The Battle Royale's Specialized Traversal Techniques Are Going Mainstream During This Update
The game developers has an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of the battle royale's super-slick traversal can rejoice to discover that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when the Amped season launches on November 4th.
Unveiling Mantle Boosting
Named "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting has unofficially existed of Apex Legends for quite a while, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's challenging for the average player, and is mainly used by competitive players in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, the team simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced speed-boosts.
"This technique existed in Apex for a while, but the movement requires skill to perform and a player might not realize it [is in the game] without external guides," Canavese explains. "Now including a visual cue so users can clearly identify when and how to trigger the fast-paced 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 available to everyone? Principal designer Josh Mohan explains the team wants gamers to feel powerful — even those who are new.
"[The playerbase] is doing other crazy stuff like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we examined at our competition, observed what our players execute, and we said, 'What if we provide these capabilities to more players?'" the designer clarifies. "Because right now, certain techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to remap your keybinds and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'What if we make a polished implementation?'"
The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility
Mobility is largely the central theme in Season 27, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie receiving enhancements to help keep them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will boost users upward faster than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover feature a roof and the ability to provide movement bonuses to allies in range. However the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie receiving significant improvements this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, faster, and more lethal.
"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," says character developer the designer. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant previously, but due to the addition of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and redeployment tools, it felt like she's not very relevant in current the game. It was an ideal chance for the team to revisit multiple elements [of her kit] and essentially bring her back to former prominence."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To restore her competitive status in the game's meta, Holstead notes the team evaluated each of her abilities and implemented some powerful modifications. Her jetpack received improvements, increasing her speed while airborne, and the jets themselves now recharge three times faster, allowing the player to remain longer in the air. She can no longer be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag enemies who are hit from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive skill — which launches her entire squad into the air for redeployment or retreat — now takes much less time to activate. Additionally, she gains some new perk choices that users can select to conserve resources, expand the spread of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate activation.
"Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," Holstead says.
Map Changes
Additionally, the lone airborne map, this location, receives a mobility-focused overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands bottlenecks and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn state Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the resources required to keep up with matches.
"Really, we were looking at the game's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," says principal designer Josh Mohan.
The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.
