Arknights: Endfield vs Genshin Impact vs Wuthering Waves - Key Differences

Core Gameplay Loops: Automation vs Exploration vs Action

• Arknights: Endfield: Centered on the Integrated Industry (automated base building) and a closed "explore-collect-produce-combat" loop. Its standout feature is fully automated production lines—players lay conveyors, power grids, and resource collectors to mine ores, refine materials, and craft gear offline . Exploration and combat serve to fuel base progression, making it ideal for "infrastructure enthusiasts" who enjoy optimization. The official blueprint system also lets players import top-tier builds, reducing trial-and-error .
• Genshin Impact: Focuses on seamless open-world exploration and elemental puzzle-solving. Its loop revolves around unlocking map regions, completing domain challenges, farming artifacts, and upgrading characters/weapons. The game emphasizes casual accessibility, with most content designed for short daily sessions. Unlike Endfield, there’s no automated base system—progression relies on active grinding and event participation.
• Wuthering Waves: Prioritizes fast-paced action combat and narrative-driven exploration. Its loop blends intense combo-based battles with chaptered story progression. The open world supports free exploration but is more narrative-focused, with "chaptered novel-style" updates that balance independence and continuity . Unlike the other two, it leans into action RPG depth, rewarding mechanical skill over strategy or automation.

Combat Systems: Tactical Strategy vs Elemental Synergy vs Fast-Paced Action

• Arknights: Endfield: Real-time tactical combat with low APM demands. Players control one operator in a 4-person team (AI handles the rest), switching characters to adapt to battles. Key systems include the "Imbalance Gauge" (stunning enemies when full) and weak point targeting, rewarding precision over button-mashing . However, its PC control design is controversial—defaulting to keyboard-only commands with hidden mouse functionality, creating a steep learning curve .
• Genshin Impact: Elemental reaction-driven combat. Teams of 4 characters use elemental abilities (Pyro, Hydro, Electro, etc.) to trigger combos (e.g., Vaporize, Melt) for amplified damage. Combat is accessible, with auto-targeting and simple dodge mechanics, focusing on team composition and elemental synergy rather than mechanical skill. It avoids high-difficulty combat for casual appeal.
• Wuthering Waves: Fluid action combat with combo mechanics. It features high mobility, parries, and chain combos, catering to players who enjoy mechanical depth. The protagonist is portrayed as a capable, flawed character with distinct personality, enhancing immersion in combat scenarios . Unlike Endfield’s AI-assisted teams, it emphasizes direct player control and reaction speed.

Worldbuilding & Narrative Style

• Arknights: Endfield: Post-apocalyptic industrial punk set on the desolate planet Talos-II. The world blends rusted wastelands, ancient ruins, and walled cities (e.g., Wuling) with Chinese architectural elements . Narrative takes a backseat to gameplay, with minimal character interaction—some voice acting leans into overly affectionate tones without sufficient buildup, feeling disjointed .
• Genshin Impact: Fantasy open world with diverse regions (e.g., Mondstadt’s medieval fantasy, Liyue’s Chinese aesthetics). Storytelling is linear and accessible, with lighthearted moments balanced by epic arcs. Character backstories are deeply integrated into quests, and the world feels alive with dynamic events and NPC interactions. It avoids dark themes for a family-friendly tone.
• Wuthering Waves: Grand dystopian narrative with dense lore. It dumps numerous exclusive terms and faction concepts early, which can overwhelm new players but deepens immersion for committed ones . The story uses "chaptered updates" with film-like cinematics and character-driven arcs—some characters have natural, affectionate interactions with the protagonist, enhancing emotional investment . Players can skip early chapters but may lose context for later content.

Progression & Gacha Systems

• Arknights: Endfield: Progression ties to base optimization and operator cultivation. Gacha has a 0.8% base rate for 6-star operators, soft pity at 65 pulls, and hard pity at 80 pulls (carryover between standard banners). Limited banners offer a 120-pull guarantee without carryover. Free rewards (e.g., pre-registration pulls, redeem codes) support F2P players, but base building reduces reliance on gacha for progression.
• Genshin Impact: Progression depends on artifact farming and character/weapon upgrades. Gacha has a 0.6% base rate for 5-star characters, soft pity at 75 pulls, and hard pity at 90 pulls (carryover). Weapons have a separate gacha with lower rates. The game is F2P-friendly but requires heavy grinding for optimal builds, with events as primary sources of free premium currency.
• Wuthering Waves: Progression focuses on character skill upgrades and story unlocks. It has a "Link Level" (world level) system that can gate early content, even for players who skip to later chapters . Gacha rates are similar to the other two, but narrative progression is less tied to gacha—players can enjoy core story without pulling every character.

Platform Adaptation & User Experience

• Arknights: Endfield: Cross-platform (PC, PS5, mobile) but struggles with PC usability. Its counterintuitive control design (hidden mouse functions, awkward keybinds) leads to player frustration, though PC excels at base building with precise layout tools . Mobile is suitable for casual base management but may need graphics adjustments.
• Genshin Impact: Polished cross-platform experience. PC offers customizable graphics, mobile is optimized for on-the-go play, and PS5 supports 4K visuals and DualSense features. Controls are intuitive across all platforms, with no major usability issues—critical for its casual player base.
• Wuthering Waves: Strong PC/console performance with 3.0’s ray tracing and filmic cinematics . Mobile adaptation is solid but may lag on older devices. Controls prioritize action combat, with responsive inputs for combos and parries, avoiding the usability pitfalls of Endfield.

Which Game Should You Choose?

• Choose Arknights: Endfield if you love automated base building and tactical combat, and don’t mind a clunky PC control scheme for deep optimization.
• Choose Genshin Impact for casual exploration, colorful fantasy worlds, and accessible elemental combat—ideal for short daily sessions.
• Choose Wuthering Waves if you crave fast action combat and immersive narrative with complex lore, and enjoy mastering mechanical skills.