The PV for 'Astrae Oratio,' a new subculture title developed by Dynamis One and published by NC, was released on the 23rd. Following the trademark filing in April and a teaser in May, the PV release marks the game's official launch into the spotlight.

While 'Astrae Oratio' has previously focused on explaining key terminology from its world-building, the newly released two-minute PV offers a glimpse into its in-game play and character modeling. Now that 'Astrae Oratio' has moved beyond the initial sketching phase and is beginning to add color, I would like to take a look at the themes and gameplay experience it might offer, based on the videos and materials released so far.

A Flavor of the 90s and Early 2000s in Every Genre

Although I introduced it as a new subculture game, the official genre for 'Astrae Oratio' is a 'New Legend (Shin-denki)' RPG. While it clearly falls under the broad category of subculture games centered on pretty girls, the term 'New Legend' is a crucial hint at the game's direction that shouldn't be overlooked.

New Legend' is a genre that spread from the Japanese light novel scene in the early 90s. It typically deals with stories where supernatural elements intrude upon the mundane, everyday life of modern society. While it varies, these supernatural elements are often kept secret from the general public. The protagonist usually lives an ordinary life, only to be suddenly swept into events and gradually delve into the core of a mystery involving these supernatural forces.

This term might be unfamiliar to domestic audiences, and even in Japan, it’s rarely used these days, making it obscure unless you’ve been a long-time fan or have explored older works. Since then, 'Urban Fantasy' has become the more common umbrella term for modern-day fantasy works.

There are likely two reasons for the stubborn insistence on the term 'New Legend.' First, it aims to evoke the specific sentiment of the early 90s to early 2000s. Second, it emphasizes that the supernatural elements are kept separate and secret from mainstream society.

The first point is clear from the computers, Walkmans, and telephones shown at the start of the PV. The computer tower reminiscent of the Pentium era—complete with a floppy disk drive, an angular ball mouse, and a clunky keyboard connected by a coiled cord—feels like a page out of an old newspaper ad. The now-discontinued cassette tapes, the rare Walkman, and the office-style extension phones all reinforce this aesthetic. The feature phones used by characters and the UI design inspired by them go without saying.

Furthermore, the design and modeling of some characters strongly reflect the style seen in 90s anime. A prime example is the mages from the 'Minato-ku Girls' Magic Club,' including Eirínn Tanaka. Their large, bright eyes with simple eyelashes and highlights are a hallmark of 90s Japanese animation. While still in development and perhaps not fully polished, the simple highlights and shadows evoke the era when Japanese animation studios were struggling to produce the best results with limited budgets after the bubble economy burst.

As for the second point, the fact that magic is a secret from the public has been hinted at in previous teasers and is now confirmed in this PV. Eirínn Tanaka mentions that she is a novice mage who doesn't know the common sense of the mage world, and that hiding her identity is a hassle. The structure reminiscent of TYPE-MOON's 'Clock Tower'—a world where the existence of mages is a top-secret—also stands out. (Though they call them 'magicians' there, we'll let that slide since they are 'mages' here.).

In the current landscape of collectible RPGs, this dual structure is quite rare. Post-apocalyptic genres usually feature supernatural powers that are already known to everyone. Even in other settings, developers rarely choose such complex structures because they prioritize helping users naturally immerse themselves in the world. However, if a dense world is built well, it can easily secure a loyal fanbase. It remains to be seen how 'Astrae Oratio' will leverage this strength.

Retro Design, Modern Gameplay: A Two-Track Approach

Just as it emphasizes the style of the 90s and early 2000s, the in-game elements of 'Astrae Oratio' are focused on capturing that atmosphere. This is evident from the messenger interface, a staple in modern subculture games. Beyond the feature phone, the 'Mail' label is a key detail.

Those who watched Japanese works before 2011 will understand the context. Before LINE became popular in Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake, people used carrier-based email. Because different carriers couldn't send text messages to each other, people communicated via carrier-specific email addresses. This is why the line "Give me your email address" appeared so frequently in pre-2011 works.

Other props and backgrounds also hide 90s-2000s details, such as old-fashioned antennas on rooftops and the one-piece school swimsuits that most schools no longer use. The contrast with Anna M. Battenberg's old-fashioned competitive swimsuit, which shows the origin of that school swimsuit design, is also worth noting.

Another reason to pay attention to that scene is that it offers a glimpse into character interaction and costumes. The scene where Eirínn changes into her swimsuit in a room with a wardrobe, standing in front of a mirror, is quite detailed. While less common now, school uniforms and swimsuits are essential for daily school-life themes, and it feels like they are using these two to showcase the costume system. Given that there are separate animations for both the uniform and the swimsuit, it's likely other costumes will also feature unique animations to highlight character personality.

Also noteworthy is that multiple characters appear together in the pool scene, and they are shown playing naturally rather than just reacting to touch. Games that use a lobby system rather than a field system usually focus on 1-on-1 interactions with a specific character. This is a core strategy to build attachment to a 'favorite' character.

In contrast, while Eirínn is the focus in 'Astrae Oratio,' Lilia and Anna also have significant presence, and Eirínn interacts with them while naturally looking toward the user. This direction feels aligned with recent 3D subculture games that aim to capture a sense of daily life with characters beyond simple 1-on-1 interactions. Of course, those games also feature 1-on-1 interactions, so I expect 'Astrae Oratio' will show that as well.

Having confirmed the modern trends applied to character-related aspects, the next focus is combat and gameplay. While the lobby screen isn't 100% revealed, we can see familiar elements like gacha, event banners, and icons for character growth. The gacha section passed by quickly, but it appears there are separate banners for characters and artifacts.

The combat screen, shown several times, is similar to standard turn-based RPG interfaces with skill, normal attack, and ultimate skill icons. However, it differs in that you can perform multiple attacks by consuming AP at the bottom, rather than just exchanging one skill per turn.

While ultimate skills require a gauge and special skills have cooldowns, one can imagine strategies involving combo chains during 'burst' windows. There was also a scene where specific attacks reduced a 'break' gauge more effectively, suggesting that players can aim to trigger breaks by targeting enemy weaknesses.

Another impressive feature is the 'Defense' icon, which is rare in typical collectible turn-based RPGs. As briefly shown in the previous teaser, players can deflect enemy attacks by pressing a key at the right time. This was demonstrated again when Eirínn deflected an enemy's attack during their turn. However, compared to the tutorial-like feel of the previous teaser, it seems that in most actual combat, players will respond to enemy motions without a separate gauge.

'Astrae Oratio' Has a Clear Identity, But Needs a 'One Hit' to Win Over the Crowd

While little has been revealed about 'Astrae Oratio,' this small amount of information clearly shows a direction: increasing accessibility by adding modern gameplay to materials and styles that many developers have used as a foundation but haven't utilized well recently.

However, 'Astrae Oratio' still has many uncertainties to clear up. The setting of '1889 Japan, Tokyo' is likely to remain a point of contention if not clearly defined. Although they've used magic to accelerate development by 100 years to capture a 80s-2000s feel, it remains a historically sensitive and difficult period to handle.

The PV attempts to provide context by mentioning that while development has leaped forward, conflict could lead to chaos similar to the Sengoku period. Regional conflicts in Japan were not resolved simply by the Meiji Restoration or the constitution; they persisted in various forms. For instance, the rivalry between the Army (centered on the Choshu domain) and the Navy (centered on the Satsuma domain) during WWII was so intense that they didn't even share information. The rivalry between Kansai and Kanto is also a staple in popular media.

The rivalry between Kyoto, the center of Japan since the Heian period, and Tokyo, which only developed during the Edo period, is a recurring theme. Perhaps conscious of this, the game highlights Tokyo being selected as the host for the World Expo over Kyoto, and the impressive introduction of a character presumed to be from Kyoto.

There are other issues that could act as barriers to enjoying the game. Players want to go on an adventure with pretty girl characters, but do they really need to dig into all that historical context? Some enjoy digging into hidden elements, but others just want to start their journey with their favorite character. If there's something that bothers them, it's hard to take that first step. Furthermore, since 'Astrae Oratio' adopts a genre and style representing the 90s-2000s, it may feel unfamiliar to users who didn't experience that era directly.

Although 'Astrae Oratio' has been the subject of gossip due to various issues, in a way, it has also been given an opportunity. After all, many titles are simply buried in indifference. Regardless, since it is currently receiving attention and scrutiny, it will need a definitive 'one hit'—something overwhelming or truly heart-fluttering—to turn that attention into genuine support. Until now, it has felt as though the game's focus was scattered while it performed various preparatory tasks to instill its world-building in the audience.

Of course, this is an inevitable process when trying to differentiate oneself in the 'blood ocean' of the subculture game market. However, since all these processes are just means to implement the sentiment that will draw users in, I hope they show their dream more directly through something intuitive. The direction is clear, and I look forward to seeing how 'Astrae Oratio,' having come this far through various trials, will complete and present its vision.