Blue Archive - The south Korean Gacha game that almost died, is now being released on Steam this summer.

MAAAD said:
wtf
Why are you guys unironically playing this
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wtfNeedSignUp said:
Getting into it lately, it's very comfy. Stories more about character hijinks, gameplay is a lot less gatekeeping than other gacha. Overall good designs and music.

Latest event is taking the nerds to touch grass up on the mountains.
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I need to hold back from glazing the story, but it does some narrative devices, that even Hollywood misuses, pretty good.

There's good kind of "mystery box" in play where player isn't flooded with worldbuilding, left to wonder about stuff. Villains seem enigmatic in a good way, so far (I'm only at Volume 3 and 4.)

Grimdark/grimderp/subversion of expectations: title screen shows this bright, clean, futuristic city that looks quite utopian. Instead of simply going "lmao it's actually a dystopia" there's surprisingly realistic conflict/trouble brewing in what seems like a genuinely nice place to live, in general. Sudden power vacuum at federal level leads to near-collapse of the public order as every minor gang starts exploiting the crisis. State-level actors that could otherwise step in are basically at a Cold War with each other. And to segway to the "silly" parts, the state-governments mentioned previously are all Student Councils. Federal government is "General Student Council." (While there's a whole anime trope about grossly exaggerating the power a Student Council has in a Japanese school setting, in real life they allocate budget to the School Clubs, which are Serious Business in Japan.)

Volume 2 story could mostly be adapted in a mundane school setting. (Club for making video games needs to find 4th member and actually produce a video game to not get shut down.) Except for how they find the 4th member and how the whole thing basically turns into a heist movie.
 
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I love the sigma gremlin so much.
 
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Overpriced Gaming Chair said:
I need to hold back from glazing the story, but it does some narrative devices, that even Hollywood misuses, pretty good.

There's good kind of "mystery box" in play where player isn't flooded with worldbuilding, left to wonder about stuff. Villains seem enigmatic in a good way, so far (I'm only at Volume 3 and 4.)

Grimdark/grimderp/subversion of expectations: title screen shows this bright, clean, futuristic city that looks quite utopian. Instead of simply going "lmao it's actually a dystopia" there's surprisingly realistic conflict/trouble brewing in what seems like a genuinely nice place to live, in general. Sudden power vacuum at federal level leads to near-collapse of the public order as every minor gang starts exploiting the crisis. State-level actors that could otherwise step in are basically at a Cold War with each other. And to segway to the "silly" parts, the state-governments mentioned previously are all Student Councils. Federal government is "General Student Council." (While there's a whole anime trope about grossly exaggerating the power a Student Council has in a Japanese school setting, in real life they allocate budget to the School Clubs, which are Serious Business in Japan.)

Volume 2 story could mostly be adapted in a mundane school setting. (Club for making video games needs to find 4th member and actually produce a video game to not get shut down.) Except for how they find the 4th member and how the whole thing basically turns into a heist movie.
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With how fiction is nowadays, Hifumi standing up and saying "FUCK THAT SHIT, I WANT A HAPPY ENDING! NO HALF-MEASURES, AZUSA!" during Eden Treaty and achieving that was more subversive than 90% of contemporary subversive works.
 
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Big Brown Schlub said:
With how fiction is nowadays, Hifumi standing up and saying "FUCK THAT SHIT, I WANT A HAPPY ENDING! NO HALF-MEASURES, AZUSA!" during Eden Treaty and achieving that was more subversive than 90% of contemporary subversive works.
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>Beatrice: Everything is in vain, there is only despair!
>Hifumi: I'M GOING TO RENEW THE COVENANT BETWEEN MANKIND AND GOD THROUGH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP, YOU STUPID RED BITCH!
613qgf.webp
 
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Kivotos strongest Sensei said:
>Beatrice: Everything is in vain, there is only despair!
>Hifumi: I'M GOING TO RENEW THE COVENANT BETWEEN MANKIND AND GOD THROUGH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP, YOU STUPID RED BITCH!
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Yeah, one thing I like about the game's writing is its explicit rejection of nihilistic bullshit.

"The only way to save my friends is to sacrifice myself!"
Nah, we'll find another way.

"The only way to save my friends is to sacrifice myself... again!"
Nah, we'll find another way. Hina, a little help here?

"I made too many mistakes, there's no hope of redemption for me! I might as well just give in to what a terrible person I am."
Nah, there's a hard path to redemption for you if you're willing to take it. I'll keep trying until you see that, because you're my student.

"There's no hope for us. We were born to be gutter trash. Vanitas vanitatum, everything is in vain."
Nah, there's hope for you. I'll keep trying until you see that, because you're my students.

"Everything is lost! Give in to despair as your world is lost! Nothing can stop the Chroma!"
Nah, get fucked.

"You have no hope of winning! You can't beat me! The future is already set in stone! I've seen you lose a thousand times in a thousand different worlds! We're just you, but better! Give up!"
Nah, let me show you what an adult with a credit card can do.

It's simplistic writing for teenagers, but I really like the underlying optimism and idealistic outlook on humanity.
 
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Gravityqueen4life said:
So, how do i cheese General Gregorius?
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Greg's gimmick is debuffs... you gotta find team combos that can sustain him at 5 debuffs for the longest time possible while also dealing the most damage because of his huge health pool

Lots of easy clear videos on YouTube since Greg is a pretty well understood boss with little to no RNG in the way unlike Goz or Hovercraft
 
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lol, I know it has been said multiple times but, still surprised null or the other mods allowed this thread considering every negative facet sorrounding this franchise.
But whatever. To stay in topic, I tried it. It's not so bad for what it is. It's one if those games to play while watching videos on the side. What makes me lose patience is the amount of dialogue on the story bits, but that's just a me issue.
 
pogoroooo said:
lol, I know it has been said multiple times but, still surprised null or the other mods allowed this thread considering every negative facet sorrounding this franchise.
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You'll be surprised to find out that the guy who told Null what Blue Archive is supposedly about, which he read out loud in a MATI episode, is the same guy who was defending payment facilitators having the right to arbitrarily deny payments for what they don't like.

Most of the criticism (If it can be even called that) regarding Blue Archive comes from people who've never played the game and their entire knowledge on what goes on comes from Twitter.
 
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Lerias said:
Greg's gimmick is debuffs... you gotta find team combos that can sustain him at 5 debuffs for the longest time possible while also dealing the most damage because of his huge health pool

Lots of easy clear videos on YouTube since Greg is a pretty well understood boss with little to no RNG in the way unlike Goz or Hovercraft
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Greg is the worst boss for a new player tbh, you either have a lot of debuffers or you can eat shit and have to do 1 or 2 difficulty levels below recommended. At least with other gimmick bosses there's one or more students that just dumpster him (good example is Satsuki with Geburah) so you can just borrow them no issue.
 
pogoroooo said:
But whatever. To stay in topic, I tried it. It's not so bad for what it is. It's one if those games to play while watching videos on the side. What makes me lose patience is the amount of dialogue on the story bits, but that's just a me issue.
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Gameplay is just serviceable enough, so if the story is not to your liking, have no qualms in moving along. For what it's worth, it gets better (but it's already pretty good at the beginning)
 
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G19 said:
Gameplay is just serviceable enough, so if the story is not to your liking, have no qualms in moving along. For what it's worth, it gets better (but it's already pretty good at the beginning)
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The game is mostly an auto-battler, only way to issue commands during battle is to use "EX skills" meaning even move commands are only available through this system. Some students have a dash/reposition ability, but most have to rely on support skills like placing down a medkit that makes closest unit go and pick it up.

The EX skills can be toggled to be also used automatically. Every battle in storyline chapters that gives you a premade "lore-accurate" team is basically a pushover. Some fights require using a team made up from units you've unlocked (mostly through the gacha system) and at least one of these can be a massive roadblock (something I've pointed earlier in this thread.)
 
Big Brown Schlub said:
Greg is the worst boss for a new player tbh, you either have a lot of debuffers or you can eat shit and have to do 1 or 2 difficulty levels below recommended. At least with other gimmick bosses there's one or more students that just dumpster him (good example is Satsuki with Geburah) so you can just borrow them no issue.
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Any recommendation on units for him for a new player? I manage to beat him with the other teams but yellow team just can't do enough damage output. I have defence debuffers but can't see any other type of debuff that can be put on him.
 
wtfNeedSignUp said:
Any recommendation on units for him for a new player? I manage to beat him with the other teams but yellow team just can't do enough damage output. I have defence debuffers but can't see any other type of debuff that can be put on him.
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Don't always have to match colors.
Just keep using Mine for debuffs and for tanking hits. Use Iori to deal damage. Other yellow AOEs are too weak DPS wise and single target dealers like Mika or Maki don't really work. Seia/Ui and camp Hare as support. If your Iori is weak, or you don't have the right students, try borrowing from your club or your friend list. I agree that Gregorious could be a bitch for new players even though his gimmick is simple.
 
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