Apex Legends' Niche Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment have a special treat in store for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of the battle royale's highly fluid movement will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.
Introducing Mantle Boosting
Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a surge of forward momentum when scaling obstacles. According to key developer the design lead, this technique has unofficially existed of Apex Legends for quite a while, often called as "ledge boosting." However it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and is mainly used by competitive players in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, the team simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky movement boosts.
"This technique existed in the game for some time, but executing it isn't easy to pull off and a player would never know it [is in the game] without external guides," Canavese states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify the timing to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, opening up the mechanic and adding new ways to play for a much wider base."
The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics
Why make a once niche technique accessible to everyone? Principal designer the development lead explains developers wants players to experience empowerment — even those who are inexperienced.
"[The playerbase] performs other crazy stuff like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, looked at what the community execute, and we wondered, 'What if we extend these capabilities to a broader audience?'" Mohan clarifies. "Because right now, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — you need to change controls and execute within one-frame windows. We proposed, 'How about we create a more official version?'"
Season 27 Movement Focus
Movement is primarily the central theme in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to help keep them mobile. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will boost users into the air much quicker than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover feature a roof and the ability to grant movement bonuses to those nearby. But the spotlight is on aerial this Legend receiving significant improvements this season, with multiple tweaks applied to make her more potent, quicker, and more lethal.
"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," states Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly that she's been dominant previously, but with the introduction of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's the game. It was a really great opportunity for the team to revisit multiple elements [of her kit] and essentially restore her to her glory days."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To restore Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, the developer notes Respawn assessed all her skills and introduced significant changes. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting velocity during flight, and the jets themselves regenerates much quicker, allowing her to spend more time in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to mark enemies who take damage from it. Her squad redeploy skill — which launches teammates into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires much less time to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new perk choices that users can choose to conserve resources, widen the area of her rockets, or further speed up her ultimate activation.
"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead comments.
Olympus Improvements
Additionally, the only floating arena, Olympus, receives a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that expands bottlenecks and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. The developers state Apex Legends Season 27 is all about providing gamers the resources they need to compete in the competition.
"Essentially, we were looking at Apex's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," says lead Legend designer the lead.
The battle royale the Amped season launches Nov. 4 at the specified times.
