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The game developers has a special treat in store for the popular battle royale gamers, arriving just in time for festive season. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick movement can rejoice to learn that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when the Amped season launches on November 4th.

Introducing Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a burst of forward momentum when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained key developer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially existed of the game for some time, often called as "mantle jumping." But it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, the team is making it easier for everyone to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for some time, but executing it requires skill to perform and a player might not realize it [is in the game] without outside knowledge," Canavese states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify when and how to activate the high-octane traversal skill, opening up the feature and adding fresh strategies to play for a much wider base."

Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a once niche technique available to everyone? Principal designer the development lead explains the team wants players to feel powerful — including ones who are new.

"[The playerbase] is doing other crazy stuff like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, observed what our players execute, and we wondered, 'How can we provide some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because currently, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to access — you need to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a more official implementation?'"

Season 27 Movement Focus

Movement is largely the central theme in Season 27, with Legends the gravity mage, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving enhancements to help keep them mobile. Recovery time on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel users into the air faster than before. Rampart's Amped Cover feature a roof and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. However it's the high-flying this Legend receiving significant improvements now, with multiple tweaks applied to make her stronger, quicker, and deadlier.

"In my opinion many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," says character developer the designer. "There's no doubt she was dominant previously, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, 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 essentially restore her to former prominence."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To restore her competitive status in current strategies, the developer says the team evaluated each of her abilities and implemented significant modifications. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, increasing velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates much quicker, allowing the player to remain longer aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to tag enemies who take damage from it. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts her entire squad into the air for repositioning or escape — now takes much less time to fire up. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that players can choose to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate activation.

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

Map Changes

Additionally, the only floating arena, this location, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and renders securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. The developers state Apex Legends this update focuses on providing gamers the tools required to keep up with matches.

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

Apex Legends Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.