Apex Legends' Specialized 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 super-slick traversal will be pleased to discover that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when the Amped season launches on Nov. 4.
Unveiling The Mantle Boost
Named "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a burst of forward momentum when climbing over obstacles. As explained lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially existed of Apex Legends for quite a while, often called as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and is mainly used by competitive players in Ranked Mode or tournaments. This season, Respawn simplifies the process for everyone to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.
"Mantle Boosts existed in the game for a while, but executing it isn't easy to pull off and gamers might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer explains. "Now including a visual cue so users can clearly identify when and how to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and introducing fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."
The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics
What's the reason for making a once niche technique accessible to all players? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan says developers aims for gamers to feel powerful — including ones who are inexperienced.
"[The playerbase] is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at other games, looked at what our players are doing, and we wondered, 'How can we extend some of this power to more players?'" the designer explains. "Since right now, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to use — it requires to remap your keybinds and hit precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a more official implementation?'"
Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility
Mobility is primarily the name of the game in Season 27, with characters Horizon, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to help keep them in motion. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and this skill will boost users upward faster than before. Her defensive walls now include overhead protection and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. However the spotlight is on aerial Valkyrie who's getting significant improvements now, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her stronger, faster, and more lethal.
"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," states character developer the designer. "There's no doubt she was top-tier in the past, but due to the addition of new Legends, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in today's Apex. It was an ideal chance for us to reexamine a bunch of aspects in her abilities and sort of bring her back to her glory days."
Enhancements to the Aerial Legend
To restore Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead notes the team evaluated all her skills and implemented significant modifications. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, increasing her speed during flight, and this equipment regenerates much quicker, enabling her to spend more time in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag enemies who take damage from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts teammates into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires much less time to fire up. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her Skyward Dive activation.
"Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," Holstead comments.
Map Changes
Additionally, the only floating arena, this location, receives a mobility-focused overhaul, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and renders securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. Respawn says Apex Legends this update focuses on giving players the tools they need to keep up with the competition.
"Essentially, we were looking at Apex's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," says lead Legend designer the lead.
Apex Legends Season 27: Amped releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.
