Apex Legends' Niche Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment have a special treat in store for Apex Legends players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's highly fluid traversal can rejoice to learn that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4.
Unveiling The Mantle Boost
Named "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a burst of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. As explained lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially been a feature of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's challenging for the average player, and typically employed by competitive players in Ranked Mode or tournaments. In this update, Respawn simplifies the process for everyone to successfully perform these tricky movement boosts.
"This technique have been in Apex for a while, but executing it requires skill to perform and gamers would never know it's possible without external guides," the designer states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify when and how to activate the high-octane traversal skill, making accessible the feature and adding new ways to play for a much wider base."
Why Make It Accessible
Why make a once niche technique accessible to all players? Lead Legend designer the development lead says developers wants players to feel powerful — including ones who are new.
"[The playerbase] performs other crazy stuff like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, observed what our players execute, and we said, 'What if we provide some of this power to more players?'" Mohan explains. "Because right now, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — you need to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a polished version?'"
Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility
Movement is primarily the central theme in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to help keep them mobile. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will boost players upward much quicker than before. Her defensive walls now include a roof and capability to provide movement bonuses to allies in range. However it's the high-flying Valkyrie receiving the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and more lethal.
"I think there's quite a consensus that her moment is here," states character developer Ian Holstead. "Certainly she was top-tier previously, but due to the addition of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she fell behind 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 reclaim her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead says the team evaluated all her skills and implemented significant changes. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting velocity during flight, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling the player to spend more time aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to mark opponents who take damage from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts her entire squad into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires reduced delay to fire up. She's also getting recently added Legend Upgrades that players can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate activation.
"Valkyrie's equipment now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead says.
Olympus Improvements
Even the game's lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a mobility-focused facelift, with an extensive redesign that expands bottlenecks and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. The developers says Apex Legends this update focuses on giving players the tools they need to keep up with the competition.
"Really, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," says lead Legend designer the lead.
The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.
