Apex Legends' Niche Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream This Season
Respawn Entertainment have a special treat prepared for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's super-slick movement can rejoice to learn that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.
Introducing The Mantle Boost
Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. According to key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting was previously existed of the game for some time, often called as "mantle jumping." However it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. This season, Respawn simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.
"This technique have been in Apex for a while, but executing it isn't easy to perform and a player might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so users can easily see the timing to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and introducing fresh strategies to play for a much wider base."
Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics
What's the reason for making a once niche technique accessible to all players? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team wants gamers to feel powerful — including ones who are new.
"Our community is doing advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we looked around at our competition, looked at what our players execute, and we wondered, 'What if we provide some of this power to more players?'" the designer clarifies. "Because right now, certain techniques are kind of janky to access — you need to remap your keybinds and hit precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a polished implementation?'"
Season 27 Movement Focus
Mobility is primarily the name of the game in this season, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant all getting buffs to help keep them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel users into the air much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover feature overhead protection and capability to provide speed boosts to allies in range. However the spotlight is on aerial this Legend receiving significant improvements now, with various adjustments implemented to make her more potent, quicker, and more lethal.
"I think there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time is here," states character developer the designer. "Certainly that she's been dominant previously, but due to the addition of other characters, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it felt like she's not very relevant in current Apex. This presented an ideal chance for us to reexamine multiple elements [of her kit] and essentially restore her to former prominence."
Enhancements to the Aerial Legend
To reclaim her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead says the team assessed all her skills and implemented some powerful changes. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting velocity while airborne, and this equipment now recharge three times faster, enabling the player to spend more time aloft. Now she won't take damage from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to mark enemies who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts her entire squad skyward for redeployment or escape — now takes much less time to activate. She's also getting recently added Legend Upgrades that users can select to conserve resources, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her Skyward Dive activation.
"Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," he comments.
Olympus Improvements
Even the game's lone airborne map, this location, is getting a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands choke points and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn state Apex Legends this update focuses on giving players the resources required to keep up with the competition.
"Essentially, we were looking at the game's core identity as a movement shooter," says lead Legend designer Josh Mohan.
Apex Legends Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at the specified times.
