Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment have an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of the battle royale's highly fluid traversal will be pleased to learn that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.
Unveiling The Mantle Boost
Named "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this feature provides gamers a surge of forward momentum when scaling ledges and walls. As explained lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique was previously been a feature of the game for some time, often called as "ledge boosting." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by competitive players in Ranked Mode or tournaments. This season, Respawn simplifies the process for everyone to execute these advanced movement boosts.
"This technique have been in Apex for some time, but the movement isn't easy to perform and gamers would never know it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer states. "We're adding a visual cue so players can easily see when and how to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the feature and adding 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 movement quirk accessible to all players? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan says the team wants players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.
"[The playerbase] is doing other crazy stuff like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at other games, looked at what the community execute, and we said, 'How can we extend some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because currently, certain techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and execute within precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a polished version?'"
Season 27 Movement Focus
Mobility is primarily the name of the game in this season, with characters Horizon, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to maintain them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and this skill will boost users into the air much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover feature overhead protection and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. But the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie receiving the most attention this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her stronger, quicker, and more lethal.
"I think many agree that her moment is here," says Legend designer the designer. "Certainly that she's been dominant previously, but with the introduction of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she fell behind in current the game. It was an ideal chance for the team to reexamine multiple elements [of her kit] and sort of bring her back to former prominence."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To restore her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead says the team evaluated each of her abilities and introduced significant changes. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, increasing velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves now recharge three times faster, allowing her to remain longer aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to tag enemies who take damage from the missiles. Her squad redeploy skill — which lifts teammates skyward for redeployment or escape — now takes much less time to activate. She's also getting some new perk choices that players can select to conserve resources, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her ultimate activation.
"Her jet pack now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," he comments.
Map Changes
Even the game's only floating arena, Olympus, is getting a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands choke points and renders securing elevated positions more manageable. Respawn state Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the tools they need to compete in matches.
"Essentially, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," explains lead Legend designer Josh Mohan.
Apex Legends the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.
