Arknights: Endfield & our hands-on preview of beta 2.0

• We got hands-on with the upcoming Arknights: Endfield in LA
• Find out what we thought about the new spinoff, that's being tested on mobile for the first time
• The latest beta is available November 28th and features a whole new map

Whether it’s all of the appearances at various shows from Tokyo to Cologne, or being shown off for mobile on the then-newly announced iPhone 17 Pro, Gryphline haven’t missed a trick in publicising Arknights: Endfield.

The upcoming spin-off sequel to the original Arknights has lavish development on display. Full 3D graphics, fast-paced third-person combat that wouldn’t be out of place in MiHoYo’s hyper-popular catalogue and, of course, a wholly redesigned version of their iconic tower-defence gameplay.

Even then, with all the publicising, I still couldn’t have been prepared for what I saw in our hands-on preview of Arknights: Endfield's second beta, available November 28th.

Performance

The most important thing to note upfront is that this preview build I played was only on PC. The upcoming second beta test will be available on mobile, however, but it’s something to keep in mind. According to the presentation we attended the fidelity will be lower on mobile, but at 1-2 million polygons compared to 3-4 on PC, Arknights: Endfield is still a force to be reckoned with on mobile. So be sure to check those required specs.

According to the devs, optimisation has been a major focus for this upcoming second beta. Arknights: Endfield will have up to 50-100% more technical demand than similar competitors. And that’s not necessarily down to any issue with the product, but more the sheer amount of effects, scale and systems on display here.

About the only issue I noticed playing the PC demo was that the camera movement could feel a bit slow, even with the sensitivity pumped up. On touchscreen that’ll doubtless be easier, but it’s indicative there’s still some kinks to be ironed out ahead of launch.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Arknights: Endfield (from what I played) has a much greater emphasis on real-time 3D combat. It’s a quite engaging and visceral mix of auto-battler and brawler, with the ability to fire off your team’s moves as all three of your companions jump into combat with you.

You’ll be tasked with timing combos, staggering opponents and effectively managing crowd control. On PC this is still quite easy, and with a touchscreen it can only be simpler. You’ve even got the requisite ‘perfect dodges’ to help you build up meter to deploy your ultimate abilities.

Where this may sit poorly with longtime Arknights fans is the less important role played by tower defence. From what I played, tower defence was available only in certain areas, such as a sequence in the prologue and around one of the maps called the Originium Science Park.

That being said, the new Factorio-style gameplay for gathering and refining resources was a highlight. For those worried about being confused there was a wealth of tutorials available (which themselves offer rewards for completion) and a blueprint system that lets you build and share your creations to fans.

Considering that one of the core parts of this Factorio gameplay is building mining outposts, I’ve no doubt that building defences will be key there. But from what I played it was mainly prearranged plots of land and conveyor belts that, while working well, weren’t in any active danger or so it seemed.

Gameplay-wise the major focus here is on 3D exploration and movement. If you’ve played something like Genshin Impact this’ll be pretty familiar, but there’s plenty of nooks and crannies to explore alongside collectibles and goodies. You’ll find different tasks to complete too, meaning you’ll have plenty of diversions to break up the long treks to new areas and quests.

There’s also quite a grab-bag of other features, such as photo mode, text messages with characters and even audio logs (oh, we’re System Shock now?) to collect. Suffice it to say that for the low, low price of free there’s a huge amount of depth already on display for Endfield.

Plot

I'm not altogether familiar with the plot of Arknights, but as Catherine quizzed me on the connection between it and Endfield I thought it might be worth going over here. As the Endministrator you're the leader of Endfield Industries, a group trying to colonise the alien planet of Talos II.

You may notice some familiar-looking characters, but as told to me by the developers these are not the same as those from the original Arknights. Instead these are new versions, or reincarnations, who bear some similarity to their original but often with drastic new changes.

Chen Qianyu for example boasts a more vibrant personality than her original- but you'll have to check my interview with producer Light Zhong to find out more!

Audio

The audio of Arknights: Endfield is a real treat. Aside from the music, which itself is particularly enjoyable, there’s also plenty of atmospheric sounds and real-time effects. Stuff like moving from different surfaces offering different footstep sounds and the rustle of clothing or belts jangling makes it feel particularly immersive to explore the world of Endfield.

We also got an exclusive concert from the band Starset who also offered some insights into their work with Gryphline. Their much heavier sound may still be a bit melodramatic for some, but their influence can be felt (heard…?) throughout Endfield. It helps to further distinguish Endfield from its more cartoonish and feel-good counterparts.

Graphics

I don’t think it’s unfair to say that Arknights: Endfield is a real treat for the eyes. If you’ve played the first beta then most of what you’ll have seen will be the same, just more refined. And even compressed for a smaller screen it will undoubtedly be impressive, and pretty taxing on your hardware.

Where Arknights does stand out is in the new Wuling City area which will be available in the second beta. The first areas you can explore are what I’d call ‘Borderlands-lite’ and can be pretty samey after a while. Giant outcrops of Originium (the special mineral) and industrial warehouses aren’t exactly world-changing in terms of aesthetics.

But Wuling City offers a completely new area in terms of aesthetics and navigation. Consisting of a Chinese-inspired bamboo forest and rivers, the lush vegetation and atmospheric mist is a real change from the grimy industrial wasteland.

Wuling City itself, meanwhile, was a particular highlight. In the presentation we got some background on how the team behind Endfield had wanted to offer a modernised take on traditional Chinese architecture, something I think they accomplished with flair.

The city consists of multiple tiers and areas to explore, with plenty of nooks and crannies and flowing water which ties the entire place together aesthetically and thematically. People are at work and play, and it manages to feel like quite the living, breathing city.

There’re areas which really do surprise (in a good way) including a particular character’s office, which consists of jade blocks and holograms that offer strange techno-futuristic take on traditional Chinese elements.

Misc

Overall, my thoughts on Endfield aren’t likely to differ too much from the crowd. Not that this is a bad thing, mind you. Endfield has obvious care and attention to detail plastered throughout, and even some of the more uninterested attendees quickly warmed to it throughout our demo period.

Admittedly, if you’re put off by high drama, melodramatic JRPG storylines you might find Endfield a little hard to get into. Your status as the ‘Endministrator’ means that most characters you meet area already familiar with your amnesiac self, and being hailed as a living legend might make you feel a bit awkward without having done much.

At the same time, Endfield has such care and attention to detail that it even won over my scepticism. It’s telling that the gacha elements such as banners look so out of place compared to the minimalist, cyberpunk style of the rest of the UI.

I only have a few gripes. For one, the prologue does an excellent job of already introducing you to combat, and even how your party works. But the first missions will rehash much of that, which can feel a bit redundant.

The Factorio-style gameplay also does not feel appropriate for the faint of heart. This is a very dense system that’s sure to draw in some enthusiasts but may terrify others. At the same time Gryphline have gone to great efforts to try and address that with the aforementioned blueprints system.

Ultimately, Arknights: Endfield has plenty to offer by way of gameplay, structure and storyline. At the same time it's coming to a heavily saturated genre, and I'd hate to see it overlooked because of that. So if you're curious about giving it a go be sure to sign up for the official beta on the Arknights: Endfield website ahead of November 28th!