Astrae Oratio (officially abbreviated to “Asora”) is an upcoming Korean RPG developed by Dynamis One and published NC (NCSoft). Set in Tokyo in 1889, or the ninth year of the fictional Reisei Era, Astrae Oratio revolves around the concept of “magic x bureaucracy,” positioning itself as an urban fantasy work.
During this year’s Comiket, AUTOMATON had the opportunity learn more about the various Japanese influences on the game, as well as the urban fantasy genre from Astrae Oratio’s art director Kim In (also known as hwansang), who was previously the Art Director for Blue Archive.
As one of the biggest, though more “obscure” influences from Japan, Kim lists the 1982 fantasy horror novel Demon City Shinjuku, written by Hideyuki Kikuchi. Anime fans might be more familiar with the OVA of the same name released in 1988. Other literary influences include the Boogiepop series (which didn’t only influence the game thematically, but also its visuals) by Kouhei Kadono, as well as Shakugan no Shana.
“We’re developing the project with magic in an urban setting – urban fantasy – as the central concept, and we have been so greatly influenced by the works of TYPE MOON. It’s pretty much impossible to discuss without mentioning the genre foundations they have built over the years,” Kim notes. “I also consider recent titles like the Persona series to have urban fantasy elements. The decision to use urban fantasy, which depicts myths and the supernatural through a modern lens, as a core theme is what led to Astrae Oratio’s unique setting and time period.”
While it’s very much a modern RPG, the anachronistic worldview and art style of Astrae Oratio were made to evoke a feeling of nostalgia, drawing inspiration from 90s and early 00s visual art and anime. Kim says that he wanted to make use of expressions from the past that are “great, but aren’t used much in recent works.” As one example of this, he lists the character design for Ai Hiwagishiakari – whose hairstyle has the classic “anime girl hair vents” which were pretty much a design staple in 90s and 00s otaku culture. “Besides myself, there are many members on the development team who were influenced by works from the early to mid-Heisei era (1989-2019). Each of the members wanted to incorporate their favorite things from their childhoods into the game.”
Astrae Oratio is currently in development for iOS and Android, scheduled to launch in 2026. The game is accepting applications for the upcoming closed beta test until September 21 at 03:00 UST via the official website.
