Explore, fight, build factories: Free-to-play RPG launches on Steam with 90% positive reviews

Arknights: Endfield may look like a typical anime RPG at first glance, but its gameplay has an unusual twist. Alongside exploration and combat, players can build and optimize complex production lines, much like in a factory automation game. And judging by its early Steam reception, the combination is proving popular. The game arrived on Steam today, October 15, 2026, and has already received more than 400 reviews, around 90% of which are positive. According to SteamDB, it has also reached a peak of nearly 5,700 concurrent players. The strong start is likely helped by the fact that the free-to-play RPG has been available on PC and other platforms since January. Existing players can link their accounts and carry over their progress to the Steam version.

Arknights: Endfield is set more than 150 years after the first settlers arrived on Talos-II, a planet that remains largely unexplored. Players step into the role of the Endministrator of Endfield Industries, tasked with expanding the AIK factory. This automated production facility manufactures essential supplies to help humanity establish a foothold on the planet. To gather the resources needed for expansion, players head into the wilderness with a squad of four Operators, exploring new areas and collecting materials while fighting off hostile creatures.

Combat is fast-paced and takes place in real time, but success also requires some tactical thinking. Up to four Operators fight together, and players can switch between them freely. In fact, switching characters is key to dealing serious damage, as the combat system encourages players to chain their special abilities into powerful combos.

Back at the AIK factory, the resources gathered during exploration are turned into useful supplies. Players connect machines and conveyor belts to build automated production lines that manufacture equipment, batteries and tactical items. A well-designed factory can keep supplies flowing while players are busy elsewhere, making future expeditions easier. The materials produced can also be used to upgrade Operators and their equipment, creating a gameplay loop in which exploration, combat and factory building constantly feed into one another.

Promising concept, but not without its flaws

While Steam players have been largely enthusiastic, Arknights: Endfield has received a more mixed response from professional critics, earning a Metascore of 78 on Metacritic. Its unusual combination of RPG gameplay and factory automation has been well received, but several weaknesses keep it from reaching its full potential. IGN awarded the game 70 points, criticizing its predictable puzzles and the sheer number of in-game currencies. TheGamer was less impressed, giving it 60 points and finding the overall pacing too slow. Opinions are also divided on the combat system. Some appreciate the team-based combos and tactical options, while others feel that battles eventually become a repetitive cycle of attacks. The presentation, however, has earned widespread praise. Its polished anime-style visuals and detailed environments make exploring Talos-II particularly appealing. As a free-to-play title, Arknights: Endfield could be worth a look for RPG fans who also enjoy building and optimizing factories.

The official gameplay trailer offers a closer look at the game: