🔗 Share this article

The game developers have an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for festive season. Fans of this game's highly fluid movement can rejoice to discover that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Named "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this ability gives players a burst of forward momentum when climbing over ledges and walls. According to lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique was previously been a feature of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or tournaments. In this update, Respawn simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced speed-boosts.

"Mantle Boosts have been in the game for a while, but the movement isn't easy to perform and gamers would never know it's possible without external guides," Canavese explains. "We're adding a visual cue so players can clearly identify when and how to trigger the high-octane movement ability, making accessible the feature and introducing new ways to compete for more players."

Why Make It Accessible

What's the reason for making a once niche technique accessible to all players? Principal designer Josh Mohan says developers aims for players to experience empowerment — including ones who are inexperienced.

"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we looked around at other games, observed what the community are doing, and we said, 'How can we extend these capabilities to more players?'" Mohan clarifies. "Since right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to use — it requires to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'How about we make a polished implementation?'"

The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility

Mobility is primarily the central theme in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie receiving enhancements to maintain them mobile. Recovery time on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will boost users upward much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover now include a roof and capability to grant speed boosts to allies in range. However it's aerial this Legend receiving the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, faster, and deadlier.

"In my opinion many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," states character developer the designer. "There's no doubt that she's been top-tier in the past, but with the introduction of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in current Apex. This presented an ideal chance for us to revisit a bunch of aspects in her abilities and essentially restore her to her glory days."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To restore Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead notes the team assessed all her skills and introduced some powerful changes. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, increasing her speed during flight, and the jets themselves now recharge three times faster, allowing her to spend more time aloft. She can no longer take damage from her ultimate ability, which has also been upgraded to mark enemies 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 fire up. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that players can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate takeoff time.

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

Map Changes

Additionally, the lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that expands choke points and renders securing elevated positions more manageable. The developers state Apex Legends Season 27 is all about giving players the tools they need to keep up with matches.

"Really, we examined Apex's core identity as a movement shooter," explains principal designer Josh Mohan.

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