AION 2 First Impressions – Beautiful in 32:9, but Combat Left Me Bored

Free to Play, but Is It Really Free?

Almost two hours on PC left me impressed by the graphics and 32:9 support, but far less excited about the opening gameplay.

Free-to-play doesn’t automatically mean a bad game. Some games give you a great experience without asking for a penny. Others seem determined to put something in front of you that costs money. It’s a thin line, and I always have the same question: free, or is it?

That’s the question I brought into AION 2. I’ve played a few similar games this year, and at one point I caught myself thinking, Hang on, did I already play this one? The whole thing felt strangely familiar. My plan was to give it about two hours, so these are my first impressions of that short session, not a judgment on its endgame or multiplayer.

Watch My AION 2 Gameplay

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What Is AION 2?

AION 2 is NC‘s free-to-play fantasy MMORPG, released globally on PC through Steam and PURPLE on October 5, 2026. Built in Unreal Engine 5, it follows the original AION and brings back the conflict between the Elyos and Asmodians.

The story is set 200 years after the original conflict. The Tower of Eternity has been destroyed, the world is divided, and both factions also face the Balaur. According to NC’s official game overview, the world is 36 times larger than the original game’s, with flying and underwater exploration built into the experience. That’s the developer’s scale comparison, not something I could measure in a two-hour session.

There is more here than the early questline suggests. NC has outlined solo and four-player dungeons, eight-player raids, arenas, faction warfare, and large Realm-vs-Realm battles. The original lineup includes familiar class roles such as Gladiator, Templar, Assassin, Sorcerer, Cleric, and Chanter. I didn’t get far enough to test the demanding side of those systems. My experience was the opening, and that distinction is important.

Beautiful Graphics and Solid 32:9 Performance

Here’s where AION 2 impressed me. It’s a beautiful game. The colors are rich, the environments are clear, and the fantasy art looks fantastic across a large screen. I could happily stop and look around instead of following the next quest marker.

And the ultrawide support? It works great. Proper 32:9 presentation made the scenery a pleasure to look at. I’ve tested many PC games for our Ultrawide Greats: Road to 20 series, and this one is going on the list. Whatever I think of its opening quests, it deserves credit for how good it looks on a super-ultrawide display.

Performance was also good during my session. I saw a little stuttering in a couple of cutscenes, but nothing else stood out as a serious problem. I’m not calling this a complete performance benchmark, only reporting what I noticed while playing.

For the 32:9 experience alone, I give it 8.5/10. If you’re interested in why I test games this way, I’ve written more about what makes a PC game shine in 32:9.

Flying and Swimming Need a Few Tries

The movement takes some getting used to, especially when you start flying or swimming. My first attempts weren’t exactly graceful. The controls aren’t something I would call bad, but they need a few tries before you begin handling them comfortably.

Flight is one of the game’s big selling points, and I can understand why. You can move above the landscape instead of always following roads, while the underwater areas give you another way to travel through the world. Once you begin getting the hang of it, there are some impressive views. It’s a shame I found watching the world more enjoyable than some of the things I was asked to do in it.

The Opening Quests and Combat Left Me Bored

My biggest issue wasn’t the graphics, movement, or even the occasional stutter. It was how little the first part of the game made me want to keep playing. The quests felt more like dialogue than gameplay. Talk to someone, read some more, move along, repeat. I know that a big MMORPG needs time to introduce its world and systems, but it still needs to give me a reason to stay.

The combat looked great. The effects were colorful and dramatic, with a lot happening on the screen. But looks only take a fight so far. The early enemies were simply too easy for me, and without much challenge, I started getting bored.

NC describes a deeper combat system built around timing and positioning, and the later dungeon and raid content may offer a very different challenge. I didn’t reach that content, so I’m not going to pretend the whole game is easy. I can only say that the opening fights didn’t give me much excitement.

Character Customization Is Where Players Get Creative

The character creator offers a lot of control over appearance, including faces, hairstyles, colors, body shape, and outfits. NC has advertised more than 200 adjustable features. If designing your perfect fantasy character is part of the fun, there’s a lot to work with.

Me? I rushed through it, as I often do when a game this big puts a character creator between me and the world. But once I got in, I saw what other players had done. Some characters looked absolutely amazing, some were sexy as hell, and some were just hilarious. The creativity was far more impressive than my own quick attempt.

Multiplayer and Monetization: I Didn’t Test Either

This is an MMORPG, so multiplayer could easily be where AION 2 is at its best. Group dungeons, raids, faction battles, and PvP give people reasons to spend far longer here than my two hours. I imagine it could be a blast with friends, but that’s only a possibility, not a tested opinion. I played solo and didn’t try its multiplayer systems.

Then there’s the free-to-play question. AION 2 offers purchases, and NC has described cash-shop cosmetics and membership products. I didn’t buy anything and I didn’t test how far spending money could take a player. I’m not going to call it pay-to-win without evidence, or claim you need to spend money to enjoy the later game. The thin line between free content and pressure to pay is worth watching, though.

My First Impressions: Beautiful, but Not the Best

If I’d paid an entry price for AION 2, I’d have wanted a refund after those two hours. No doubt. That doesn’t mean it’s a terrible game. It’s gorgeous, runs well for the most part, supports my 32:9 setup beautifully, and offers far more systems than I had time to experience.

But easy combat and too much early dialogue are enough to make me lose interest. I’ve played several games like this already, and AION 2 didn’t do enough in its opening to stand apart from them.

Being free to play helps its overall score because anyone can try it without paying up front. It may be far more enjoyable with friends or once the harder content begins. Based on the opening I played, though, it’s good rather than great.

Overall First Impressions: 7/10

32:9 Ultrawide Experience: 8.5/10

These scores reflect my short PC session, not a completed playthrough or an assessment of the full multiplayer and monetization systems.

AION 2

Release: October 5, 2026 (global PC launch)

Genre: Free-to-play fantasy MMORPG

Developer / Publisher: NC

Platforms: PC – Steam and PURPLE

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