Neon Abyss 2 agents and how to unlock them
Every Neon Abyss 2 agent: starting weapons, abilities and the task system that unlocks each character, plus how random picks and agent profiles work.
Nik is your starter. As of 1.0 there are nine more agents — Elise, Saya, James, Mira, Cassie, Lúcia, Xuan, R-7 and Tino — and every one except Nik unlocks by finishing that agent's own task. Task progress is cumulative, so partial runs still count.
How the agent system works
You start Neon Abyss 2 with Nik, and every other agent is locked behind their own task — a small set of objectives you can complete over as many runs as you need. Task progress is cumulative, so a failed run still moves the bar.
Two places show your progress: the Task screen at the bar (next to the agent selection), and the Agent tab in the in-game menu. You swap agents at the Agent screen near the dance floor.
The 1.0 update added two things worth knowing: random agent selection at the bar, and per-agent profiles that record each character's abilities, boss kill record and your highest Fate total — handy when you are planning which boss route to learn next.
The roster at 1.0
Ten agents are documented in the current build: Nik, plus nine unlockable agents. Each unlock also has a matching Steam achievement, and when achievements shipped, criteria you had already met were granted retroactively.
| Agent | Known for | Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Nik | The starter agent, playable from your first run | Available from the start |
| Saya | Task-tracked unlock; the Supporter Pack adds a Saya skin | Her task — Showing Promise |
| Elise | Task-tracked unlock | Her task — Freshly Hatched |
| James | Task-tracked unlock | His task — Weapon Virtuoso |
| Mira | A reckless thrill-seeker who thrives on danger — pain is her reward | Her task — Explosive Spark |
| Cassie | Ranged Glint gun that fires a lucky bullet every fourth shot, scaling with your keys; her Carousel Music Box opens doors and chests without keys, at the risk of mistiming and taking damage | Her task — Treasure Hunter |
| Xuan | Wisp-flavored kit; Xuan's skill now grants invincibility frames | His task — Shadow Syndicate |
| Lúcia | Task-tracked unlock | Her task — Magic Appreciation |
| R-7 | The robot successor to the retired R-6 — "more like two R-6s in a trench coat" | His task — Ironclad Rock |
| Tino | Street-dwelling rapper; duplicates Wonder Jars at the cost of a little life | His task (check the Task screen) |
Which agent should you unlock first?
Match the task to how you already play, because most tasks push you toward that agent's comfort zone anyway:
- You hoard keys: Cassie. Her lucky bullets scale with keys, and the Carousel Music Box turns spare keys into a flexible unlock tool.
- You love items and jars: Tino. Duplicating Wonder Jars is one of the strangest build engines in the game.
- You want a tanky caster lane: Xuan. Wisp builds are strong at the moment, and his skill's invincibility frames forgive sloppy dodges.
- You want chaos: Mira. Her kit rewards danger, which is exactly as advertised.
- You just want progression: Saya and James' tasks tend to happen naturally while you learn the game.
Agent profiles and records
Since 1.0, every agent keeps their own profile page: abilities in plain language, a boss kill record, and your best Fate result. It is the fastest way to see which bosses you have actually cleared with each character — and it feeds the boss-route planning in our bosses guide.
Questions we see a lot
- Can I switch agents mid-run? No — agent choice is locked per run. Pick at the bar before you descend.
- Do I lose progress on a failed run? Task progress, unlocks and currency that was already banked stay. You only lose what you were carrying.
- Is there a "best" agent overall? There is no single best; any category can work with any agent. The profiles exist so you can check your own record instead of trusting a tier list.
If you are picking your first unlock right now, read this together with Best Builds — some agents lean into build lanes (keys, jars, wisps) that the weapon and set systems reward heavily.
