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The game developers has a special treat prepared for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's highly fluid traversal will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped launches on Nov. 4.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Named "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. According to lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique was previously existed of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and is mainly used by competitive players in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, Respawn simplifies the process for everyone to execute these tricky movement boosts.

"This technique have been in the game for a while, but executing it requires skill to pull off and a player would never know 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 traversal skill, opening up the mechanic and adding new ways to compete for a much wider base."

Why Make It Accessible

Why make a once niche technique available to all players? Lead Legend designer the development lead explains developers aims for gamers to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs other crazy stuff like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, observed what our players execute, and we wondered, 'What if we extend these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer clarifies. "Because right now, certain techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and execute within one-frame windows. So we said, 'How about we create a polished version?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is largely the central theme in this season, with Legends Horizon, the defensive specialist, and the aerial combatant all getting buffs to maintain them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will propel players upward much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover now include a roof and the ability to provide speed boosts to allies in range. But the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie receiving the most attention this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to enhance her as more potent, faster, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that her moment has arrived," says character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt she was dominant in the past, but with the introduction of new Legends, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it seemed like she's not very relevant in current the game. It was an ideal chance for the team to reexamine a bunch of aspects in her abilities and sort of restore her to her glory days."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To restore her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead says the team assessed each of her abilities and introduced significant modifications. Her jetpack received improvements, increasing her speed during flight, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, allowing her to spend more time in the air. Now she won't be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to mark opponents who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which lifts her entire squad skyward for redeployment or retreat — now takes much less time to activate. She's also getting some new perk choices that users can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive activation.

"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills the pilot experience," he comments.

Olympus Improvements

Additionally, the lone airborne map, this location, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that opens up choke points and renders securing elevated positions more manageable. Respawn state Apex Legends this update is all about giving players the tools required to compete in matches.

"Really, we examined the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains lead Legend designer Josh Mohan.

Apex Legends the Amped season releases November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.