Overview
The Prologue is the opening chapter of Neverness to Everness's main story. It introduces the protagonist, the city of Hethereau, the Eibon Antique Shop crew, and the broader anomaly investigation premise. The chapter is split into multiple labelled segments, with Prologue I being the first playable mission. Daily content, anomaly commissions, and most of the launch event chain unlock once the player completes Prologue Part 2.
Functionally, the Prologue is also the game's tutorial. It uses a pre-defined party rather than the player's own roster, walks the player through the major combat systems one at a time, and ends with the Picture Frame boss as the gating encounter for full city access.
Prologue I Structure
Prologue I unfolds across four major phases, each focused on a specific gameplay system:
Phase | Setting | Mechanics Taught |
|---|---|---|
1. Clear New Helios City | Movement, jumping, dodging, and Ultimate attacks. Three short tutorial battles use Lacrimosa, Skia, and Fadia in separate scripted encounters. | |
2. Meet the Bureau Director | Navigation through the Bureau facility. NPC interactions with Nelly and Mint. The protagonist is sworn in as a contractor. | |
3. Explore the Anomalous Realm | Anomalous Realm (picture frame portal) | Party switching, support skills, and Esper Cycle reactions. The player is dropped into the realm beyond the picture frame and runs through environmental tutorial battles before the boss. |
4. Boss Fight | Anomalous Realm interior | The Picture Frame boss as a guided introduction to Parry System and Stagger System Break. |
Cast
The Prologue introduces the core supporting cast that returns throughout the rest of the launch story. Most appear in scripted scenes rather than as fully playable team members during the prologue itself.
Esper Zero - the player-character protagonist (Appraiser). Available in male or female versions; the choice is made at the start of the prologue.
Mint - Bureau of Anomaly Control operative; first encountered during the Bureau visit and used in the Picture Frame boss fight.
Nelly - NPC contact at the Bureau.
Lacrimosa, Skia, Fadia - used in scripted New Helios tutorial battles to teach movement and ultimate mechanics.
Picture Frame Boss
Prologue I closes with the Picture Frame boss, catalogued as Anomaly R-3707. The fight teaches Parry Attack, Critical Riposte, and Break. The Picture Frame is weak to Anima damage and has no resistance to other elements, which is why Mint is the recommended on-field DPS for the encounter. See The Picture Frame for the full mechanics and strategy breakdown.
Rewards
Completing Prologue I delivers a bundle of opening rewards:
500 Hunter Level EXP
Starter Annulith, Fons, and Beetle Coins
Tutorial chest crafting materials and consumables
Access to the Hethereau open world
After Prologue I
Several systems unlock progressively as the player works through the rest of the prologue and into early-game content:
Unlocked At | System |
|---|---|
Prologue I clear | Free roam in Hethereau, glider, vehicle requisition, photo mode |
Prologue Part 2 clear | Daily Quests, daily commissions, the daily routine loop |
Subsequent main story progress | Additional districts, further commission tiers, side activities, mini-games, anomaly dungeons, and the Pink Paws Heist |
Connection to Launch Events
The launch reward chain assumes the player will clear the Prologue early. Several launch milestones are gated behind story progression:
Anomaly Hunter's Journey milestones become claimable as the player levels up through Hunter Level checkpoints, which is fastest by completing prologue chapters and starting the daily routine.
Pre-Registration Rewards, including the free A-Class character Haniel, arrive in the in-game mailbox at server open and can be claimed during the prologue without finishing it.
Redeem Codes require the in-game mail and code interface, both of which unlock during the prologue's opening tutorial.
Tips
Watch every prologue cutscene rather than skipping. Several pieces of in-world flavour and the Esper Zero gender-choice prompt are tied to those scenes.
Practise parries on prologue trash mobs. The Picture Frame fight is much smoother if the parry timing is already locked in before the boss starts.
Save the Day 3 login reward Aurelia mail unlock for after the prologue. The mailbox stays available, but having Aurelia in the team for the post-prologue tutorial battles speeds up early progression.
Push to Prologue Part 2 quickly to unlock daily quests. The daily routine is the largest steady source of Hunter Level XP and Beetle Coins in the launch window.
Equip the Officer Whisker glider after the prologue clears for the first time. The glider unlocks during the city free-roam segment and is the launch-window social-media-milestone reward.