The Battle Royale's Niche Movement Mechanics Become Widely Accessible During This Update
Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for festive season. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's super-slick traversal will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4.
Introducing The Mantle Boost
Named "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained key developer the design lead, this technique was previously existed of the game for some time, often called as "ledge boosting." But it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or tournaments. This season, Respawn simplifies the process for everyone to successfully perform these tricky movement boosts.
"Mantle Boosts have been in the game for a while, but the movement isn't easy to pull off and a player might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer states. "Now including a visual cue so users can clearly identify the timing to trigger the high-octane movement ability, making accessible the feature and introducing fresh strategies to compete for more players."
The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible
Why make a previously obscure technique accessible to everyone? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan explains the team aims for 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 other games, observed what our players are doing, and we said, 'What if we provide some of this power to a broader audience?'" Mohan clarifies. "Because currently, some of these techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'How about we make a polished version?'"
Season 27 Movement Focus
Mobility is primarily the name of the game in Season 27, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and the aerial combatant all getting enhancements to maintain them mobile. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will propel users upward faster than it used to. Her defensive walls now include a roof and the ability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie receiving significant improvements now, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, faster, and more lethal.
"I think there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time has arrived," says character developer the designer. "Certainly she was top-tier previously, but due to the addition of other characters, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it seemed like she fell behind 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 her glory days."
Valkyrie's Upgrades
To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, Holstead says the team assessed all her skills and introduced significant modifications. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting her speed while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling the player to spend more time aloft. Now she won't be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to tag enemies who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts teammates into the air for repositioning or escape — now takes reduced delay to fire up. Additionally, she gains recently added perk choices that players can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive takeoff time.
"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills the pilot experience," he says.
Map Changes
Additionally, the only floating arena, this location, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands bottlenecks and makes securing elevated positions more manageable. The developers state Apex Legends Season 27 focuses on giving players the tools they need to keep up with matches.
"Really, we examined the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains principal designer Josh Mohan.
The battle royale Season 27: Amped launches November 4th at the specified times.
