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Home » Games News » AoC is the best MMO on the market.

That is truly my opinion, which I'm sure will be flamed into the ground by folks who are currently dissatisfied with their class, patch, etc. Nevertheless, I want to express it.

I started playing at launch, but had some friends drag me away with promises of greener pastures in those other games and expansions. No matter how much I tried to like those games, mostly for my friends' sake, I kept thinkin' about coming back to AoC. However, I listened to doomsayers who claimed AoC was dying or dead, etc. and was afraid I'd resub and the servers would go down the next day or something. Finally, I cautiously picked up a trial account (wasn't interested in my old 80 PoM anyway, wanted to try something new)and immediately started wondering why I'd ever left.

I understand the game has issues that need addressing. All games do. But I genuinely believe that the innovation and entertainment of AoC's combat system will keep the game alive for a very long time.The -core- gameplay is simply better than anything else out there. After playing AoC, I just could -not- get into auto-attacking combat. All the other games felt rigid, stale, and boring. It felt like outcomes of fights were predetermined by class and gear, and not skill and strategy. I fully believe this is -not- that case in AoC. Here, the combat feels alive. It feels like anything is possible, and any fight can be won if you can figure out how to pull it off.

There were some other things which brought me back as well. AoC's music is without a doubt the best and most immersive MMO score I've heard in 10 years of gaming. The game is also well-suited to roleplaying, which is another aspect of gaming I enjoy. Finally, the new game director seems to be breathing fresh life into everything. When I left, there was a sense of doom and desperation in the air. That no longer appears to be the case.

I genuinely believe that with (continued) proper direction, funding, development (especially focused on new endgame content) and advertising (free trials are obviously an excellent method), this game will progressively grow in number of subscribers and succeed in carving out a very solid niche in the MMO market. I believe it's gameplay simply offers something absent from anything out there (or in development as far as I know).

I guess time will tell. That's my 2 cents. Flame away!