Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
The game developers has a special treat prepared for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for the holidays. Fans of the battle royale's super-slick movement can rejoice to discover that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.
Introducing The Mantle Boost
Named "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this ability provides gamers a surge of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. As explained lead battle royale designer the design lead, Mantle Boosting has unofficially existed of the game for quite a while, often called as "ledge boosting." But it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed by pro gamers in competitive play or esports competitions. This season, the team is making it easier for everyone to execute these advanced movement boosts.
"This technique existed in Apex for some time, but the movement isn't easy to perform and a player would never know it [is in the game] without external guides," the designer explains. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so users can easily see when and how to activate the high-octane traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and introducing new ways to play for more players."
Why Make It Accessible
Why make a once niche technique accessible to everyone? Principal designer Josh Mohan says the team aims for players to experience empowerment — including ones who are inexperienced.
"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we examined at our competition, observed what our players are doing, and we wondered, 'What if we extend these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because currently, some of these techniques are somewhat awkward to use — you need to change controls and hit precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a more official implementation?'"
Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility
Movement is primarily the name of the game in this season, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving enhancements to help keep them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will boost users into the air much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover feature a roof and the ability to grant movement bonuses to those nearby. But the spotlight is on aerial this Legend who's getting significant improvements now, with multiple tweaks applied to enhance her as more potent, quicker, and deadlier.
"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," says Legend designer the designer. "Certainly that she's been dominant previously, but due to the addition of new Legends, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in current the game. This presented a really great opportunity for the team to reexamine a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and sort of bring her back to her glory days."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To restore Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead says Respawn evaluated all her skills and introduced significant changes. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates much quicker, enabling her to remain longer in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to tag enemies who take damage from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts teammates into the air for repositioning or escape — now takes much less time to activate. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that players can choose to conserve resources, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive takeoff time.
"Her jet pack now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead comments.
Map Changes
Even the game's only floating arena, this location, receives a mobility-focused facelift, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn state the game this update focuses on giving players the resources required to compete in the competition.
"Really, we were looking at Apex's core identity as a movement shooter," says principal designer the lead.
Apex Legends the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.
