Sky-faring MMO sequel AION 2 shows off its truly massive open-world

Ahead of its imminent release, airborne MMO sequel Aion 2 just got a new deep-dive trailer at the Future Games Show at Gamescom.

During the five-minute showcase, game director Kim Nam-Jun explained developer NC's approach to bringing the world of Aion 2 to life beneath your wings. "In previous games, high places were just landmarks," he says, "but in Aion 2, these are spaces where you can play, making exploration even more fun and confirming creative, unpredictable plays during battle situations."

In Aion 2, you play as a winged Daeva, fighting an airborne war across the skies. Those skies, as it turns out, are pretty enormous - Aion 2's map is 36 times larger than its predecessor's - and that means getting around can be a bit tricky. Thankfully, Kim says, the devs have factored that in.

"Usually when flying, you do constant velocity or acceleration exercises. But while the character moves quickly, the sense of speed felt by users feels a bit slow." To help with that, NC "focused on creating speed differences during flight, and added various elements like glides [...] to make sure players feel the sense of speed." There'll also be plenty to discover in the heights, thanks to "an exploration element so you can find something when you climb to a higher place."

If you're looking to truly master the skies, Kim says that "those seeking challenging content can tackle higher-difficulty contant and feel a sense of achievement through strategy and growth." But if you're still earning your wings, "those who prefer more comfortable gameplay can enjoy various content like gathering or monster collection at their own pace."

It's been a while since the original Aion launched, but there's not much longer to wait for the sequel at all - Aion 2 launches on PC via Steam next month.

If you're looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.