Apex Legends' Specialized Movement Mechanics Become Widely Accessible This Season

Respawn Entertainment has a special treat in store for the popular battle royale players, arriving just in time for festive season. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's highly fluid traversal can rejoice to discover that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when Season 27: Amped launches on Nov. 4.

Unveiling Mantle Boosting

Named "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this feature provides gamers a surge of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. As explained key developer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially been a feature of the game for quite a while, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's challenging for the average player, and typically employed by competitive players in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky movement boosts.

"This technique existed in the game for some time, but executing it isn't easy to perform and gamers might not realize it [is in the game] without external guides," the designer explains. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify the timing to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, opening up the mechanic and introducing new ways to play for more players."

Why Make It Accessible

What's the reason for making a previously obscure technique available to all players? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan explains developers wants players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"Our community is doing other crazy stuff like super-glides and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, looked at what our players execute, and we wondered, 'What if we provide these capabilities to a broader audience?'" Mohan clarifies. "Because right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and execute within precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a polished implementation?'"

The Amped Update Movement Focus

Mobility is primarily the central theme in Season 27, with characters Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving enhancements to maintain them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability is shorter, and this skill will boost users into the air faster than it used to. Her defensive walls now include overhead protection and the ability to grant movement bonuses to those nearby. However it's aerial Valkyrie receiving the most attention now, with various adjustments applied to make her stronger, faster, and more lethal.

"In my opinion many agree that her moment has arrived," states character developer the designer. "There's no doubt she was top-tier in the past, but with the introduction of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she fell behind in today's Apex. This presented a really great opportunity for us to revisit a bunch of aspects in her abilities and sort of restore her to former prominence."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead says Respawn assessed all her skills and implemented some powerful modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, increasing velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates much quicker, allowing her to remain longer in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to tag opponents who are hit from it. Her squad redeploy ability — which launches teammates skyward for redeployment or escape — requires much less time to activate. Additionally, she gains recently added perk choices that users can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her Skyward Dive takeoff time.

"Her jet pack fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," he says.

Map Changes

Additionally, the lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands bottlenecks and makes securing elevated positions more manageable. The developers state Apex Legends this update focuses on providing gamers the resources they need to keep up with matches.

"Really, we were looking at Apex's core identity as a movement shooter," says lead Legend designer the lead.

Apex Legends Season 27: Amped launches Nov. 4 at the specified times.