Apex Legends' Specialized Traversal Techniques Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment have an exciting surprise prepared for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for festive season. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's super-slick movement will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.
Introducing Mantle Boosting
Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature provides gamers a burst of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. As explained key developer Eric Canavese, this technique was previously existed of Apex Legends for some time, often called as "ledge boosting." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, the team is making it easier for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these advanced movement boosts.
"This technique have been in Apex for some time, but executing it isn't easy to perform and gamers might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify the timing to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, opening up the mechanic and adding new ways to compete for more players."
Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics
What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk available to everyone? Principal designer Josh Mohan explains developers wants players to feel powerful — including ones who are new.
"Our community is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at our competition, observed what the community execute, and we said, 'What if we provide some of this power to more players?'" Mohan clarifies. "Since right now, some of these techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'How about we create a more official implementation?'"
The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility
Mobility is largely the name of the game in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting enhancements to maintain them in motion. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and this skill will boost users into the air much quicker than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover now include a roof and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. However it's the high-flying this Legend who's getting the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, faster, and more lethal.
"In my opinion there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time has arrived," states Legend designer the designer. "Certainly she was dominant previously, but with the introduction of other characters, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it felt like she's not very relevant in current Apex. It was an ideal chance for us to reexamine multiple elements in her abilities and sort of bring her back to her glory days."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, the developer says the team evaluated all her skills and introduced some powerful changes. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment regenerates three times faster, enabling her to remain longer aloft. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to mark enemies who are hit from the missiles. Her squad redeploy skill — which launches teammates into the air for repositioning or escape — requires much less time to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new perk choices that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her ultimate takeoff time.
"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead says.
Map Changes
Additionally, the lone airborne map, Olympus, is getting a movement-friendly facelift, with major changes that opens up choke points and makes claiming the high ground more manageable. The developers state Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the resources required to keep up with the competition.
"Essentially, we were looking at the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains lead Legend designer the lead.
The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.
