Character design in mobile gaming usually follows a template. You know the one. Bright colors, tropes you can spot from a mile away, and personalities that basically boil down to "I like the protagonist." But honestly, Punishing Gray Raven characters are just built different. Kuro Games didn't just make avatars to sell pulls; they built a cast of tragic, post-apocalyptic cyborgs—or Constructs—that actually feel like they’re carrying the weight of a dying world on their mechanical shoulders.
The lore is heavy. It's gritty.
In the world of PGR, a biological machine virus called the Punishing has basically wiped humanity off the face of the Earth, forcing them onto a space station called Babylonia. To fight back, humans take the minds of volunteers—or sometimes victims—and shove them into robotic bodies. These are your Constructs. But here's the kicker: they aren't just robots. They are human consciousnesses fighting to stay sane while their bodies are literally weapons of war.
The Lucia Paradox and Why We Care
Lucia is the face of the game, but she’s not your standard "brave knight" protagonist. If you’ve played through the early chapters, you probably thought she was a bit stiff. That’s intentional. As the story evolves, especially through the Evernight Beat and Echo Aria arcs, we realize that "Lucia" isn't even a singular person. She’s a series of iterations.
The dynamic between Lucia: Lotus, Lucia: Dawn, and the fan-favorite Lucia: Plume is a masterclass in existential dread. Plume, specifically, represents a version of Lucia that has to grapple with the memories of her predecessor while trying to forge her own identity. It’s messy. It’s sad. When she says she wants to see the sky with the Commandant, it doesn’t feel like cheap fan service; it feels like a desperate wish from someone who knows she might be "reset" at any moment.
Then there’s Alpha. Lucia: Crimson Abyss.
She is the literal antithesis of the Babylonia version. She is the original. Seeing the "real" Lucia become an Ascendant—a being that has embraced the Punishing virus without losing her mind—flips the whole script. You aren't just playing a hero; you're playing a copy of a woman who felt betrayed by the very people you now work for. That kind of nuance is why Punishing Gray Raven characters stick in your head long after you close the app.
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Lee and Liv: More Than Just Sidekicks
Lee (Palefire and Entropy) is usually the "cool, calculated" guy, but his backstory in the Left Unsaid chapter is genuinely heartbreaking. He’s a genius who gave up his humanity to save his brother. He’s cynical because he sees the math of the war, and the math usually says everyone is going to die. But he keeps fighting anyway. His newest frame, Lee: Hyperreal, literally explores multiple timelines just to find the one where humanity survives. It’s high-concept sci-fi that most gachas wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
And then there’s Liv.
Poor Liv. She starts as the "team healer," the soft-spoken heart of Gray Raven. But Kuro Games loves to put their characters through the wringer. In Surviving Lucem, Liv: Empyrea has to sacrifice her own mental stability to act as a literal lightning rod for the virus. The community still hasn't recovered from that chapter. It changed the way we see her. She isn't just a support unit; she’s a martyr who is terrified of being alone.
The Complexity of the Ascendants
It’s easy to write villains. It’s hard to write someone like Roland or Luna.
Luna isn't just a "dark lord." She’s a scared child who was experimented on and left for dead, who then found power in the very thing that was supposed to kill her. Her bond with her sister, Lucia, is the emotional core of the entire first half of the game. When you pull for a character like Luna: Laurel, you aren't just getting a powerful Dark-element attacker. You’re getting a character whose entire kit—the shifting area of effect, the gravity manipulation—reflects her desire to rewrite a world that rejected her.
Roland is even weirder. He’s a theater kid with a god complex and a whip. He acts as the "clown" of the Ascendants, but his loyalty to Luna is absolute. Playing as Roland: Flambeau feels different because his mechanics are rhythmic, almost like a dance. It fits his personality perfectly.
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Why the Combat Style Matters for Characterization
In PGR, the way a character moves tells you who they are.
- Nanami: She’s an anomaly. A machine that gained consciousness on its own. Her gameplay (especially in the Starfarer frame) is chaotic and fun because she doesn't see the world the same way the others do. She treats the apocalypse like a playground because she’s the only one who can see the "End of Time."
- Watanabe: A veteran. His movements are precise, stealthy, and efficient. He led a breakaway faction because he didn't trust the politicians on Babylonia. You feel that grit in his gameplay.
- Vera: Honestly, Vera: Flare is probably the most popular character for a reason. She’s sadistic, aggressive, and incredibly protective of her squad, Cerberus. Her combat style is "in your face." She doesn't hide behind a shield; she forces the enemy to blink first.
The game uses "Orbs" for combat. You match colors to trigger skills. While it sounds simple, the specific "Core Passive" of each character is where the personality shines. 21 (XXI) moves like a feral animal because she was raised in a lab. Karenina uses massive hammers and blast-jumps because she’s constantly frustrated and needs an outlet for her rage. It’s cohesive.
The E-E-A-T Factor: What the "Meta" Gets Wrong
If you look at tier lists, you’ll see people obsessing over "Gen 2" attackers. Characters like Bianca: Stigmata or Lamia: Lost Lullaby. And yeah, they are incredibly strong. They powercreep the older units.
But if you only care about the numbers, you're missing the point of Punishing Gray Raven characters.
The community lore experts, like those on the PGR Wiki or dedicated lore hunters on Reddit, will tell you that the real value is in the Interludes. Every character has a "hidden" story mode. You have to play these. They explain why No. 21 is obsessed with smells, or why Chrome feels the need to be a "perfect" leader even when his body is failing.
The game is a tragedy. Even the "wins" feel like they cost something. This isn't a world where the power of friendship saves the day. It’s a world where the power of friendship might keep you from turning into a mindless monster for another ten minutes.
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Dealing With the "Gacha" Element
Let's be real: getting these characters can be tough if you aren't smart with your Black Cards. But PGR is surprisingly generous compared to its competitors.
- New S-Rank characters have a 100% guarantee at 60 pulls.
- The "pity" system doesn't reset if you pull an A-Rank.
- You can farm shards for many characters just by playing the game.
This accessibility means more players actually get to experience the story beats of these characters. You aren't locked out of the "good stuff" just because you didn't spend five hundred dollars. You can experience Selena’s tragic operatic story in Recitativo di Fantasia entirely through gameplay.
Practical Steps for New Players
If you're just starting and want to dive into the best Punishing Gray Raven characters, here is how you should actually approach it. Don't just pull on the first banner you see.
First, focus on the "Novice" missions to get your free S-Rank selector. Most people suggest picking Nanami: Pulse or Lee: Entropy, but honestly? Pick the one whose design you like. The "meta" doesn't really kick in until the endgame (War Zone and Phantom Pain Cage).
Second, read the Interludes. I cannot stress this enough. If you skip the text, you’re playing a 3D action game with some cool models. If you read the text, you’re experiencing one of the best sci-fi stories in gaming right now. Start with Lucia’s interlude. It recontextualizes everything you see in the first five chapters.
Third, manage your resources for the "Anniversary" or "Debut" banners. This is when the 100% rate-up is active. There is nothing worse than spending all your currency on a standard banner and getting a duplicate of a character you don't use.
Finally, join the community. Whether it’s the official Discord or the subreddit, the PGR community is surprisingly helpful when it comes to explaining the complex "memory" builds (the game's version of gear). Each character needs a specific set of Memories to function. For example, Lucia: Plume needs the Hanna or Darwin sets to really maximize her burst damage.
The world of Punishing Gray Raven is bleak, but the characters are the spark that makes it worth saving. They aren't just "units." They’re soldiers, survivors, and occasionally, monsters. And that’s exactly why they work.