Recently, I was provided the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles and be one of the first people to play the Arknights: Endfield Beta Test II. If you haven’t seen my coverage of the first closed beta test, make sure to check it out. What I share here builds on that earlier experience. The core gameplay loop remains the same, but a lot has been added to the opening hours. Let’s dive in.
What’s New in Arknights: Endfield Beta Test II
Right from the start, the opening sequence feels more dynamic, and the models are rendered with greater detail. Fabrics and zippers now show impressive texture and quality. You still begin in a memory of the Endministrator and must choose which version of the Endministrator you will be. After your selection, you battle through a gauntlet of enemies while following a vision of Perlica. This time, you encounter a new character who conjures numerous swords, which eventually merge into a massive monster covered in blades.
As a quick follow-up to my previous impressions, the stamina bar has been reworked and is now clearly visible without obstruction. Controller support has also been improved and now functions nearly flawlessly. I only needed the keyboard and mouse to exit the game. Everything felt excellent, almost as if the developers had invited me specifically to show off the improvements based on previous feedback.
Once the introduction wraps up, you officially meet Perlica, who brings you up to speed on Endfield Industries. The main story beats remain consistent with the first beta, but the pacing is faster. There is no time to sit still or reflect, which made sense given our limited playtime at the event. However, I do wonder whether the final version will still include slower moments before features like the Headhunting and Arsenal banners appear. In this build, both banners were locked, though we still received Headhunting permits from login rewards that couldn’t yet be used.
After progressing far enough in the story, I asked if I could skip ahead to Wuling City to experience the new region. Fortunately, a member of the GRYPHLINE team switched me to an account starting at that point.
Exploring the Wuling Region in Arknights: Endfield
Chen Qianyu reflects on her experience but notes she has been an Endfielder longer than she has lived in Wuling City. As your team descends toward the city in a drop pod, you’re thrown off course and land in a nearby forest. Drop pods in Arknights: Endfield never seem to land where they are supposed to.
While making your way from the forest to the city, you meet a traveler named Ardashir, who struggles to power a raft because he doesn’t understand the local hydro-electrical technology. That’s right, a new power grid to learn and experiment with. This time, it’s all about water power. You’ll need to find empty bottles, fill them with water, and pour the contents into specific devices to activate them. Thankfully, you keep the bottles afterward, so you won’t need to constantly search for new ones.
Wuling also introduces new enemy types. These aggeloi are water-based rather than rock-based, floating around and occasionally shooting streams of water to strengthen other aggeloi nearby. Eliminating those that buff their allies quickly makes combat much more manageable. Fire abilities are especially effective against them.
You’ll also explore a bamboo forest with Ardashir, where the trees shift and create ever-changing paths. Once you finally escape, you are ambushed, and after the ensuing battle, you meet a new character named Tangtang.
Tangtang belongs to a bandit group and knows Chen. Before Tangtang can reveal Chen’s past in Wuling, Chen kneels and pleads to join the bandits. Her goal is to infiltrate Wuling City and find Endfield Industries’ contact. While helping the bandits fight the new aggeloi, you learn more about the local devices, including waterwheels, fluid stations that raise and lower water levels, and motorized rafts powered by water.
One of the most impressive aspects of Arknights: Endfield, and Wuling in particular, is its use of water. The game features intricate water physics that influence puzzles and environmental design. Flowing water powers mechanisms and opens new paths, while rain affects characters’ clothing and skin, creating visible droplets and streaks that slide realistically down their outfits.
Auralynes also return in this region, but they now react differently. They will flee if approached too closely, requiring you to chase or intercept them. Another addition is guided butterflies, which lead you to hidden supply crates. They can scatter and drift apart, so you’ll need to regroup them to continue following their trail.
Final Impressions and Takeaways from Arknights: Endfield Beta Test II
Even after nearly six hours with Arknights: Endfield, I left eager for more. There’s still plenty to test in Beta Test II, such as the shared facilities system and the new pity mechanic. In the earlier region, shared facilities already exist. You can use structures like another player’s zipline towers, but maintaining them requires repairs on your side. I’m curious to see how this system behaves in proper multiplayer scenarios.
I’m also excited to see more of Tangtang and Mi Fu, both of whom have unique designs that hint at future playability.
My team for the Wuling segment was pre-built for the demo, featuring Ardelia, Akekuri, Laevatain, and Wulfgard. Having already mastered Laevatain and Wulfgard in the first beta, I focused on learning Ardelia and Akekuri. Ardelia is a support unit who can launch sheep from her staff. Allies who pick them up are healed. Akekuri wields a fiery sword and unleashes a massive grenade explosion as her ultimate attack.
Both characters have deeper mechanics than I could fully explore during the demo, and I skipped their dedicated tutorials to spend more time in Wuling. I plan to dig into them further once Beta Test II begins.
Overall, Arknights: Endfield shows clear progress since the first beta. I’m eager to dive even deeper once the new beta goes live on my own setup. The developers mentioned that the build we played was still not final and that additional changes are planned for the public test.
Arknights: Endfield is currently in development for PlayStation 5, PC, and mobile devices. Fans can sign up for the second beta test on the official GRYPHLINE website. The game is expected to release in early 2026.
