NCSoft showcased "Astrae Oratio," a new title currently under development by Dynamis One, at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held for five days from today (September 17) to September 21 at Makuhari Messe. Astrae Oratio is a title centered on "Shin-denki" (modern supernatural), a genre set in modern Japanese cities from the 1990s to early 2000s where myth and supernatural elements secretly coexist. Set in an alternate-history Tokyo where mages exist, the game depicts stories from multiple angles, focusing on the "Special District Bureau"—the agency responsible for managing mages—alongside the player's avatar, the "Chief," and mages across Tokyo.
Ahead of its upcoming CBT, Astrae Oratio presented a demo at TGS 2026 featuring its unique combat system combining turn-based mechanics with real-time elements, a tutorial, and Episode 0 of its main story delivered in a visual novel style. What is the ultimate vision for Astrae Oratio? Game Director Jong-kyu Lim and Art Director In Kim from Dynamis One answered questions from Korean and Japanese media on site.
You revealed the Prologue Digest PV for the first time at TGS 2026. What aspects of Astrae Oratio did you want to highlight?
Art Director In Kim = We condensed the series of events that the player's avatar, the Chief, will experience in the world of As-Ora. We wanted to visually capture and condense the atmosphere of the season and era.
This is the first time you've shown a hands-on demo build at TGS. What was your intention when assembling this build?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = The goal was to properly display two key pieces of content—combat and story—as well as how they connect to each other. Keeping that in mind, we structured the intro phase and put together the demo build.
What sets the combat system apart, and what is the core fun you want players to experience?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = It's about combining turn-based strategy with real-time tension. The fun comes from predicting and designing your actions—actively chaining combos, reading the enemy's moves to respond appropriately to minimize damage or take the upper hand, and maximizing damage through Territory Declaration. We focused on the thrill when everything clicks into place. Rather than just offering visual flair like playing a cool video cutscene, we wanted to showcase the fun of combos and presentation created directly by the player. And crucially, we want all of this to be fully enjoyable on smartphones.
What direction did you take with voice acting and presentation to enhance story immersion?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = The main story is fully voiced in Japanese, including all character dialogue, internal monologues, and vocal tracks. For presentation, we felt that the calmer and more peaceful everyday life is, the stronger the impact behind the scenes becomes. So most scenes read quietly until reaching a climax during highlights like Territory Declaration.
How do you aim to bring out the appeal of the world and characters within the game itself?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Within the scenario, we express them mainly through three layers: standing portraits, cut-ins, and voice acting. Across overall gameplay, we use 3D modeling, particularly highlighting character charm in combat during decisive fights through visual effects like Territory Declaration and Artifact Release. During free time, we aimed to spotlight the characters' daily lives across various scenes in Tokyo.
Art Director In Kim = While this demo build mostly showcases calmer visuals, in the CBT we hope players will enjoy the visuals blended with gameplay and action, including character movements and acting.
Following TGS 2026, the CBT is next. What key points should players look out for during the test?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim - We view the CBT as a pilot episode for a serialized series. We hope players pay attention to the charm of the characters in the world of As-Ora, how the loop between story, combat, and daily life seamlessly connects into an enjoyable experience, and whether all of this can be fully enjoyed on smartphones. We want to hear honest feedback on all of these aspects and build upon them together toward the live launch. Please share your candid feedback.
There are many charming characters. How many characters and affiliated groups will be featured at official launch?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = There will be around 30 characters and about 10 groups for playable characters. However, the number of groups appearing in the scenario itself will be larger than that.
Prior to TGS 2026, you focused primarily on visuals rather than revealing system details. Was there a specific reason for this?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = For As-Ora, we consider the combination of story and gameplay to be paramount. Before players dive into the combat system, we wanted to thoroughly introduce the characters and world to users first.
How much content can players expect in the As-Ora CBT version?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = We structured Day 1 play densely so players can experience the full cycle of combat, story, and administrative management. We anticipate about 3 to 5 days worth of gameplay.
Subculture games often obscure the protagonist's appearance. What was the reason for revealing the protagonist this time?
Art Director In Kim = While there is narrative significance, from an artistic standpoint, we decided that having a clear visual design for the protagonist is more advantageous when establishing an original IP and expanding it across various media beyond the game itself.
What are the CBT schedule and participant capacity?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = We will make an official announcement in the near future.
Various games come to mind as potential references for turn-based combat or the Shin-denki genre. Could you share which games inspired the worldbuilding and combat?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = For combat system design, our goal was to break down and rebuild the tension found in fighting games, specifically older fighting games. We aimed for the feel of fighting games from a simpler era, like older Tekken or Street Fighter titles. Since there are numerous games that use turn action points, we referenced those titles to incorporate strategic depth.
Art Director In Kim =For visual gimmicks, we referenced media that naturally comes to mind when hearing keywords like "Shin-denki" and "magic." We drew heavy inspiration from Type-Moon works as well as light novels from the early 2000s.
Recently, Korean subculture games have been focusing on nostalgia for the 1990s and early 2000s. As-Ora is one of the key titles in this trend. What led you to focus on nostalgia?
Art Director In Kim = Looking at subculture trends over the past decade or so, I felt that Isekai and post-apocalyptic settings were overused and reached saturation. While contemplating what would feel fresh and satisfy players' appetites, I thought, "What if we look back to the past?" I think this trend is reflected in works beyond just ours.
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Developers naturally want to share the joys of their childhood with others, so I think generational influence plays a part as well.
The development team is Korean. Is there a specific reason for choosing Tokyo, Japan, as the setting?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Tokyo is an essential setting when adopting the Shin-denki genre. Just as a Western brings to mind the wilderness of the American West, I believe each genre has a representative location. Therefore, as a title championing the Shin-denki genre, we selected Tokyo as our stage.
How are you designing the main monetization model (BM)?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = We'd appreciate it if you could look forward to details on the monetization model as a future surprise.
Besides Korea and Japan, what target markets are you aiming for?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Our target market includes the entire cultural sphere that enjoyed this genre and its works during the 1990s and early 2000s. We plan to present it to fans across Korea, Japan, North America, and Europe who appreciate this style.
Given the ongoing legal dispute with Nexon Games, has this impacted the development process of As-Ora? Also, how are you verifying and developing the originality of game technology and ideas?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Please understand that it is difficult to discuss legal matters in this setting. As-Ora is a title being developed from scratch from the very beginning, so this issue has not had any particular impact on the development process.
Will the PC version be available in the CBT, and what is its development progress? If a PC version is released, is there a possibility of integration with the PURPLE platform?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = As-Ora is fundamentally designed as a smartphone game, so there will be no PC support up through the CBT. Long-term, we are considering a PC build, and we already have an internal build running, but because the game was created for smartphones, we feel it is best to present it on smartphones first, so we are adhering to smartphones for its first impression.
Each character's wand has a different shape. Did you establish their identities through wands? If wands serve as their identity, given that wands are small props, it seems challenging to highlight them. How do you plan to address this?
Art Director In Kim = Since magic is a core motif, we indeed chose wands as a common element for the characters. You can think of magic wands reminiscent of Harry Potter or 1990s magical girl anime. In other words, it serves as an element that defines the genre. To emphasize the wands, we framed the camera cutscenes so they are prominently featured during key poses, such as in Territory Declaration.
Will there be a sequential launch starting with Japan, or a simultaneous global launch?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Because we place high importance on the live-service sense of a serialized story, we are planning for a simultaneous worldwide launch.
The game itself exhibits genre characteristics similar to magical girl tropes, where new or existing characters joining a group midway is a classic trope. Can we look forward to such developments?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = We view such elements as adding a captivating narrative twist during story progression. We hope you look forward to story developments following the live launch.
Which character is the developers' top pick?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = Every developer has a different favorite character, but personally, I like Moa best.
Art Director In Kim = When I first designed the art, I worked on Erin, so I feel the strongest attachment to Erin.
What are the targeted minimum and recommended smartphone specs?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = We plan to support devices released up to 5 or 6 years ago.
Fans who enjoyed the 2000s Shin-denki genre are accustomed to larger screens, so playing on a smartphone screen might feel unfamiliar. Why did you insist on smartphones?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = You can think of it as approaching Shin-denki not as a simple reproduction of the past, but as a modern reinterpretation tailored for smartphones.
Was AI used in the development process? If so, how was it used?
Art Director In Kim = We do not use AI in art.
Do you have a final message for players waiting for As-Ora?
Game Director Jong-kyu Lim = We are thrilled to introduce As-Ora for the first time at this Tokyo Game Show. Through this demo, we hope players get a taste of what the world and characters of As-Ora are like, and how story and combat connect.
In the upcoming CBT, we hope you can personally check whether the world and characters of As-Ora feel compelling, whether the daily loop between story, combat, and commuting to work is fun, and whether all of these experiences translate well onto smartphones.
Starting with today's first playable demo, we hope you will watch Astrae Oratio grow like a serialized story through the narrative that unfolds ahead.
Art Director In Kim = As-Ora is a title we are preparing for long-term service. Anticipation for the next story chapter, the festive atmosphere when new content is revealed, and the joy of sharing that experience are the greatest strengths of a live-service game. Therefore, starting with TGS 2026 today, we are preparing so players can experience it even more deeply during the CBT. We will do our best to make it a beloved title for a long time, so please look forward to it.
