Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update

The game developers have a special treat in store for Apex Legends gamers, perfectly timed for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick movement will be pleased to learn that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.

Unveiling Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature provides gamers a burst of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. According to lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique was previously been a feature of the game for some time, often called as "mantle jumping." But it's no easy feat for the average player, and is mainly used by competitive players in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, Respawn simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced movement boosts.

"Mantle Boosts have been in the game for a while, but executing it isn't easy to perform and gamers might not realize it [is in the game] without external guides," the designer states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify when and how to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the feature and adding fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."

The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible

Why make a once niche technique available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead says developers wants gamers to experience empowerment — including ones who are new.

"Our community is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, looked at what the community execute, and we said, 'What if we extend these capabilities to more players?'" Mohan explains. "Because currently, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to access — it requires to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a polished version?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is largely the name of the game in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, the defensive specialist, and the aerial combatant receiving buffs to maintain them mobile. Recovery time on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will boost players upward faster than it used to. Her defensive walls now include a roof and capability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However it's aerial Valkyrie receiving the most attention now, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and more lethal.

"I think there's quite a consensus that her moment has arrived," says character developer the designer. "There's no doubt she was dominant previously, but with the introduction of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's the game. This presented an ideal chance for the team to reexamine a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and essentially restore her to former prominence."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead says Respawn evaluated each of her abilities and introduced significant modifications. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, boosting velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves now recharge three times faster, enabling her to spend more time in the air. She can no longer take damage from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to tag opponents who take damage from the missiles. Her squad redeploy skill — which launches teammates into the air for repositioning or escape — requires much less time to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that players can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or further speed up her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead comments.

Map Changes

Additionally, the only floating arena, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly facelift, with major changes that expands choke points and makes securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. Respawn says the game Season 27 is all about providing gamers the resources they need to compete in matches.

"Really, we examined Apex's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains principal designer Josh Mohan.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at the specified times.