"Reverse: 1999" has generated buzz in the 2D gaming world, confirming its public beta alongside other high-quality games. Following "Xingqiu Railroad," this eagerly awaited game has launched, sparking a surge of fan content across social media. Veteran CN server player Xiao Quan shares insights on the game's uniqueness, starting tips, server-opening advice, and the highly-anticipated character rhythm chart.



What Kind of Game is "Reverse: 1999"?

"Reverse: 1999" is a modern retro occultism RPG (role-playing game) developed and operated by Deep Blue Interactive, combining card strategy and turn-based combat. The public beta release of the game on the Chinese server was May 31, 2023, at 10:00 AM. The first closed beta test started on January 7, 2022, the second test on June 10, 2022, and the final third test on April 14, 2023.The global release of the game is on October 26, 2023. 

The game's plot is set in 1999, where an event named "Torrential Rain" caused time to flow backward, and the world regressed from 1999 to 1969, then from 1969 to 1929. Only a few surviving occultists, including the protagonist Verdin, travel through time and space to uncover the truth behind "Torrential Rain" and save the world. Each era has a unique background, such as the Jazz Age in 1929, the Rock Craze in 1966, and the Torrential Rain event in 1999. For players who like retro era backgrounds and occult elements, this game is worth a try.

What are the Highlights of "Reverse: 1999"?

The highlights of "Reverse: 1999" are mainly reflected in the plot setting and art direction. The unique plot setting creates an intriguing occult atmosphere. The main storyline and character developments are also very successful, with Snyder’s line at the end of Chapter Two, “Don’t forget me, don't forget my heartbeat on the right,” successfully touching countless players.

In terms of art, the game provides a full set of Live2D for characters and special effects for powerful moves. The exquisite graphic design, concise UI interface, and appropriate use of occult symbology all enhance the gameplay. The performance in terms of presentation is also outstanding, with high-quality backgrounds, lighting, and quality Live2D character drawings, coupled with English voiceovers, providing players with an immersive cinematic experience. The Chinese voiceover cast is also very well-known, and have dubbed it while maintaining the original’s cultural accuracy. The team has made efforts to listen to players' opinions, including maintaining power balance between the units, optimizing character development, and combat automation, but there are still some details that could be improved. Compared to this, the gameplay and battle experience are relatively unoriginal. There isn't much innovation in gameplay (strong sense of déjà vu with Seven Deadly Sins and FGO), and there are still small issues with the user experience and loading times. It is evident that the team has made efforts to listen to players' opinions, including minimizing power creep, and making it f2p friendly for free players.

How to Get Started with "Reverse: 1999"? What is the gameplay Like?

"Reverse: 1999" is a relatively easy-to-start strategic card game. In the game, you can form a team of up to 4 units, including 3 main units and 1 substitute unit. Each character has 3 skill cards, one of which is a powerful ultimate move skill. To unleash the ultimate move, you need to fill the character's “Passion Value” or skill bar with five stars and choose the best time to launch it in conjunction with the progress of the battle.

Different characters have different attributes, and these attributes counter each other. The game will automatically lock onto the enemy and show the “Counter” relationship between the cards to help you formulate the best card-playing strategy. In the public beta version, the game has removed the “Being Countered” mechanism, further lowering the difficulty. Players only need to think about how to choose the attack target and reasonably distribute the cards in hand to maximize the attack in a single turn.

One of the cores of the game is the fusion function of character skill cards. By default, the skill cards of characters are 1-star, but they can be combined when they are arranged together, up to 3-star. After upgrading, the skill cards will have higher combat values, but each movement of the cards will consume one action opportunity, and there are only three action opportunities per turn. Under these two constraints, the reasonable use of hand cards becomes one of the strategic points in the game. Overall, the game is not very difficult and is very suitable for newcomers.

What Should You Pay Attention to When the Server Opens?

For players who are just starting to play this type of game, it is recommended to follow some related videos and guides on Youtube to understand the basic operations and systems of the game, so as to better start the game. If you understand Chinese, you can go on Bilibili to look for gameplay guides. At the same time, there are some things to pay attention to when the server opens, such as paying attention to event information, reasonable distribution of resources, and participation in return events. A chinese veteran, who has played on the Chinese server, Xiao Quan, has helped everyone summarize some strategies which we will list here.

Which Characters Should You Build in Early Game?

Due to the close binding relationship between the layers of the material dungeon and the mainline tasks, it is recommended not to invest too much resources in high-star characters in the early stage. Now there is a development return event after the game opens. By participating in this event, you can get all the materials consumed by the characters participating in the return event, and these returned materials can be used to cultivate your favorite characters.

The characters participating in this return event include: Sonnet, Apple, Xiao Chun Que'er, and Lila Ni.

These four characters cover the four attributes in the game. The reason for recommending building these characters is that they have lower star levels, consume fewer resources, and have considerable combat power in the early stage. In addition, this return event is only for these four characters. Therefore, you can first use resources to train these characters, and you can also choose to continue to use the returned materials for their subsequent training, or to train other characters you like, both are good choices.

About Entering the Game and Card Drawing Planning:

Bilibili Master 暴走丷艾 recommends: For whales or dolphin players, it is recommended not to draw from the novice pool. Go directly to the UP pool to get S-level cards and save diamonds for the future.

What is the Opening Server Character Rhythm Chart?

The opening server character rhythm chart is a planning chart prepared by experienced players for the opening server, providing players with references for resource allocation and character training. It mainly includes the expected order of various characters appearing in the game, as well as suggestions for character cultivation and card drawing. It is worth noting that this rhythm chart is not an official guide, and players should still make decisions based on their own situation and preferences.



Final Tips:

"Reverse: 1999" has created a unique charm with its combination of modern retro occultism, RPG, and card strategy elements. Whether it is the storyline, character setting, or artistic expression, it is very attractive to players. However, the gameplay and battle experience still have room for improvement. For players who are just starting to play this type of game, it is recommended to follow related guides and pay attention to event information and resource distribution. In addition, the opening server character rhythm chart can also provide some help for your game journey.

Sharing “Reverse: 1999” Server Opening Character Rhythm Chart 

Rhythm Chart Organization:

Recommended Reference: Bilibili Up Master 绝不是dd  "Reverse: 1999" Public Beta Starter Guide for Each Character's Strength! 

Recommended Reference: Bilibili Up Master 叫我棉被 "Back to the Future 1999" These Characters are a Must-Train When Pulled! All Characters Strength Rhythm Chart, No Missteps, Including Game Damage Formula, Skill Model Data Analysis

Recommended Reference: Bilibili Up Master 午觉已到 "Reverse: 1999" Which Characters are Worth Training? Come Here and You Will Know, Must-Train Characters upon Pulling in Public Beta, Server Opening Strength Rankings, Rusty Armor, Centurion, Stibium, Winifred, Red Crossbow, Sufubi, Rabbit Fur Gloves, New Babel Tower

Video Link 

Recommended Reference: Bilibili Up Master 小狼XF "Back to the Future 1999" Guide for the Strongest Characters for Newcomers! Public Beta Character Ladder and Starter Recommendations

Video Link

The character strength rhythm chart and starter guide inherently have a strong timeliness. Different versions bring different top characters, and different guide groups have different considerations. We hope everyone can make comprehensive judgments based on their own card pool and version update situations. This guide is for reference only.

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