Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment have an exciting surprise in store for the popular battle royale gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's super-slick movement will be pleased to discover that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped launches on November 4th.
Unveiling Mantle Boosting
Named "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this ability gives players a burst of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. According to key developer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially been a feature of Apex Legends for some time, often called as "mantle jumping." But it's challenging for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or tournaments. This season, the team simplifies the process for everyone to execute these tricky speed-boosts.
"Mantle Boosts existed in Apex for a while, but the movement isn't easy to perform and a player would never know it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer explains. "We're adding a visual cue so players can clearly identify the timing to activate the high-octane traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and adding fresh strategies to play 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 Josh Mohan explains the team wants gamers to feel powerful — even those who are new.
"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we looked around at other games, looked at what the community are doing, and we said, 'How can we provide some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because right now, certain techniques are somewhat awkward to access — you need to change controls and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'How about we create a more official version?'"
Season 27 Movement Focus
Movement is primarily the name of the game in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to maintain them in motion. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and this skill will boost players upward faster than before. Rampart's Amped Cover now include a roof and the ability to grant movement bonuses to those nearby. But the spotlight is on aerial Valkyrie who's getting the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and deadlier.
"I think there's quite a consensus that her moment has arrived," says character developer the designer. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant 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 the game. It was a really great opportunity for us to revisit multiple elements [of her kit] and essentially restore her to her glory days."
Enhancements to the Aerial Legend
To restore her competitive status in the game's meta, the developer notes the team evaluated all her skills and introduced some powerful modifications. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting her speed while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling her to spend more time in the air. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag enemies who are hit from it. Her squad redeploy ability — which launches her entire squad into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires reduced delay to fire up. She's also getting some new Legend Upgrades that players can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive activation.
"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead comments.
Map Changes
Even the game's lone airborne map, this location, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn says the game this update focuses on providing gamers the resources they need to compete in matches.
"Really, we were looking at Apex's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," explains principal designer the lead.
The battle royale the Amped season launches November 4th at the specified times.
