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Respawn Entertainment have an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for festive season. Fans of this game's highly fluid traversal will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4.

Unveiling Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this ability gives players a burst of propulsion when climbing over obstacles. As explained key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting was previously existed of the game for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." But it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed by competitive players in competitive play or esports competitions. In this update, the team is making it easier for everyone to execute these tricky movement boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for some time, but executing it requires skill to perform and gamers would never know it's possible without external guides," Canavese states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify when and how to activate the fast-paced movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and introducing fresh strategies to compete for more players."

The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

Why make a previously obscure technique available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead explains developers aims for players to feel powerful — including ones who are inexperienced.

"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, observed what our players are doing, and we said, 'How can we extend these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer clarifies. "Since currently, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — it requires to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'How about we make a polished implementation?'"

Season 27 Movement Focus

Mobility is primarily the central theme in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to maintain them in motion. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and this skill will boost users upward faster than before. Her defensive walls now include a roof and the ability to provide speed boosts to those nearby. But the spotlight is on the high-flying this Legend who's getting the most attention now, with various adjustments applied to enhance her as stronger, faster, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," says Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly she was dominant in the past, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in current the game. It was a really great opportunity for the team to revisit multiple elements in her abilities and essentially restore her to former prominence."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To restore Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead says Respawn evaluated all her skills and introduced some powerful changes. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, increasing velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling her to remain longer in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to tag enemies who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts teammates into the air for redeployment or retreat — requires much less time to activate. She's also getting recently added perk choices that players can choose to conserve resources, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," he says.

Map Changes

Even the game's lone airborne map, this location, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that expands choke points and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn says the game this update focuses on giving players the resources they need to compete in matches.

"Really, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," says principal designer Josh Mohan.

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