ARES: THE IRON VANGUARD Interface and Menu Navigation Guide

To manage character stats and upgrade gear in ARES: THE IRON VANGUARD, open the main menu to access the Suit, Operator, and equipment sub-tabs. Primary quest tracking remains visible on the HUD during exploration, while pending rewards and available enhancements are highlighted by red notification indicators across the interface.

Primary HUD Navigation and Quest Tracking

The main heads-up display (HUD) houses active quest progression and key stat displays:

• Quest Tracker: Positioned in the top-left area of the screen. Select active quest prompts to follow critical story paths and unlock gated progression milestones.
• Inventory and Loadout Access: Use HUD shortcut icons to review gear stats and Combat Power (CP). Practice swapping equipment and navigating secondary loadouts in safe zones to ensure fluid management during raids and boss fights.

Locating Upgrade Tabs and Sub-Menus

Character customization and gear upgrades are organized within nested menu layers:

1. Open the Main Menu: Select the primary menu icon to expand main navigation headers.
2. Access Suit and Operator Tabs: Use these primary tabs to manage individual Combat Suit levels, Operator stats, and skill enhancements.
3. Find Equipment Enhancement: Open character management and navigate to the nested equipment sub-tab to apply enhancement materials to your gear.
4. Reset Navigation: Use the "Back" or "Home" icons anchored in the menu corners to step back through menu layers without triggering unnecessary loading screens.

Managing Daily Tasks, Currency, and UI Settings

• Red Indicator Notifications: Red dots or glowing icons indicate unclaimed quest rewards, mailbox items, or ready upgrades. Check and clear these daily to collect materials.
• Event and Mission Tabs: Review these screens regularly to track active tasks and limited-time objectives that reward rare currencies.
• Resource Tab: Monitor your gold and premium currency totals in the resource tab before making major gear modifications to avoid overspending on non-essential upgrades.
• HUD Customization: Adjust UI element size and transparency in the settings menu if HUD elements obscure combat vision. If a specific tab is hidden, verify whether your character has met the early-game level requirement to unlock it.