Overview
An Appraiser is a professional anomaly investigator in the world of Neverness to Everness. Appraisers are Espers employed or contracted by the Bureau of Anomaly Control to investigate, analyze, and resolve supernatural disturbances known as anomalies. The role involves fieldwork that ranges from routine assessments to dangerous direct confrontations with high-class threats. The player protagonist, Esper Zero, holds this title and serves as the newest Appraiser assigned to the Eibon Antique Shop.
The title "Appraiser" reflects the core function of the role: evaluating and appraising anomalies to determine their nature, threat level, and the appropriate response. This can mean anything from assessing a minor environmental distortion to identifying the Nexus of a catastrophic anomaly and coordinating its nullification.
Responsibilities
Appraisers handle a broad range of duties related to anomaly management. Their work sits at the intersection of investigation, combat, and analysis:
Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
Anomaly Investigation | Traveling to affected areas, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and observing anomalous behavior to build a case file. |
Nexus Identification | Using Esper abilities to locate the core (Nexus) of an anomaly, which is the source of the distortion. |
Threat Assessment | Evaluating the anomaly's danger level based on Worheimer Index readings and field observations, then determining whether containment or nullification is appropriate. |
Anomaly Engagement | Directly confronting anomalies in combat when nullification is authorized, using Esper abilities and team coordination. |
Commission Fulfillment | Accepting and completing anomaly-related commissions from the Bureau or from the public through Eibon. |
Reporting | Documenting findings and outcomes for the Bureau's records, contributing to the broader understanding of anomalous phenomena. |
Relationship to the Bureau
Appraisers operate under the authority of the Bureau of Anomaly Control. The Bureau assigns Appraisers to specific branches or units, provides them with case assignments, and oversees their operations. However, the degree of independence varies. Some Appraisers work within the Bureau's formal structure alongside ETD squads and Containment Units, while others operate out of semi-independent branches like Eibon.
The Bureau tracks all Espers with awakened supernatural abilities, and promising individuals are recruited into Appraiser roles. The recruitment process can be formal or opportunistic. In Zero's case, demonstrating knowledge of the Hypervortex's Nexus at the disaster's ground zero was enough to secure an assignment, even without proper licensing paperwork.
Licensing and Registration
Appraisers are expected to be registered and licensed through the Bureau. This paperwork legitimizes their authority to investigate and engage anomalies, and it distinguishes them from unaffiliated Espers who might encounter anomalies without official sanction. The licensing system also ensures that Appraisers have passed the Bureau's containment safety examinations.
Zero is notably described as the first "unlicensed" Anomaly Hunter, having been assigned to Eibon before securing the necessary registration documents. This irregular status is a recurring narrative element; Eibon's boss takes a pragmatic view, suggesting that "a little rule-bending won't hurt" given the shop's precarious financial situation. Zero's lack of formal credentials does not prevent them from taking on commissions, but it creates tension with the Bureau's regulatory framework.
Eibon: The Appraiser's Base
Eibon is the antique shop that serves as the player's base of operations throughout the game. Described as "a severely underfunded branch of anomaly hunters operating out of a struggling antique shop," Eibon accepts anomaly commissions from the public to stay financially afloat. The shop is managed by Hotori and staffed by a small team of Espers, including Nanally Coluccis and other members who bring diverse combat skills and backgrounds.
As Eibon's Appraiser, Zero takes the lead on investigations. Commissions arrive from citizens, the Bureau, and other sources, each describing an anomalous event that needs resolution. The Appraiser must assess the commission, travel to the location, investigate the anomaly, and either contain or nullify it. This commission-based structure forms the backbone of the game's episodic narrative progression.
Esper Abilities
All Appraisers are Espers, meaning they possess supernatural abilities that set them apart from ordinary humans. These abilities are essential for the role, as anomalies cannot be effectively investigated or engaged without Esper powers. Key abilities relevant to the Appraiser role include:
Ability | Description |
|---|---|
Nexus Sense | The ability to perceive and locate the core of an anomaly. This is Zero's defining talent and what made them valuable to the Bureau. |
A combat mechanic where Espers infuse enemies with elemental attributes (Cosmos, Anima, Incantation, Chaos, Psyche, Lakshana). When adjacent attributes combine, they trigger synergy reactions that deal amplified damage. | |
Team Switching | Appraisers coordinate teams of Espers, swapping between party members mid-combat. The Esper Gauge system allows incoming characters to perform entry attacks while the current character remains briefly active, creating fluid overlapping engagements. |
Traversal Abilities | Many Esper abilities enable gravity-defying movement, such as running up buildings, soaring over rooftops, or using supernatural speed to navigate Hethereau's urban landscape. |
Investigation Workflow
Anomaly investigations follow a structured workflow that forms the core gameplay loop:
Phase | Description |
|---|---|
1. Commission Intake | Reports of anomalous activity arrive at Eibon from the public, the Bureau, or through the Appraiser's own observations in the open world. |
2. Field Research | The Appraiser travels to the affected area. Anomalies manifest as "distortions in reality ranging from strange to outright horrifying," and each one presents unique environmental cues and behaviors to observe. |
3. Evidence Gathering | The investigation involves collecting clues, examining the environment, and speaking with witnesses or affected individuals. This case-file approach builds toward identifying the anomaly's nature. |
4. Nexus Location | Using their instinct for anomaly cores, the Appraiser pinpoints the Nexus. This step is critical because destroying the Nexus is the key to nullification. |
5. Resolution | The team engages the anomaly directly. Depending on the threat level and Worheimer Index readings, the response is either containment (isolating the anomaly) or nullification (destroying the Nexus). |
6. Debrief | The outcome is reported, and the area is secured. The Bureau's records are updated with the findings. |
Story Significance
The Appraiser role is central to the game's narrative structure. The story progresses through episodic main quests that are unlocked as the player advances, each centered on a new anomaly case that reveals more about Hethereau's supernatural underbelly. The protagonist's amnesia and mysterious connection to the Hypervortex provide an overarching mystery that threads through these individual cases.
Beyond the main story, the Appraiser role connects to the game's side activities. Anomaly Commissions scattered throughout the open world offer standalone investigation missions with their own narratives and rewards. The launch roadmap confirmed that new Anomaly Commission areas would be added at launch, expanding the scope of the Appraiser's work. Additionally, High Risk Commissions provide more challenging encounters with new bosses for endgame-focused players.
See Also
The Appraiser (character profile for Esper Zero)
Eibon (the antique shop and base of operations)
Anomaly (the supernatural phenomena Appraisers investigate)
Nullification (the process of destroying an anomaly's Nexus)
Bureau Departments (the organizational structure of the Bureau)