Four-Hour Wait for 'Aion 2' Demo... Enjoy Character Customization and Manual Combat Thrills

Crowds Pack G-Star Demo Zones
Popular Elements of the Original 'Aion' IP Enhanced

Four-hour wait times to try out 'Aion 2'.

On the opening day of G-Star 2025, November 13, BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1 in Busan was packed with visitors. In particular, the wait times to play game demos stretched to three to four hours in the afternoon, with some demo zones closing early due to high demand. Although the overall booth area was smaller compared to last year, which saw a record turnout, this led to even more people crowding into the limited demo zones. The situation was the same on the second day. As soon as the doors opened, attendees rushed to the booths of the games they wanted to try.

On the morning of the second day of G-Star 2025, the 14th, a long queue formed in front of the NCSoft 'Aion 2' demo zone at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1 in Busan. Photo by Noh Kyungjo

NCSoft, participating as the main sponsor of G-Star for the first time since its founding, saw its 'Aion 2' title become an undisputed hit among visitors. As the sequel to the popular intellectual property (IP) 'Aion' and with less than a week left until its official launch, anticipation for the demo was especially high. At G-Star, visitors could try out 'Urugugu Canyon,' one of the game's main dungeons. While this is normally an instance dungeon for four players, for convenience, only solo play was available at the event.

'Aion 2' continues the spirit of the original. When 'Aion' was first released in 2008, it attracted attention as the first Korean game to introduce flying content. 'Aion 2' also adds excitement with diverse movement options, such as flying through the sky and swimming underwater. Notably, the final boss room in 'Urugugu Canyon' can only be accessed by gliding.

More than 200 options for character customization-including body shape, skin, and iris-have also been carried over from the original, which was a key reason for its popularity. Compared to other massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), 'Aion' has always been favored by female players, in part due to its free customization options. 'Aion 2' goes beyond just appearances, allowing players to mix and match dyes, materials, and patterns to create their own unique style. In short, it offers the fun of personalizing your character.

Players can also experience the tactile satisfaction of manual combat. With no auto-battle support, players must rely on quick reflexes to move, dash, jump, fly, and attack using various skills. In addition, the game uses a "delayed hit judgment" system, where attacks are only registered when they actually land, adding tension and realism. Most skills can be used while moving, making combat feel smooth and dynamic.

Kim Namjun, development producer for Aion 2, said, "The original PC version of Aion received a lot of praise for its player-versus-player (PvP) experience. We have kept that element intact while also working to evolve the game in line with current trends, such as player-versus-environment (PvE) content."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.