I put in over 70 hours Arknights: Endfield Beta and in general it was a pretty good time. Sure, there are several unevenness here and there; Some things could exploit a little Polish, and sometimes things can leisurely down, but nothing that really did not win fun. This is a unique game with lots of potential, and a few corrections I think that it can really be something special, something that stands out in the full repetition.
Narrative soup: Hit or miss
The narrative began with a bang and made it addicted, and then simply … over time it fell out. The initial building of the world was intriguing and in the game some solid secrets were. Even before the story ends in the beta version, there were still things to consider, because it is obvious that there will be more to continue. However, as time passed, the pace began to really continue, as a result of which the narrative suffered.
In the end I just skipped the dialogue because he just couldn’t stop me anymore. Main cast? To be straightforward, they felt quite unforgettable. There was a potential captivating dynamics, but something in writing simply did not lead them to life. They felt as if they knew that they were only characters in the history of video games. Strange, as it sounds, made them less addictive, transforming what should be unforgettable characters into those where I tried to deal with.
The story itself began with intriguing ideas, but soon it fell into the trap of quite general sense. It’s like Hypergryph checking all standard boxes, never really adding something fresh or engaging to keep me in the next scene. Even the main antagonist was so forgotten that I don’t even remember her name, and I still followed this story when she appeared. This is a real problem, especially in the game in which the narrative should be one of its drive forces, because there are many stories to follow. It seemed to me a lost opportunity.
One of the outstanding characters, however, was Perlica. It is the most captivating of the whole cast. He is a steadfast form of the type of rules, which makes it more convincing when the group releases it from the comfort zone, usually through comical moments. Her reactions add the depth of her character, and even when everything else pulls, remains a relative anchor.
Fight flow: Strategic battles and rubbing buttons?
The fight was another mixed bag for me. It starts slowly. Very leisurely. For example: “Why am I just a basic attack all the time?” leisurely. At the beginning it seems that you are simply moving away without a much strategy, but when you unlock fresh skills and mechanics, it begins to connect as a package.
The whole system rotates around the skill meter. You get three skill fees, and when you don’t leave, you’ll get stuck with basic attacks until you regenerate (which is also quite leisurely). The final attacks, attacks that finish the combination of characters facilitate to complement it, but even then there are points where the fight is simply due to the impossibility of doing something except for the basic attack while waiting.
I understand what programmers choose here, but to be straightforward, I think that the skill meter causes more harm than good with general combat experience. At the beginning of the fighting you will finally exploit most of the skill meter to get as much early benefits. It works for shorter meetings, but longer ones really emphasize the stimulation problem caused by this system.
To say, the skills of combinations between a team of four and the resulting effects of status are not completely lifeless. Time and positioning have more as progressed, and some enemies force you to think about what you do, what is more than what can be said about most games in this genre.
In general, I wouldn’t say that the fight is bad. In fact, it’s quite good when the flow comes, but I can’t shake the feeling that it can be much better. It tries to be a tactical RPG, but the tactical part seems half -baked most of the time because of all basic attacks. Still, I think it is far from redemption. It is comical/useful enough and I think that feedback will cause future improvements.
Factory chain: Creating the perfect machine
It is there Arknights: Endfield Really shining. The factory system is deep, complicated and absurdly satisfying if you love production lines and performance puzzles. Configuring automated work flows, optimizing material chains and making sure that everything works smoothly, is a kiss of the chef. This is the type of system in which you start thinking, Only five more minutesAnd suddenly hours passed. I spent hours thinking about the best ways to optimize my base and it would simply never grow senior. If you like such games Factorio Or SatisfactoryYou will feel at home here.
The level of detail and adaptation in factory management is impressive. You need to balance the distribution of energy, automate the resource chains and make sure you produce appropriate materials at the right time. There are even bottlenecks that you need to solve problems, and the satisfaction of determining the incompetent production loop is extremely satisfying. You not only spread the buildings and call it the day; You are constantly tuning and adapting to make sure your factory works with peak performance.
But if you don’t like building a base, this game may not be for you. The history of history requires improving your factory and is not overcome. You will spend so much time if not more, managing your factory as you will discover the world. This is not only lateral activity; This is part of the basic game. And to be straightforward, I love it. Each improves update and performance seems sensible, and if you are a type that loves-mass systems, you will be in heaven.
Character progression: grind or glory?
Character progression is honestly standard gach. You polish resources in time with a circumscribed endurance pool to level your characters, skills and weapons. Nothing revolutionary, but he performs this task. If you played any other RPG gach, you know exactly what to expect here. There are several neat update paths, and the options for adjusting the compilation by the equipment are decent, but I would not call it a breakthrough. All right. Useful. More of the same. Let’s go on.
User interface: Navigation in a game without a headache
In the case of playing as much as tactical struggle, gach and factory management, you would think that the user interface will be a mess, right? Surprising is really intuitive and basic to navigate. You don’t meet Gach’s game with such a pristine, well -designed interface every day. Switching between fighting, building a base and character management seems trouble -free, without a misleading menu to get lost. Everything is developed intuitively, so you can spend less time on trouble with control elements, and more time to play.
Tutorials are silky and to the point, with zero unnecessary down. The menu is very well thought out and basic to exploit, thanks to which everything seems basic. This is one of those things that could easily go wrong, but in fact it is a joy of interaction. Most importantly, I respect your time, something that every game should do, honestly.
My closing thoughts
When I jumped for the first time Arknights: EndfieldI had no idea what to expect. The trailers made the game look nippy, but I never fully understood what they really played about. Well, it turns out that he is really amazing. It is if Chronicles of the Xenoblade chronicle AND Factorio I had a love child, with a little gachy thrown for good. This is a solid game and I think it will be better from here. If hypergryphic can exacerbate the fight and make a story more thrilling in the long run, this game can really become something special.
The game hits this sweet place between elements of strategy, management and RPG, and I am here. I am excited, seeing where it is going, especially when the official version appears and more.
