Of course there were bound to be some Arknights Easter Eggs in Endfield, we didn't expect otherwise. From small to huge ones, we found all kinds, both in physical size and the significance they used to have, or will yet have in the lore of the Arknights universe. Without further ado, here's a few details you will be happy to see if you're a fan of the original Arknights game.
Warning: This text will contain spoilers for some key worldbuilding elements of Arknights, both the main story and some side stories, Integrated Strategies, etc. and they will be marked below every subtitle. It also contains spoilers for the first 20 minutes of Endfield Prologue.
Casual Embodiment of Originium
Right off the bat we are faced with our identity as the player: Endministrator of Endfield Industries. The story quickly introduces Endmin as a wielder of a special type of arts that directly manipulates Originium, the core of Arknights' story and it's main conflict driver.
If Endmin's connection with the Originium wasn't obvious enough, both male and female variants feature a rhombus motif on their white knit jumpers, the symbol that is the essence of this crystalline substance, and has deeper meaning in its relation with Originium's creators. Even subliminal messages make for cool fashion.
The Device Is In Fact Huge
It's true that the evolution of many tech gadgets saw them getting smaller as they got upgraded over time, and that seems to be the case for Arknights Devices as well. The well-known upgrade materials are scattered across the floor in many bases and research facilities in Endfield, starting from the very first mission you set out to complete with Perlica.
The tier 2 Device is surprisingly big! Its tier 3 counterpart Integrated Device is so much smaller, we had to check twice if it's the right gadget. While both experienced minor redesigns when they were brought into the 3D space, there's no mistaking what they actually are.
Don't Turn Around, Sluggies
Not so much an easter egg, as it is a discovery that the Originium slugs and all their brethren have safely arrived to Talos II, as we get to see and enjoy them rolling around in a peculiar fashion. With all the information stored inside Originium, they couldn't leave the beloved mascots back on Terra.
The Original Factory
Before the expansive factory lines of Endfield, there were Factory rooms of Arknights Base. Given that our Endfield base, OMV Dijiang still has some manufacturing facilities of its own, it's a really beautiful nod to what the original Factories look like. And you also get to experience worker operators walking around the facility!
Patriot Statue
Warning: Spoilers for Chapters 1-7 of Arknights, Integrated Strategies: Expeditioner's Joklumarkar
We have too many questions. Where are we? When are we? And why is there a huge Patriot statue in this vast frozen expanse? While we are well aware that the inhabiting of Talos II started from Terra's North Cosmic Gate, we aren't still privy to all the related details.
What's probably the case is that this snowscape is somehow related to either Sarkaz or Reunion, though the latter is less likely for now. As if the huge floating rephasic enantiomer in the background wasn't confusing enough. We are sure most of this will be explained in due time.
The Monolith
Warning: Spoilers for Chapter 15 of Arknights
We saw it in the most recent Arknights main story chapter, the huge, strange monolith with very distinct patterns in the Priestess's back yard, touted to contain all of existing knowledge. As we progress through the tutorial area, we come across one such monolith and a range of smaller, but similar headstones with no particular explanation. It's good to see that we're definitely going to delve deeper into this topic.
PRTS Is Still There
Warning: Spoilers for Chapter 15 of Arknights
Though Rhodes Island has escaped Priestess's grasp (for now), we know she is not gone for good, and it seems that the PRTS has followed suit into Talos II as well. There's some heavy insinuations that the Endministrator belongs to the Predecessors, but exactly what's their relation with the Priestess or whoever else remains of this faction, is currently unknown.
It's safe to assume that the Priestess is keeping tabs all the same, because the same cursor that was making our life difficult in Arknights has now arrived to "innocently" tell us how to use skills in Endfield.
Zeroth Directive
Warning: Spoilers for Chapter 15 of Arknights
Ever since we learned of Closure's alternative for PRTS, abrreviated as ZOOT, we started wondering how the Doctor and Endministrator are connected. Additionally, it's difficult not to wonder what became of ZOOT's vampire creator.
The Zeroth Order is definitely connected with Endfield's Zeroth Directive, but in what way exactly, remains to be seen. While we wait for details, it's more or less easy to guess that it has to do with preservation of life, and the way that Doctor has decided to shift their course instead of just letting Originium swallow it all for good.
Endfield Industries vs Rhodes Island
Both Babel's original emblem and Rhodes' Island logo provide a pretty logical explanation of what the two organizations stood and stand for. Likewise, in a nod to the two logos, Endfield Industries sport a similar triangular design, though turned upside down.
It could also be easily interpreted as the two organizations looking up into the sky with their goals and mottos, pushing even beyond the Starpod in order to preserve all human life, whereas Endfield is looking down and connecting back to land with its screw, already having conquered the initial barrier.
It's also worth noting that Rhodes Island is very much present on Talos II, but even in Beta Test II we are unable to encounter them (save for the few operators they have lent to Endfield Industries). Perhaps we will also learn why a structure looking a lot like the mythical Tower of Babel is present in Endfield's tutorial and the mysterious frozen area.
These are all the references and easter eggs we caught so far! We hope that you found these fun and that you will continue to follow Pro Game Guides' freshest Arknights Endfield news. If you're looking to dive into Endfield's core mechanisms ahead of time, check out our Endfield Beginners' Guide.
