Apex Legends' Niche Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update
Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise prepared for Apex Legends gamers, perfectly timed for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's highly fluid traversal will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.
Introducing Mantle Boosting
Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this feature provides gamers a surge of forward momentum when climbing over obstacles. According to key developer Eric Canavese, this technique has unofficially been a feature of Apex Legends for quite a while, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and is mainly used by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, the team is making it easier for everyone to execute these tricky movement boosts.
"Mantle Boosts have been in Apex for a while, but executing it requires skill to perform and gamers might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese explains. "Now including a visual cue so users can easily see the timing to activate the fast-paced movement ability, making accessible the feature and adding fresh strategies to play for more players."
The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible
Why make a once niche technique accessible to everyone? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan explains developers wants players to feel powerful — even those who are new.
"[The playerbase] is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, looked at what our players are doing, and we wondered, 'How can we extend these capabilities to more players?'" the designer explains. "Since right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to access — you need to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a polished version?'"
The Amped Update Movement Focus
Mobility is primarily the name of the game in Season 27, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting enhancements to maintain them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel users upward much quicker than before. Her defensive walls now include a roof and the ability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. However the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie receiving significant improvements this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her more potent, faster, and more lethal.
"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," says Legend designer the designer. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant in the past, but with the introduction of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's Apex. It was a really great opportunity for the team to reexamine a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and essentially bring her back to former prominence."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To reclaim her competitive status in the game's meta, the developer says the team evaluated each of her abilities and implemented some powerful changes. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment regenerates three times faster, allowing her to spend more time aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to tag enemies who are hit from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts her entire squad skyward for redeployment or escape — now takes much less time to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive takeoff time.
"Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," he says.
Map Changes
Additionally, the only floating arena, Olympus, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that expands bottlenecks and makes securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. Respawn says the game this update is all about giving players the tools they need to keep up with matches.
"Essentially, we were looking at the game's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," says lead Legend designer the lead.
The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.