Arknights: Endfield Review – Stars From the End

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Many free-to-play games get a bad reputation, and it’s not always about how they try to make money. Weak stories, uninteresting worlds, and poor dialogue can be even bigger problems. But recently, some free games have stood out as being surprisingly generous, with rich worlds and beautiful art. The main issue is often that you have to play through a slow start to get to the really fun parts – the core gameplay and the best content.

Okay, so I’ve been really into Arknights for a while now, and it’s awesome because of the community. But honestly, tower defense isn’t for everyone. That’s why everyone’s been hyped for Arknights: Endfield – a lot of us love the Arknights world but wanted something bigger, flashier, and more action-packed. Endfield kinda delivers on that, though it’s not perfect, and it’s definitely got a ways to go before it can really stand toe-to-toe with the top games out there.

It’s strange, considering Hypergryph created a much more interesting amnesia storyline in Arknights. However, this new character, Endmin, is remarkably calm and doesn’t really grab your attention at first.

This isn’t the Doctor’s story – instead, you play as the Endministrator, who can use Originium (don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe!) to restore order to Talos-2. The game takes place 150 years after the events of Arknights, and begins ten years after the Endministrator goes into hibernation. They wake up with amnesia, a classic plot device! As you explore this huge, wild world, you’ll learn about the story, combat, and the Automated Industrial Complex (AIC) while uncovering the Endministrator’s lost memories.

Although the story starts with a promising and intriguing setup, it quickly loses momentum and feels like the events aren’t very important. This is despite a backdrop of widespread destruction on the moon, the threat of powerful beings called Aggeloi falling from the sky, and a growing, organized bandit group called the Landbreakers led by the enigmatic Nefarith.

Honestly, sometimes the game really slows down because we get stuck in these super long conversations that could honestly be way shorter and keep things moving. And it’s not just the length, but the writing itself feels a little stiff. The voice actors are fantastic – I love Chen Qianyu’s energy and Wulfgard’s rough voice – but they can only do so much with dialogue that doesn’t feel natural. It often sounds like people wouldn’t actually say those things, or it’s just packed with unnecessary details that don’t really add anything to the story.

It’s a common problem for games trying to build expansive new worlds – especially those connected to existing franchises like Arknights. However, the story feels off because the main character, Endmin, seems strangely calm after losing their memories. It’s surprising, considering Hypergryph created a much more engaging amnesia storyline in Arknights already. Endmin initially comes across as remarkably unfazed and lacks depth. While Perlica’s unwavering determination feels a bit much, at least the other characters have some personality.

Traveling to Wuling City brings positive changes, as you meet the enigmatic Ardashir and uncover details about Chen’s history – including the reasons she departed. However, the conversations still feel a bit awkward. While not terrible, and occasionally memorable, the dialogue isn’t always smooth or captivating.

I appreciate that the developers chose not to make the game an open world. This decision not only suits the factory-building aspect better, but also makes each area feel richer and more packed with things to do.

While the writing in Endfield isn’t its strongest point, the game truly shines with its world design and exploration. The anime art style might not appeal to everyone, but I think Mountain Contour did a fantastic job with it. The characters maintain a beautiful anime look, full of detail and smooth animation, but the real star is the world of Talos-2. It’s a stunning, heavily industrial sci-fi landscape that blends perfectly with the more natural areas of Valley 4. Seeing the world warped by the Corruption, creating strange anomalies, gives it a haunting and beautiful feel. In contrast, Wuling City offers a peaceful atmosphere with its modern Chinese architecture and bamboo forests, but the thick, humid air hints at a deeper, underlying mystery and a sense of unease.

I appreciate that the developers chose not to make this an open-world game. This approach works well with the factory-building aspect and makes each area feel packed with things to do. You won’t spend a lot of time traveling between challenges. These challenges vary – sometimes you’ll simply fight off waves of enemies, which become more engaging as you improve your gear and utilize tools like turrets. There are also puzzles, mysteries to investigate, enemies to defeat, facilities to rebuild, and side quests to complete – it’s a really diverse range of content. While the puzzles aren’t always complex, the joy of exploration is strong. It shares that exciting feeling of pushing boundaries you find in games like Satisfactory and Factorio, and those two feelings really define the gameplay: combat and building your factory.

Okay, so let me just say, I really got into the factory building aspect of this game, and I think it’s the strongest part. There’s definitely a bit of a learning curve at first, mostly figuring out the menus and how everything works, but once you get the hang of it, it’s super satisfying. If you’ve played games where you gather resources, process them, and build automated systems, you’ll feel right at home – it’s all about collecting stuff, turning it into better stuff, keeping the power on, and making sure everything runs smoothly.

The game offers many uses for your creations, from making items for delivery to building your own equipment. You can also share these creations with the wider world, similar to how things work in Death Stranding. Building ziplines is a prime example, but you’ll also create relays to expand the AI Core’s power, unlocking new areas and treasure chests, fixing recycling stations, and even building automated mining drills while you’re out exploring. If you prefer to gather resources yourself early on, your team members will help, which is a really helpful feature.

Despite some potential drawbacks and the game’s focus on base building – which might not appeal to everyone – I’d still recommend Arknights: Endfield. There’s a lot to explore beyond the basics, including building relationships with characters, giving them gifts, crafting, and fine-tuning your equipment for optimal performance.

While the factory building might seem a bit daunting, and isn’t as intricate as some similar games, there are plenty of helpful guides available. Plus, you can earn a lot of rewards, particularly when managing regions. I’m a little unsure if the game will maintain its appeal over time, but there’s huge potential for future updates and expansions, with options like adding new resources, buildings, and challenges.

One of the weaker parts of Arknights: Endfield is definitely the combat. It’s not terrible, but it gets repetitive quickly, mostly involving attacking enemies and using available combos. You can add variety by inflicting elemental effects and powerful ‘Bursts,’ and building a team around these is important. However, this can limit your team options, as focusing on a single element currently seems to be the most effective strategy.

The gameplay itself lacks meaningful strategic depth. You can use your characters’ abilities whenever they’re ready, and it doesn’t really change how things play out, regardless of your character’s level. While it can be fun, and dodging adds a bit of excitement and keeps things moving, the game would be much better with more real strategy involved.

Despite some drawbacks and the somewhat unusual factory-building aspect, I’d still recommend Arknights: Endfield. There’s a lot to explore beyond the basics, like building relationships with characters, crafting items, and fine-tuning your equipment. Just don’t go in expecting amazing combat, and be patient – the story takes time to become engaging. Even on its own, it’s a fascinating blend of action RPG, automation, and exploration, all with beautiful visuals. Whether it will ultimately become something truly exceptional remains to be seen.

This game was reviewed on PC.

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2026-01-21 16:19