Arknights Endfield is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious anime-style RPGs to arrive on PS5 this year, expanding the universe of Hypergryph's hit franchise into bold new territory.
Launching on 22 January, the game represents a major evolution for the series, blending real-time action combat with deep strategic systems and large-scale industrial management. For long-time fans and newcomers alike, Endfield promises an experience that goes far beyond its tower defence roots.
Set more than a century after humanity's first steps onto the hostile planet Talos-II, Arknights Endfield places players at the centre of civilisation's fragile expansion.
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The world is beautiful but unforgiving, shaped by past wars, mysterious technologies, and dangers that continue to resurface. Every choice you make, from how you fight to how you build, feeds into a larger vision of survival and growth on an untamed frontier.
World And Setting
With its PS5 debut, cinematic presentation, and ambitious gameplay scope, Arknights Endfield is already being talked about as one of the most intriguing console RPG releases of early 2026. Here is everything you need to know before stepping onto Talos-II.
Talos-II is not simply a backdrop but a living, evolving planet, says game director Light Zhong over at PlayStation. More than 150 years ago, pioneers established the first so-called civilised zones after enduring catastrophe and conflict. Beyond those borders lies a vast wilderness filled with relics of the past and new threats waiting to emerge.
Players assume the role of the Endministrator, a leader tasked with guiding Operators to protect settlements, push outward, and redefine the boundaries of human civilisation. Exploration and development are tightly linked.
As Oripathy-powered engines roar across the wasteland, industrial facilities rise alongside forward bases, turning hostile terrain into productive ground. The tension between survival, expansion, and discovery sits at the heart of the game's world design.
Strategic Action Combat With Real-Time Depth
At its core, Arknights Endfield is an action RPG built around highly tactical, real-time combat. The system takes advantage of the PS5's power.
Players control a squad of up to four Operators, switching freely between them during battle to adapt to shifting situations. Combat rewards planning as much as execution, with layered mechanics that go far beyond button-mashing.
Basic attacks flow into heavier strikes that deal stagger damage and restore SP. Once an enemy's stagger bar is filled, they become vulnerable, opening the door to devastating Execution attacks.
SP fuels each Operator's unique skill set, including powerful ultimate abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Under the right conditions, Operators can chain abilities together, triggering combo skills that reward careful positioning and timing.
The result is combat that feels fast, expressive, and deliberately tactical, encouraging players to think several steps ahead rather than relying purely on reflexes.
Building The Backbone Of Civilisation
Combat is only one half of the Endfield experience. The game's Automated Industry Complex system underpins nearly every aspect of progression. Players design and manage automated production lines that generate equipment, medical supplies, and essential resources needed for survival and expansion.
To keep the system approachable, Endfield introduces a Blueprint feature that allows entire production layouts to be built, copied, relocated, or dismantled instantly.
Players can save their designs and share them with others, fostering experimentation and efficiency. As industrial zones expand, regions begin to specialise, trade routes emerge, and strategic planning becomes just as important as combat prowess.
A Story That Is Only Just Beginning
The narrative of Arknights Endfield continues to unfold well beyond its opening chapters. Early events hint at deeper threats stirring along the edges of civilisation, with mysterious phenomena and hostile forces converging around key locations such as Qingbo Stockade and Wuling.
As new regions open up, players will meet fresh companions, uncover hidden truths, and make choices that shape the future of Talos-II. The story is designed to evolve over time, with characters and conflicts that grow in complexity as the frontier pushes ever outward.
Optimised For PS5
On PS5, Arknights Endfield makes full use of the DualSense controller, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and immersive audio features. Support for 3D Audio and Activity integration helps bring the world to life while allowing players to jump back into key moments with ease.
With its blend of action, strategy, and world-building, Arknights Endfield aims to redefine what a console RPG in the franchise can be. When it launches on 22 January, players will finally get the chance to decide what kind of future humanity will build on Talos-II.
