Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise in store for the popular battle royale gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of the battle royale's super-slick movement can rejoice to discover that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4.
Unveiling Mantle Boosting
Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this ability gives players a burst of forward momentum when scaling obstacles. As explained lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, this technique was previously been a feature of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." However it's challenging for the average player, and is mainly used by competitive players in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to execute these tricky speed-boosts.
"This technique have been in the game for some time, but the movement isn't easy to perform and a player might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify the timing to trigger the high-octane movement ability, opening up the feature and adding new ways to compete for more players."
The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics
What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk available to everyone? Principal designer the development lead explains the team wants players to feel powerful — including ones who are inexperienced.
"[The playerbase] is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, looked at what the community execute, and we said, 'How can we extend these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Since currently, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to access — it requires to change controls and hit precise timings. So we said, 'What if we make a more official version?'"
Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility
Mobility is largely the name of the game in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and Valkyrie receiving enhancements to maintain them in motion. Recovery time on her tactical ability has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will propel players upward faster than before. Rampart's Amped Cover feature overhead protection and the ability to grant speed boosts to allies in range. But it's the high-flying Valkyrie who's getting significant improvements this season, with various adjustments applied to make her stronger, quicker, and deadlier.
"I think there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time is here," states character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant previously, but with the introduction of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's the game. It was a really great opportunity for us to reexamine multiple elements [of her kit] and sort of restore her to former prominence."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To restore Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead notes the team assessed each of her abilities and introduced significant modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting velocity during flight, and this equipment regenerates three times faster, allowing the player to remain longer in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her ultimate ability, which has also been upgraded to mark enemies who are hit from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive skill — which launches her entire squad skyward for redeployment or escape — requires much less time to activate. She's also getting some new Legend Upgrades that users can select to conserve resources, expand the spread of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive activation.
"Her jet pack fulfills the pilot experience," he comments.
Map Changes
Even the game's lone airborne map, Olympus, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that opens up bottlenecks and renders claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn says Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the tools required to keep up with the competition.
"Essentially, we were looking at the game's core identity as a movement shooter," says principal designer Josh Mohan.
The battle royale the Amped season launches Nov. 4 at the specified times.
