of children on this website..

 

Oh and ya... Im a huge "fanboi" so I think his review was actually pretty good... People are funny! ZOMG how could you do this??? HOW come you rate it so high?! You must work for NCSoft.. rofl

 

Thanks for the morning laugh ... you people are pathetic. Ill ask again, WHY are you here bitching about a game you dispise and "don't" play? 

Well, thanks  to you for my evening laughs.

I am not 'bitching' about the game, which I think is good, but about the half-assed review.

Originally posted by DevilXaphan

Originally posted by Hrothmund

I think you are missing the point here. The debate isn't about the merits of the game, but the credibility and professionalism of the review.

I agree with you, Aion is better than most games out there, however that does not make this official MMORPG.com review any less tainted.

A journalist is supposed to put their own personal feelings for a product aside and try to produce a write-up that gives their readers an objective and balanced review of the product. This review fails completely in that regard.

 

Name one media outlet today that isn't a bit biased in the last 20 years.

Of course I realize that fully impartial journalism is all but extinct. The case here, however, is that the review is more than 'a bit biased'.

Did they really think a whopping 8.7 rating would just be generally accepted?

Originally posted by aesperus

Originally posted by bastii

Originally posted by tryklon

 

 

You dont agree thats your decision, but coming here and trash a websites and a journalist reputation over your hatred of game X having a higher score than game Z is just sad to say the least.

WTF

Are you saying every single game since EQ getting 8+ scores is normal? Are you that gullible? Seriously, are you that gullible?

Jesus christ you fanboys are amazing.

Some psychologists should just research how your brain works because it's really unbelievable how you come to ridiculous conclusions and are able to reject any criticism and manage to spin it around into your favor. Really, it's astounding.

 

Scroll up. Not every game since EQ has gotten an 8+ score. Even the abridged list posted in this thread shows that. Let alone AoC isn't up there.

*******

Also, since when does a decent game = less than a 7.5 rating. That's getting around a D rating.

- I know people keep screaming about the way this game isn't as innovative as people want. And their right, but that doesn't mean the game is automatically rubbish. I know this is a tough game to chew for some people, but just because the western market is looking for a game to reinvent the genre, doesn't mean that every game that comes out before that happens is worthless.

Aion IS a good game. You don't have to like it, hell I don't even play it anymore. However, I can't deny that it is a very polished, well designed, and well made game. Is it a completely different game from what we've seen before? Hardly, but to say it brings absolutely nothing new isn't entirely true either. However, as with all MMOs, it's not perfect. Just because it's not what I'm looking for from an MMO anymore, doesn't mean I'd say it fails or deserves a terrible rating, though.

It's one of the most polished, smooth games to be released in a long while, and a lot of you seem hellbent on trying to destroy it for not being WoW2.0. There's only a few reliable developers left who can bring quality products in this genre. And they are on the fast track to being alienated by our market. I, personally, would like to have more choices than the next Blizzard game in the future.

I think you are missing the point here. The debate isn't about the merits of the game, but the credibility and professionalism of the review.

I agree with you, Aion is better than most games out there, however that does not make this official MMORPG.com review any less tainted.

A journalist is supposed to put their own personal feelings for a product aside and try to produce a write-up that gives their readers an objective and balanced review of the product. This review fails completely in that regard.

Originally posted by tryklon 

 

I see, so, if he would have awarded the game 7.0 or 7.5 like you think it should, for example. He would be considered imparcial just because you ppl agree.... very nice.

How very imparcial of you. Im glad we all live in democracy and that everyone can formulate their own opinions withot being criticized and called a corrupt.  God bless you all   /sarcasm

First, to make myself appear elitist, i-m-p-a-r-t-i-a-l, impartial.

Now to the point. You misunderstood me. I do not think the reviewer is corrupted. I think he has lost track of one of the main principles of journalism, being objective. Aion is a grinder, loving or hating the grind is a matter of opinion, I fully agree with that.

I felt the same way as the reviewer when I started out with Aion, the game seemed just too good to be true. However, as we all know, MMOs are usually a long term commitment, and in the case of Aion, that is where the game is lacking. The endgame is not good enough to warrant a 8.7 score, and I do not think the reviewer was on par with this fact.

What I am trying to point out is that the enthusiasm and excitement oozing through the review, toppled with the sugar-coating of some of the game's major flaws (Yes, Aion has them.) make the review lose a lot of credibility in my eyes. It seems like the person writing the review is simply loving the game too much to notice any of the downsides, or has not played long enough to realize how shallow the endgame experience is.

Remember, the reviewer is rating a complete game here, not 1-20 or 1-50. The endgame is where Aion really shows its true colors. There simply is not enough content to challenge other currently released games.

Originally posted by tryklon

Originally posted by bastii

Originally posted by tryklon

 The ridicularity of some people is astonishing.

So the guy awards the game 8.7 and just because the hater boys, or the wow fanboys think the game doesnt deserve it you start saying that mmorpg.com get money for the reviews and that the journalist doesnt have a future?

Just lol.

I tell you this, get out more, make some new friends. Because you ppl are becoming seriously deranged by hate over videogames.... lol.... a bunch of pixels.

 

You dont agree thats your decision, but coming here and trash a websites and a journalist reputation over your hatred of game X having a higher score than game Z is just sad to say the least.

WTF

Are you saying every single game since EQ getting 8+ scores is normal? Are you that gullible? Seriously, are you that gullible?

Jesus christ you fanboys are amazing.

 

But who the hell told you those 8.7 are a written law?

Its one guys opinion and thats what its worth. He is entitled to his opinion and those of you who wanna read it then do.

 

Who the hell are you to tell anyone that his opinion worths less than yours?

 

Are you really that arrogant? Seriously, are you that arrogant?

Jesus, you haters are amazing

You are right, It isn't written law. Then again I just can't see how anyone could see Aion as hitting 87/100.

A reviewer has to formulate their opinion of the game, but they also have a responsibility to be true to their word, which means asking the question "am I too involved with the game personally currently to be objective?". I do not think that is what happened here.

Originally posted by Kyleran

I'll go along with the detractors here.  Aions a decent game, and of course reviews are opinions, but 8.7?

Not a chance in hell.

7.5 on a good day if you're a fanboi

Agreed 100%. I would give Aion a 7.5-7.8, depending on the server I played on during my review period.