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The world of open-world RPGs with character and weapon gacha elements isn’t new by any means. It’s become so flooded that only a few manage to stay afloat among the sea of other colossal names leading the genre. Yet, that doesn’t mean other companies should stop trying. GRYPHLINE is taking the legendary Arknights name to create Endfield, which is one of the most ambitious, immersive, and stunning open-world RPG gachas out there. And while it has many things I love that make this game a must-play on my daily gacha schedule, it also has some pacing issues and confusing systems that might overwhelm some players.
An Endministrator’s Duty
In terms of the story, it is simple and one of the game’s weakest parts, at least in its launch version. Without delving too much into the actual plot, as that is something players should experience firsthand, the truth is that Endfield suffers a lot from some of the things that I found tedious in games like Wuthering Waves, mainly the underwhelming protagonist.
The story kicks off with an epic sequence where the main character navigates a battlefield and faces off against a huge creature, accompanied by spirit-like partners. Something happens, and the MC wakes up with no memories. The only thing they know is that they played a huge role during the exploration of Talos-II, the moon where the game takes place. After that, the protagonist’s fan club arises and falls into yet another “MC-glazing” trap that has become tiring in many gacha games lately.
If I could describe the 1.0 plot in a few words, it would be “presentation over substance.” Everything in Arknights: Endfield is dazzling, stunning, and really impressive, from the smaller details like raindrops falling on the clothes of every character and the materials reacting to these weather conditions, to the unique animations of every Operator in every cutscene; all of it is a visual marvel. However, outside of that, there isn’t a lot of narrative substance, as the pacing and lack of a compelling protagonist hurt the rich lore that Endfield is trying to build. Yet, if history has taught us anything, it is that the launch version of most gacha games is usually the weakest, and subsequent patches are far better, which is what I’m hoping for in terms of narrative.
A Builder, A Porter, and a Fighter
Gameplay, however, is where Arknights: Endfield truly shines, and actually fixes many of the gripes I have with some other open-world RPG gachas. Like others in the genre, Endfield allows you to run with a team of four characters, each with different roles, weapons, and elements. The big difference here, and one that made me fall in love with the game instantly, is that your companions don’t manifest out of thin air. They follow you, fight alongside you, and even gather materials for you or point at the location of some hidden chests. It may sound like a minor thing, but the fact that my party is with me makes the game way more immersive, as it feels like I have an actual team, and not just Operators that magically appear at the press of a button.
You can still control your favorite Operator, by the way, and those you are not using will act on their own. It is weird to see such polished AI-controlled characters nowadays, and Arknights: Endfield has certainly raised the bar there. On top of that, the actual combat mechanics are pretty engaging, albeit just as wordy as with other games, with a character gacha and several elemental reactions.
Every character has skills that you can perform if you have enough skill points. After a while, they also generate energy for their ultimate skill, which changes depending on the Operator. Instead of tediously changing characters to complete a rotation, you can trigger combo skills if certain conditions are met, like the MC’s skill triggering another Operator’s combo. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, as it removed the need to swap between characters at specific moments, with some of them just being there for a few seconds to provide a buff or nothing at all. It is also worth mentioning that you can use all characters’ skills and ultimates regardless of who you are controlling, all thanks to an easy-to-grasp combat UI, and one I wish more games would use.
Gearing is another aspect that might feel a bit scary for players. We all have relic-farming trauma, and while you won’t escape it here, it does it in a more entertaining way. One thing that Arknights: Endfield does is actually encourage you create your own things. While you can still head into these instances to farm materials, most of your gear and consumables come from actual crafting that you make after establishing your Satisfactory-like systems.
To create basic armor, for instance, you must find wood in the open world and then craft it on your base. If you want better equipment, however, you need to set up your production line. Endfield has this AIC system, which lets you send energy to other structures, build machines to process and build things, and so on. Once you set it up, you can deposit raw materials, wait for them to become a new item, and then craft your armor or tactical items that you can equip to every character.
It is really rare to see how an open-world gacha encourages players to explore a world to actually craft gameplay-relevant things, and not just to farm currency, yet Arknights: Endfield does it perfectly. Getting to the point where you can actually set up a proper production line takes a lot, especially since the story’s pacing can be a drag due to how tutorial-heavy it is. Still, once you have it all set up, it becomes extremely enjoyable. Don’t expect to turn Talos-II into a new conveyor belt-riddled moon, though.
Beyond that, Arknights: Endfield also takes inspiration from that asynchronous multiplayer system we’ve seen in Death Stranding, in the form of player-built structures you can use, and even messages you can leave for other Endministrators. It is a nice touch, and something that will likely become more helpful once other players start exploring the moon.
Overall, the gameplay of Arknights: Endfield was a highlight for me, and the one thing that kept me hooked. The combat mechanics are extremely engaging and polished, but exploration is just as important, making it a key element of the experience and not just a reward-chasing portion. I still think the tutorial drags for quite a while, but it is somewhat understandable given how Endfield tries to shake up the open-world gacha formula in different ways.
Too Much to Keep Track Of
The other complaint I have about Arknights: Endfield pertains to the whole character and weapon gacha system. I’m not going to throw some formulas here and there about the pull economy and whatnot, as this was a closed beta, and it is uncertain how it will work once the game goes live. However, what I will say is that the whole currency part felt extremely overwhelming at times, especially when coming from other gachas that have managed to simplify the process.
For starters, and this might sound petty, I’m not a big fan of rarities going up to 6 Stars. You have your 4-star characters, which aren’t that useful, 5-star Operators that are a bit more powerful and easier to obtain, sort of in line with other games’ 4-star characters, and then your premium and OP 6-star characters. I know the original Arknights had this system, and it might not be a big deal for some, but it often feels like an unnecessary thing to further confuse players, especially those used to only two rarities. Then again, it might be a thing of getting used to it, just like with any other gacha.
The real headache-inducing part, at least for me, is the number of currencies you have in the game. For starters, Arknights: Endfield doesn’t do a great job at making the UI friendly in terms of keeping track of your currency. You have one for the premium banners, then different Permits for pulls, some temporary, some event-exclusive. Then, there’s another item you get in chests or as quest rewards and can use to turn into the currency you need for pulls. There is also one for your Arsenal, which is the weapon gacha, and a couple more.
While it isn’t new to see this many currencies in a gacha game, Endfield went a bit overboard, and the reason they feel so confusing is that the visual design of each isn’t great. It is hard to figure out which currency does what. Yet another thing that I hope gets a visual redesign for launch, at least to make keeping track of things easier.
A Fresh Take on the Open-World Gacha Recipe
Despite some minor hiccups, Arknights: Endfield has a solid foundation to be a superb open-world RPG with gacha elements. The fact that it encourages exploration and makes it gameplay-relevant is one of the simplest yet monumental changes to the genre, and one I can’t wait to experience once the game fully launches. On top of that, the combat and building mechanics are pretty addictive, and all of that is paired with gorgeous-looking characters and the most stunning visuals in any gacha game to date.
Still, the real work will begin as soon as Version 1.0 launches, because a few things still need fixing. The whole currency UI needs a visual overhaul to make it easier to understand, and the pacing of the first couple of hours needs to change, especially if it wants to make a lasting impression on new players. Yet, even if those changes take a long time to come, the truth is that it is nice to have another open-world gacha that breaks the mold of many staples, and does it in a stunning and engaging way.
Arknights: Endfield PC/PS5
Arknights: Endfield stands out as one of the most visually stunning RPGs with gacha elements, that also adds several features to freshen up the formula. Still, it can be a bit overwhelming in terms of UI design and some of its systems.
Pros
- Stunning visuals
- Top-notch character designs
- Excellent combat systems
Cons
- UI and currencies can be confusing
- Some systems can be a tad overwhelming
