Apex Legends' Specialized Traversal Techniques Become Widely Accessible During This Update
The game developers has an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for festive season. Enthusiasts of this game's highly fluid movement will be pleased to learn that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when Season 27: Amped launches on November 4th.
Unveiling The Mantle Boost
Named "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a burst of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. According to lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially been a feature of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." However it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed 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 tricky speed-boosts.
"Mantle Boosts have been in the game for a while, but the movement isn't easy to perform and a player would never know it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese states. "Now including a visual cue so players can easily see when and how to activate the high-octane traversal skill, opening up the feature and adding fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."
The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible
Why make a previously obscure technique accessible to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team wants gamers to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.
"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, observed what our players execute, and we wondered, 'How can we extend these capabilities to more players?'" the designer clarifies. "Since currently, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — you need to change controls and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'What if we make a polished implementation?'"
Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility
Movement is largely the central theme in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant all getting buffs to maintain them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel players upward faster than before. Her defensive walls feature overhead protection and capability to provide movement bonuses to allies in range. However the spotlight is on aerial this Legend who's getting the most attention this season, with multiple tweaks applied to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and deadlier.
"In my opinion many agree that her moment is here," says character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt she was top-tier previously, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it felt like she fell behind in current the game. It was a really great opportunity for the team to reexamine a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and essentially restore her to former prominence."
Enhancements to the Aerial Legend
To reclaim her competitive status in current strategies, the developer notes the team assessed all her skills and implemented significant modifications. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting her speed while airborne, and the jets themselves now recharge three times faster, allowing the player to spend more time in the air. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to mark enemies who take damage from it. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts teammates into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires much less time to activate. She's also getting recently added Legend Upgrades that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her ultimate activation.
"Valkyrie's equipment now delivers on the pilot experience," he comments.
Olympus Improvements
Even the game's lone airborne map, Olympus, is getting a movement-friendly facelift, with major changes that expands choke points and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn says the game Season 27 is all about providing gamers the tools required to compete in matches.
"Essentially, we examined the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," says principal designer the lead.
The battle royale the Amped season launches Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.
