Reverse: 1999 Game Guide, Tips & Tricks

Reverse: 1999 is the newest entry into the world of mobile gacha games that was released on October 31, 2023. It is Chinese developer Bluepoch’s first foray into the realm of mobile gaming, and dare I say, it’s quite a delightful experience. Reverse: 1999 is an innovative turn-based strategy RPG at its core, but its stunning steampunk art style is what takes the cake. Overall, it has a pretty high production quality which is almost too darn good to be true considering this is primarily an Android and iOS game we’re talking about, albeit it is available on PC as well.

What’s interesting to note is that Reverse: 1999 has neither a multiplayer mode nor PvP, and at the time of writing, it’s a fully single-player experience. Having said that, there’s a good chance those will be added in a future update.

Players embody Vertin, an Arcanist – the game’s term for a magic user – as she solves the mystery of the Storm, a phenomenon that sends people back in time whenever it occurs. As we move across time, we’ll run into enemies we have to defeat and new characters that always have a distinct look about them. The artwork is as sharp as it is radiant, and there’s always a level of mystery in the air at any point throughout the story mode.

What that also means is that Reverse: 1999 is oozing content. It has a plethora of fantastic game modes, dozens of characters, and a thriller-mystery plot that will easily overwhelm new players. You will likely need help figuring out the hundreds of features. Luckily, this Reverse: 1999 guide contains a walkthrough of everything you’ll encounter in the game.

Reverse: 1999 Gameplay: An Intricate Turned-based RPG

As mentioned above, Reverse: 1999’s gameplay follows a turn-based style. The number of turns you have are called Moves, and they depend on the size of your party which is anywhere from 1 to 4.

Battles begin with your crew facing enemies, and a deck of four to seven cards, or rather Arcane skills being displayed on your screen when the battle begins. Each Arcane skill is essentially an attack, a buff, a counter, a heal, or a debuff. The Arcane skills differ depending on the characters you have in your crew, and the Arcane skill you select as a Move is performed by the parent character.

Arcane skills also have a star level on them. You can combine Arcane skills of the same type and star levels to transform the Arcane skill into a stronger variant. For example, you can combine two 1-star Arcane skills to make a 2-star Arcane skill, and so on. Arcane skills can be combined up to the 3-star tier. You can combine Arcane skills by dragging them next to each other, however, doing so costs one Move (turn).

Additionally, executing or merging Arcane skills generates Moxie, a passive bar that, once it is filled, gives you an Ultimate Arcane skill during every battle. And that’s the basic know-how of Reverse: 1999’s gameplay. It’s action for the most part, but just as much of a strategy game too.

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Reverse: 1999 Characters & Abilities

Similar to other gacha games like Genshin Impact, the characters are a highlight in Reverse: 1999 too. There are over 50 unique characters that can be acquired, and each of them comes with a set of three Arcane skills. The highest-tier characters with the best base stats are symbolized by 6 stars, while the lowest by 2 stars.

You can view all of your unlocked characters in the Crew menu. When you click on an available character, the character menu pops up which shows you the details about that character: their voice lines, Arcane skills, damage, Afflatus, stats, and everything else.

Reverse: 1999 Character Stats

Here are some terms about the Reverse: 1999 characters you should familiarize yourself with.

• Character Type – Displays the gameplay style of the character such as Shield, Support, Healer, DPS.
• Afflatus – Afflatus represents the Damage Type of a character. Some enemies are weak to specific Afflatus. The 6 Afflatus in Reverse: 1999 are; Star, Mineral, Beast, Plant, Spirit, and Intellect. Some
• Personal Stats – Displays your character’s health, damage, defense, and more.
• Level Up – Characters can be leveled up to increase their stats in exchange for resources.
• Insight – An upgrade that increases the character’s maximum level cap, Inheritance level, and stats.
• Inheritance – Passive abilities that are unlocked by upgrading Insight.
• Resonance – Resonance is another feature that boosts your character’s stats. It increases the base attributes of characters.
• Portray – Upgrades that unlock new effects for Arcane skills as well as increase their potency.
• Bond – Using a character often in gameplay will fill up your Bond meter with them. Reaching specific intervals of the meter like 40% and 60% will unlock new lore items about the character.

Reverse: 1999 Tip – You can change the apparel of some characters by heading into the Role Garment tab. It’s represented as a hangar icon on the top left side of the character menu.

Summoning & How To Unlock Characters In Reverse: 1999

You can unlock characters in Reverse: 1999  by spinning the Summoning Wheel. It can be accessed by heading into the Summons tab from the main menu. New characters can also be obtained for free by playing the main story or claiming them from the login rewards.

The Summoning Wheel can be spun in exchange for Unilogs, a resource that you can obtain by completing tasks or as daily rewards. Alternatively, you can purchase Unilogs from the Bank (shop) for 180 Crystal Drops or for other in-game currencies.

Reverse: 1999 Tip – The First Drop of Rain wheel guarantees a 6-star character within 30 attempts.

Best Reverse: 1999 Characters

Reverse: 1999 is packed with awesome characters, but some are clearly overpowered than the rest. Here’s a list of the best ones that you should focus on obtaining and leveling up first.

Name	Tier	Character Type	Afflatus	How To Unlock
Eternity	6-star	DPS, Nasty Wound (Debuff)	Mineral	Summon Wheel
Regulus	6-star	DPS, Support	Star	Summon Wheel
Sotheby	6-star	Poison, Heal, DPS	Plant	Summon Wheel
A Knight	6-star	DPS	Spirit	Summon Wheel

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Reverse: 1999 Game Modes, Stages, & Maps

Reverse: 1999 starts off things slow. You’re introduced to the narrative first and then the game gets settled into the turned-based combat in the story mode. Each game mode has its own unique map, or art page that contains stages. You progress in a linear fashion, and while that may sound underwhelming, the attention to detail and random occurrences during missions will frequently catch you off guard.

After progressing the main story, other similar game modes are unlocked, albeit the narrative remains the best part. Below you’ll find a detailed overview of all game modes in Reverse: 1999.

Game Mode	Premise	How To Unlock	Rewards
Story Mode	Narrative experience centered on unraveling the mysteries of the storm	Unlocked from the start	Resources and currency, Characters/Summon, Other game modes
Wilderness	Building mode aimed at generating resources passively	Progressing story mode	Resources and currency
Side-Story	Events that expand world-building and offer rewards for competing in battles	Progressing story mode	Resources and currency
Artificial Somnambulism	Endgame mode that offers unique rewards for competing in battles	Progressing story mode	Resources and currency
Pneuma Analysis	Stages for farming Psychubes	Progressing story mode	Thought Element, Thoughts in Eternity, Psychubes,

Reverse: 1999 Tip – On the map screen, there will be yellow glowing markers called Traces that are optional story moments. Completing them will unlock unique rewards, explain to you certain mechanics, and expand upon the lore of the game. 

Reverse: 1999 Inventory & Equipment

There are multiple currencies and character upgrades in Reverse: 1999. Currencies serve as resources for you to buy upgrades, characters, level-up materials, and more.

The major gear equipment for characters is known as Psychubes. The term “Gear” isn’t used for them, but they are just that. Below you’ll find a breakdown of what Psychubes actually are and all the resources in Reverse: 1999.

Psychubes

Psychubes are gear items for characters that provide passive buffs. Their effects range from increasing the damage of your characters during battle to healing them, depending upon whether the conditions to activate the buffs are met like killing three enemies or using any Ultimate attack. Psychubes are also tier-based like Summons.

They can be leveled up and increased in potency and power too. You can obtain Psychubes as daily rewards, from the Bank, or by farming them in the Pneuma Analysis stages.

There are over 20 Psychubes in Reverse: 1999. Here are some of the best Psychubes you should get.

Name	Tier	Effects	How To Obtain
Laughter and Laughter	5-star	Boosts character stats, Heals character for 3% each round while simultaneously stacking the effect up to 8 times	Story mode reward, Can be purchased for 200 Thought Elements from the Bank, Pneuma Analysis stages
Brave New World	6-star	Boosts character stats, Increases next Incantation’s Might by 40% after casting an Ultimate Arcane skill	Can be purchased for 210 Thoughts in Eternity from the Bank, Pneuma Analysis stages
Her Second Life	6-star	Boosts character stats, Casting Ultimate Arcane skill restores all allies’ health and increases damage by 64 times the ATK Power	Can be purchased for 210 Thoughts in Eternity from the Bank, Pneuma Analysis stages

Resources & Currencies

There are numerous material resources and currencies in Reverse: 1999. You unlock materials by playing the different game modes available, while others can be collected as login and task rewards. Materials are used to upgrade characters, while resources on the other hand have a bunch of uses.

Here’s an overview of Reverse: 1999’s currencies.

Name	Use	How To Obtain
Sharpodonty	Leveling up characters, purchasing Materials	The Bank, Story Mode, Login Rewards, Purchased with Crystal Drops, Roar Jukebox
Dust	Leveling up characters, purchasing Materials	The Bank, Story Mode, Login Rewards, Purchased with Crystal Drops, Roar Jukebox
Crystal Drop	Obtaining other resources, Summoning	Bought with real-life currency
Unilog	Used to spin the Sumoon Wheel	Login rewards, Completing tasks, Purchased with Crystal Drops and Clear Drops, Roar Jukebox
Wilderness Shell	Purchasing Wilderness items	Daily and weekly activities
Thought Element	Purchasing low-tier Psychubes	Pneuma Analysis stages
Thoughts in Eternity	Purchasing high-tier Psychubes	Pneuma Analysis stages
Oneiric Fluid	Purchasing Materials	Artificial Somnambulism
Track of the Lost	Purchasing materials and other resources	Weekly activities, Summons
Album of the Lost	Purchasing materials and other resources	Summons

Reverse: 1999 Tip – Another method of getting resources is from the Roar Jukebox.

The Roar Jukebox

The Roar Jukebox is essentially a season pass mechanic in Reverse: 1999. You can complete specific tasks to earn Sharpodonty, Dust, Unilog, Psychubes, and other character items as a reward.

While it has a paid version that gets you a bunch of extra goodies, the free battle pass holds up pretty well. That said, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get resources, the Roar Jukebox is worth the investment.

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Reverse: 1999 Tips & Tricks

Here are a bunch of Reverse: 1999 tips and tricks, along with some secrets the game doesn’t tell you.

All Battles Have A Recommended Line-up

On the pre-battle screen, if you look at the top left corner, you’ll see there is a button that shows you the recommended line-up for battles. These line-ups are based on the stats of the recent 10,000 players who completed the battle. If you’re having a tough time with any encounter, try using the characters other players cleared the levels with.

Daily Rewards Are The Easiest Ways To Upgrade Your Crew

Like most new releases, Reverse: 1999 offers plenty of incentives to log in daily. There are multiple rewards tabs that give you free rewards just for booting your game such as the 8 Daily Letters, Storm Visitors, and Beginning of the Tale.

You can claim free Psychubes, Summons, Unilogs, Enlighten Tokens, and lots more. These are perhaps the easiest ways to farm resources for your crew and get new crewmates, so don’t sleep on them.

Strategize

The turned-based combat and innumerable gears and upgrades make Reverse: 1999 look like an action game at times, but it’s not. There’s a lot of strategy involved, and on the latter levels, ignoring that will end up costing you a lot of Cellular Activity. So always study your enemies’ Afflatus carefully and pick your roster accordingly.

You Can Review The Story At Any Point

The narrative is the best thing about Reverse: 1999. It’s really long too, so much so that if you take a break for a few days from the game, you might forget about what’s happening with Vertin.

Thankfully, Bluepock has included a feature that lets you rewatch all cutscenes and read up on the lore. To do this, in the main menu, click Options > Atlas > Story Review / Role Atlas / Psychubes, and you’ll find everything about the story so far.

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Reverse: 1999 – Conclusion: A Stellar Narrative RPG That’s Mind-bogglingly Good

As soon as you boot up Reverse: 1999, everything from its home screen to the battles will speak volumes of the production quality. The cutscenes, the characters, the maps, basically every visual aspect is so beautifully animated and clean that it’s hard to believe this is a mobile game. You could easily call it a “next-gen” mobile game.

The story is intriguing and compelling, and it’s uplifted by an iconic voice cast that delivers every single line with passion and intensity. Reverse: 1999 excels in pretty much all it does, and on top of that, it’s lenient on your wallet – almost to a non-existent level – despite being a gacha game.

It’s a must-play and has enough content to keep you hooked for months. I couldn’t recommend checking it out more.

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