Beginner's Guide to Progress Faster in Reverse: 1999
Reverse: 1999 isn't your average gacha game; it sets the stage with a 20th-century time-travel strategic RPG.
The game focuses on the complexities of time in a universe where Arcanists and humans coexist.
Want a head start?
Here's our beginner's guide to get the most out of Reverse: 1999.
Tip: Use code StarLight for some extra goodies. You can find the code menu on the bottom icon on the left > Settings > Exchange Code.
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Reverse 1999: From Common Terms to Team Building Strategies
What is Reverse: 1999 All About?
Before diving into the guide, let’s take a moment to understand the game.
It's set in the year 1999 and presents a world where a mysterious storm has reversed the flow of time.
With stunning animations and a compelling story, this game promises to be a unique experience.
The combat system is straightforward but offers depth, featuring a roster of card skills, tuning skills and ultimates.
Navigating the Story: What Unlocks When?
As you dive into the world of Reverse:1999, keep an eye out for these pivotal stages.
They unlock crucial game features:
- Tutorial End (1-1): You can access the menu and unlock 2x combat speed.
- Unlock Traces & Leilani (1-6): Interact with a Trace on the map to add Leilani to your roster.
- Dust Farming Unveiled (1-11): A new way to gather experience materials.
- Unlock Eagle (1-12): Another Trace interaction, another character.
- First Melody Tuning Skill Set (1-14): Enhance your tactical options with Tuning skills.
- Grand Orchestra Skill Set: Clear all training stages, accessed via the notepad icon on main story maps.
- Hard Mode (2-6): For those seeking a challenge.
- Insight Stages (2-8): Special levels for character upgrades.
- Psychubes and Pneuma Analysis (2-10): Gear up your characters for success and farm Psychubes in new stages.
- Resonance System (3-2): The final character upgrade mechanic is unlocked. You'll also unlock the Artificial Somnambulism mode.
Starting Off Right with Beginning of the Tale
What Is It?
Beginning of the Tale consists of Beginner Missions that ease you into the game.
Besides teaching you the basics, these missions gift you valuable rewards.
Noteworthy Rewards
- Resource Refund: Level up Sonetto, APPLe, Leilani, and Eagle to Insight 1 (i1) and get back your resources.
- The Footloose Psychube: Complete Act 3 for this 5-star Psychube, a great gear for Damage Dealers.
- Laughter and Laughter Psychube: Finish Act 5 to secure this 5-star Psychube, a great gear for Healers.
- Parade Anthem Skin: Complete Act 6 to acquire Sonetto's special skin.
Note: These missions don't tie into your main story progress, so you can accomplish them at your own pace.
Pro Tips for Your Early Game Journey
- Healers Not Essential Early On: Initially, you won't need specialized healers. The game is forgiving in the early stages. However, you should secure one for late game content.
- Carrierwaver Carrier: Log in for five days straight to earn this item. It lets you select a 6-star Psychube. Choose one that complements your primary Damage Dealer.
- Resource Management: The game might seem generous early on, thanks to beginner missions. Don't be fooled. Character upgrades demand time and resources, so plan wisely.
Unlock the Wilderness for Passive Perks
Unlocking Wilderness in Chapter 2 allows you to set up islands and buildings.
Do it ASAP.
Why? It's a free source of passive income and character bonds. And don't worry, you can redesign later for zero cost.
Team Building Basics
How to Build a Solid Team
Start your team building by focusing on raising 4 to 6 units. Given the high costs associated with 6-star units, it's wise to limit yourself to building just one of them initially.
Make sure your first team is diverse, covering different elements and roles. Don't forget to check for synergy with units you already own before investing in new ones.
When composing your team, think in terms of roles.
You'll generally need a Damage Dealer, who will be your main source of damage output. Complement this with a Support unit designed to enable your Damage Dealer through buffs, debuffs, or control skills.
As you progress toward the endgame, a Defensive Support unit becomes increasingly important. These units focus on keeping the team alive through healing, shielding, or tanking. Some units have a balanced mix of roles and are great for the Substitute slot, offering flexibility in case your main units are defeated.
If you're running low on resources, don't overlook low-rarity characters.
These units often excel at specific utility roles and are cost-effective to raise. They can serve as a temporary measure to fill any gaps in your team's composition.
The Starter Choices
You'll obtain a 5-star character named Sonetto early on, who can handle DPS duties quite well.
However, if you’re going to summon, consider the rate-up banners. The beginner banner offers three 6-star characters: Regulus, Eternity, and Lilya.
All of them are capable damage dealers, but each comes with unique pros and cons.
- Regulus: A straightforward damage dealer with an evasion trick up her sleeve.
- Eternity: Offers good damage plus a debuff; also has a built-in heal in her ultimate.
- Lilya: High damage potential, but needs good gear to shine.
Choose based on your playstyle, but Eternity is generally recommended for beginners.
Secure a Healer
Healers are crucial for achieving three-star clears on many stages.
You'll get a free healer, Dikke, after eight days of logging in.
She's not top-tier but can do the job, offering both healing and a cleanse ability in her ultimate.
Deep Dive into Psychubes: Your Team’s Backbone
- Limited Needs: You can deploy up to four characters, so don’t hoard Psychubes.
- Fodder Psychubes: Low-rarity Psychubes serve solely to level up high-rarity ones.
- Daily Grind: Regularly complete Pneuma Analysis to accumulate Psychube currency.
- Dupes: Once your main team is set, use currency for Psychube duplicates. These enhance your Psychube's passive abilities making them extremely powerful.
Daily Routine & Account Progression
What to Do on a Daily Basis
- Quick Dailies: Interact with the main menu character, run Pneuma Analysis, spend all your stamina and collect Wilderness resources. Replay mode’s x4 rewards speed this up a lot.
- Pneuma Analysis: Do these stages twice daily. They’re free and yield essential resources to improve your team gear.
- Scarcity Reality: Resources are limited. Plan but don't stress. Side-events often provide extra resources.
- Artificial Somnambulism: Unlocked early in Chapter 3. You'll get more Sharpodonty, Clear Drops for gacha pulls, and Oneiric Shop currency. Finish Surface to unlock Limbo, both offer valuable passive income.
Spending Strategy: Get the Best Bang for Your Buck
Based on the CN version, here are the recommended packs to purchase if you're a (light) spender:
For Pulling Characters
- Roaring Month (Monthly Card)
- Rookie Shopping Day
- Initial Summon Pack
For Materials & Faster Character Progression
- Roaring Month
- Roar Jukebox
- Rookie Shopping Day
- Rookie Offer
Glossary of Terms in Reverse:1999
Understanding AP: Action Points
AP: Determines moves per round; usually 3 AP for three characters. If any of your characters die, you'll get as much AP as your remaining characters.
AP Generous vs AP Hungry: Characters that consume less or more AP to work properly.
Know Your Skills: Tuning Skills & Moxie
Tuning Skills: Special abilities found at the screen's bottom left during combat. They can be Grand Orchestra or First Melody.
Moxie: Dots below the HP bar; gained by card actions and specific character mechanics.
Insight Levels: i0, i1, i2, i3
Like ascension in other games; max level varies by character rarity. Low rarity characters can only reach i2, while 5 and 6 star units can reach i3 and unlock more passives.
Other Terms to Remember
- Substitute: Fourth character in reserve. Will only take action if one of your 3 main character dies.
- Psychube: Gear in this game.
- Afflatus: The elements. The 6 of them are Beast, Plant, Mineral, Spirit, Intellect and Star.
- Reality & Mental DMG: Equivalent to physical and magical damage in other games.
- Sacrifice Strategy: Sacrificing specific characters where their kits are meant for it.
- Resonance: Additional attribute enhancement. Characters can be referred by Insight Level, Character Level and Resonance Level.
Armed with these tips, you're now ready to dive into the captivating world of Reverse: 1999.
Happy gaming, and remember, the goal is not just to win but to enjoy the journey!
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