Blue Archive

Blue Archive: A Tactical RPG in a Vibrant Academy City

Blue Archive is a free-to-play tactical role-playing game developed by NAT Games and published by Nexon. The game immerses players in the role of a newly appointed advisor to the Federal Investigation Club (Schale) in Kivotos, a vast academy city. The core appeal of Blue Archive lies in its blend of charming anime-style visuals, a large cast of collectible characters, and strategic combat that unfolds in an energetic, story-driven world. Players are tasked with managing their squad of students, engaging in dynamic battles, and unraveling the mysteries of the city, making Blue Archive a compelling experience for fans of character-driven RPGs.

Forming and Commanding Student Squads

In Blue Archive, a primary player activity is assembling a team, or "squad," from a wide roster of obtainable students. Players navigate a menu to select up to six characters, considering each student's combat role—such as Attacker, Tank, or Healer—and their specific skills. Once a squad is formed for a mission, the combat in Blue Archive is largely automated; characters move and use basic attacks independently. However, player agency comes from activating each student's powerful "EX Skill" at a strategic moment by spending skill points that generate over time. This cycle of team-building and tactical skill deployment is central to progressing through the challenging stages of Blue Archive.

Navigating the Story Through Mission Episodes

The narrative of Blue Archive is advanced by completing combat missions structured as individual episodes. Players select a story chapter from the main menu and then engage in a series of battles on a linear path. Each battle victory unlocks the next node, eventually leading to a boss encounter. Clearing a chapter's final stage rewards players with currency and items, but more importantly, it unlocks the next segment of the main story. This progression system in Blue Archive directly ties gameplay success to narrative revelation, motivating players to strengthen their squads to see what happens next in the sprawling tale of Kivotos.

Upgrading Student Abilities and Equipment

Character progression is a fundamental loop in Blue Archive. After obtaining students through the game's gacha system, players invest resources to increase their power. This is done through several menus: leveling up students using experience reports, upgrading their specific weapons (known as "EX Skills") with enhancement stones, and equipping them with tiered gear that drops from missions. Raising a student's "Relationship Level" by giving them gifts also provides stat bonuses. This continuous cycle of farming for upgrade materials and applying them to a favorite team is essential for tackling harder content in Blue Archive, creating a satisfying long-term growth system.

Participating in Club Activities and Raids

Beyond the main story, Blue Archive offers endgame content focused on cooperative and competitive play through Clubs and Raids. Players can join a Club to communicate with others and participate in Total Assaults, which are periodic boss raids. In these events, players use their best squads to deal as much damage as possible to a powerful boss within a time limit. The total damage contributed by all Club members is tallied, and based on the final score, participants receive valuable in-game currency and upgrade materials. This system in Blue Archive encourages community interaction and provides a recurring challenge for veteran players.

Completing Commissions for Resource Farming

To support the constant need for upgrade materials, Blue Archive features repeatable missions called Commissions. Players access these from a dedicated menu and select a commission type, such as one that rewards experience reports or credit coins. These are combat stages with specific enemy compositions that players must clear with their squads. Successfully completing a commission consumes an entry ticket, which regenerates over time. This daily loop in Blue Archive provides a predictable and efficient method for players to farm the essential resources needed to keep their students competitive, forming a crucial part of the game's daily routine.

Engaging in Tactical Challenge Modes

For players seeking to test their strategic planning, Blue Archive includes specialized challenge modes like the Joint Firing Drill and Tactical Challenge. The Joint Firing Drill requires players to assemble multiple squads to conquer a series of battles without the ability to heal between them, emphasizing resource management and diverse team composition. The Tactical Challenge, on the other hand, is a PvP-like mode where players attack and defend against other players' pre-set squads in an automated battle. Engaging with these modes in Blue Archive offers unique rewards and demands a deeper understanding of game mechanics than the main story, providing a engaging test for dedicated players.