This Arknights Roguelike exhibition was truly a massive surprise, packed with unforgettable moments right from the afternoon session. Around 1:00 PM when I went into the merch store, a long queue had already formed for the Endfield playtest, but the store itself was relatively empty. Unfortunately, the 'Green Hills and Blue Waters' apparel was already sold out in the morning, so I could only gaze enviously at the booths set up in the outer hall. Going up the stairs, I claimed my reservation postcard and pulled my friend along to do a lucky draw, scoring a male manager shikishi art board—pretty good luck! The most unexpected easter egg was actually hidden in the restroom: the sign reading 'Originium-powered Water Circulation System' and the prompt 'Please Purify After Use' were delightfully on-point lore touches. I lined up for entry at 2:30 PM and got in smoothly by 2:50 PM. Since I had brought a suitcase, a mannequin head cake box, and a bag, I checked them all at cloakroom storage and only carried the complimentary tote bag given at the entrance, which proved to be the best decision ever.
After entering the exhibition halls, the Phantom zone only took about ten minutes of queuing. During the signature interaction, he even sketched a self-portrait, which was super fun. The Mizuki zone experience was straight-up legendary: after waiting in line for half an hour, we did a fortune divination with the cosplayer before entering. My friend rolled a 1 on the D12 dice, making us think bad luck was ahead, but the moment the doors opened and we saw the Deep Blue Tree, the whole room erupted! When the BGM swelled at the end, that overwhelming sense of destiny almost brought me to tears on the spot—the Ocean Desire finale was insanely powerful. The Sarkaz zone featured Revenant spirits assigning mini-quests, along with Theresa and Amiya. Cosplaying as W, I completely broke down the moment I saw Theresa, shouting 'Mama!' out loud. Theresa cupped my face with utmost tenderness, completely shattering my facial expression composure while my friend snapped photos frantically. Amiya chasing around handing out stickers to everyone was also utterly adorable.
Moving on to the Sami zone, we thought it would be pure puzzle-solving, but it turned into a full-on chase game with screams echoing throughout the venue. Our group was bold, obsessed with completing objectives, and we even tried crouching in a corner to jump-scare a Collapsal—only to get pinned against the wall and taken down ourselves; looking back, it's hilarious. Finally, Ceobe and Mon3tr clocked in! The puppy and kitty were heart-meltingly cute. My friend brought a banner saying 'So close, so beautiful, visit Realm Garden on the weekend,' and Ceobe said to me, 'Doctor, you must come back alive!' In that split second, everything felt complete.
Here are a few takeaways for anyone attending upcoming Anime convention events: Be sure to take photos with cosplayers immediately when you see them, as shifts rotate very quickly (missing out on Typhon was such a huge regret!). The staff in the entrance lobby change constantly, and catching NPCs can net you freebies. Try to enter as early as possible since queue times vary wildly, and secure Realm Garden tickets early due to high demand. Definitely check your luggage at cloakroom storage, as running the whole course is exhausting; bring your own water, and absolutely avoid wearing light-colored clothes because the tote bag straps bleed color badly. The overall experience was beyond amazing, and interacting with the cosplayers was incredibly heartwarming. Huge thanks to the staff and cosplayers for their hard work. I will definitely be back for the next Roguelike exhibition!