Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Become Widely Accessible During This Update

Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise prepared for the popular battle royale gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick movement can rejoice to discover that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.

Introducing The Mantle Boost

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this ability gives players a surge of forward momentum when scaling obstacles. According to key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting was previously been a feature of Apex Legends for quite a while, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and typically employed by competitive players in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced speed-boosts.

"Mantle Boosts have been in Apex for a while, but executing it requires skill to perform and a player would never know it [is in the game] without external guides," Canavese states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so players can easily see when and how to activate the high-octane movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and introducing new ways to play for a much wider base."

The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a previously obscure technique available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team aims for players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"Our community is doing other crazy stuff like super-glides and tap-strafes, and we examined at our competition, observed what the community execute, and we said, 'What if we provide these capabilities to a broader audience?'" Mohan explains. "Because right now, certain techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and execute within precise timings. So we said, 'What if we make a polished version?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is largely the name of the game in Season 27, with Legends the gravity mage, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving enhancements to maintain them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will boost users upward faster than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover feature overhead protection and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. However it's the high-flying Valkyrie receiving the most attention now, with multiple tweaks applied to enhance her as stronger, faster, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," states character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt she was dominant previously, but with the introduction of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she fell behind in today's Apex. It was an ideal chance for us to reexamine a bunch of aspects in her abilities and sort of restore her to her glory days."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, the developer says Respawn assessed all her skills and implemented significant modifications. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment now recharge three times faster, enabling her to remain longer in the air. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to mark opponents who take damage from it. Her squad redeploy skill — which lifts her entire squad skyward for repositioning or retreat — now takes much less time to activate. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that players can choose to conserve resources, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her Skyward Dive activation.

"Valkyrie's equipment now delivers on the pilot experience," he says.

Map Changes

Additionally, the lone airborne map, this location, is getting a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn state Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the tools required to compete in the competition.

"Essentially, we were looking at the game's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," says lead Legend designer the lead.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped launches November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.