Exist Archive takes place in present day Tokyo and also on a different planet called Protolexa. 12 youths have acquired the gift of immortality from the spirit of an evil deity dwelling within them, and the youths end up getting themselves in trouble with the gods.
Dungeon exploring in Exist Archive will feature super-deformed chibi characters in side-view-style. The dungeons will let you perform actions such as jumping and dashing, while battle start in symbol encounter fashion. Attacking enemies first will result in preemptive strikes.
The battle features an “Active Chain Battle” system, where you’ll get to control up to four characters at a time. The members will correspond to the circle, X, square, and triangle buttons, and they’ll attack accordingly when you press the button.
There’s a strategic element in the battles of Exist Archive, where you’ll need to think of the orders of the characters and how they’ll attack. Doing so will give you a better score, which results in better drop-rates for items.
Formations are also another thing worth considering during combat. Front row characters will do more damage but they’ll also be hit more often. Back row characters will have their attack decreased but won’t be targeted as often.
The main characters have the power of the malevolent god dwelling within them, and they’ll get to unleash it for a powerful attack.
The main characters revealed so far are:
Ryo Kujo (CV: Ryota Osaka)
Ranze Kamikawa (CV: Aya Endo)
Mayura Tsukidate (CV: Ai Kayano)
Tokihisa Kiritani (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara)
The keyword of the game is “sharp,” and the story won’t be an orthodox one that involves the protagonist defeating evil. One of the important choices will be about “who to send back to Earth,” and depending on the order of who you send back, the ending of the game will be different.
Exist Archive will take about 40 to 50 hours to beat the game, and there will also be extra dungeons that await after doing so. There are numerous side quests and other activities to do on the side, and some online elements such as a “time attack” for boss fights.
