The Battle Royale's Specialized Traversal Techniques Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment have an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for festive season. Fans of the battle royale's super-slick movement will be pleased to discover that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when Season 27: Amped launches on Nov. 4.
Unveiling The Mantle Boost
Named "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature provides gamers a surge of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. According to key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting was previously existed of Apex Legends for quite a while, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by competitive players in Ranked Mode or tournaments. In this update, the team is making it easier for everyone to execute these advanced movement boosts.
"Mantle Boosts existed in the game for some time, but the movement isn't easy to pull off and gamers might not realize it's possible without external guides," Canavese explains. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify when and how to activate the high-octane movement ability, opening up the mechanic and adding new ways to compete for more players."
Why Make It Accessible
What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk accessible to everyone? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan says the team wants players to feel powerful — even those who are new.
"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, looked at what our players execute, and we said, 'What if we provide these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — it requires to remap your keybinds and hit one-frame windows. We proposed, 'How about we create a more official version?'"
The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility
Movement is largely the name of the game in Season 27, with characters Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant all getting enhancements to help keep them mobile. Recovery time on her tactical ability is shorter, and this skill will boost players upward faster than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover now include overhead protection and the ability to grant movement bonuses to those nearby. But the spotlight is on aerial Valkyrie receiving significant improvements now, with various adjustments implemented to make her more potent, quicker, and deadlier.
"In my opinion there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time is here," says character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant previously, but due to the addition of other characters, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it felt like she fell behind in today's the game. It was a really great opportunity for us to revisit multiple elements in her abilities and essentially bring her back to former prominence."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To restore her competitive status in the game's meta, the developer says the team assessed each of her abilities and implemented significant changes. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment regenerates much quicker, enabling the player to remain longer in the air. She can no longer take damage from her ultimate ability, which has also been upgraded to tag enemies who are hit from it. Her squad redeploy skill — which lifts teammates skyward for repositioning or retreat — requires reduced delay to activate. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that users can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or further speed up her ultimate activation.
"Her jet pack now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," he comments.
Map Changes
Additionally, the lone airborne map, Olympus, is getting a mobility-focused facelift, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and makes claiming the high ground more manageable. The developers says Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the resources they need to compete in matches.
"Really, we were looking at the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains principal designer Josh Mohan.
Apex Legends Season 27: Amped launches November 4th at the specified times.