🔗 Share this article

The game developers have an exciting surprise in store for the popular battle royale players, perfectly timed for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's highly fluid movement will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Named "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature provides gamers a burst of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. According to lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique was previously existed of the game for quite a while, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's challenging for the average player, and is mainly used by pro gamers in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, the team is making it easier for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced movement boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for some time, but the movement requires skill to perform and gamers might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so users can easily see when and how to activate the fast-paced movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and adding fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."

Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a once niche movement quirk available to all players? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team aims for players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafes, and we examined at other games, looked at what our players are doing, and we said, 'What if we extend some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer clarifies. "Since right now, some of these techniques are somewhat awkward to use — it requires to remap your keybinds and execute within one-frame windows. So we said, 'How about we make a polished version?'"

The Amped Update Movement Focus

Movement is largely the name of the game in this season, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving buffs to help keep them mobile. The cooldown period on her tactical ability is shorter, and this skill will propel players upward faster than before. Her defensive walls feature overhead protection and capability to provide speed boosts to those nearby. But it's the high-flying this Legend receiving the most attention this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her stronger, quicker, and deadlier.

"In my opinion there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time is here," says Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly she was top-tier previously, but with the introduction of other characters, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in current the game. It was a really great opportunity for us to revisit a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and essentially restore her to her glory days."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim her competitive status in the game's meta, the developer notes Respawn evaluated all her skills and introduced significant modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting velocity during flight, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling her to spend more time aloft. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to tag opponents who are hit from it. Her squad redeploy ability — which lifts her entire squad skyward for redeployment or retreat — requires reduced delay to activate. She's also getting recently added perk choices that players can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her ultimate takeoff time.

"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," he says.

Olympus Improvements

Additionally, the only floating arena, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly facelift, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and renders securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. Respawn says Apex Legends this update is all about providing gamers the resources they need to compete in the competition.

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

The battle royale the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.