Apex Legends' Niche Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream This Season
Respawn Entertainment have a special treat in store for the popular battle royale players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's highly fluid traversal will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when the Amped season goes live on November 4th.
Unveiling The Mantle Boost
Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this ability provides gamers a surge of propulsion when scaling obstacles. According to key developer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting was previously been a feature of the game for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and typically employed by competitive players in competitive play or tournaments. This season, Respawn simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.
"Mantle Boosts existed in the game for a while, but the movement requires skill to pull off and a player might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese explains. "We're adding a visual cue so users can clearly identify when and how to activate the high-octane movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and adding fresh strategies to compete for more players."
The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible
What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk available to everyone? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan explains developers wants players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.
"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at other games, looked at what the community are doing, and we wondered, 'What if we extend these capabilities to more players?'" Mohan explains. "Because currently, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and execute within one-frame windows. We proposed, 'How about we make a polished version?'"
The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility
Movement is largely the central theme in this season, with characters the gravity mage, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie receiving buffs to help keep them mobile. Recovery time on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel players upward faster than before. Rampart's Amped Cover now include overhead protection and the ability to provide speed boosts to allies in range. But it's aerial Valkyrie receiving the most attention this season, with multiple tweaks applied to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and more lethal.
"In my opinion there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time is here," states character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant in the past, but due to the addition of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in current Apex. It was an ideal chance for the team to revisit multiple elements in her abilities and sort of restore her to her glory days."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, the developer says the team assessed each of her abilities and introduced some powerful modifications. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting velocity during flight, and this equipment now recharge much quicker, allowing her to remain longer in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her ultimate ability, which has also been upgraded to mark enemies who take damage from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive ability — which launches teammates into the air for redeployment or escape — requires reduced delay to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new perk choices that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her ultimate activation.
"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead comments.
Map Changes
Additionally, the only floating arena, Olympus, is getting a mobility-focused facelift, with major changes that opens up choke points and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn state the game this update is all about providing gamers the resources required to compete in the competition.
"Really, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," explains lead Legend designer Josh Mohan.
Apex Legends Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.
