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Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise in store for the popular battle royale gamers, perfectly timed for the holidays. Fans of this game's super-slick movement can rejoice to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.

Unveiling Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this ability gives players a burst of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. As explained lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, this technique was previously been a feature of Apex Legends for quite a while, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by competitive players in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. This season, the team simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced speed-boosts.

"This technique existed in the game for some time, but executing it isn't easy to perform and a player might not realize it's possible without external guides," the designer states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify when and how to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the feature and introducing fresh strategies to play for a much wider base."

Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a once niche technique accessible to everyone? Principal designer Josh Mohan says developers aims for players to feel powerful — including ones who are new.

"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at our competition, observed what the community execute, and we wondered, 'What if we provide some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer clarifies. "Because currently, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — you need to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a polished version?'"

Season 27 Movement Focus

Movement is primarily the name of the game in this season, with characters Horizon, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting enhancements to maintain them in motion. Recovery time on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will boost players upward much quicker than before. Her defensive walls feature overhead protection and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. But it's aerial Valkyrie who's getting the most attention now, with multiple tweaks applied to make her more potent, quicker, and deadlier.

"I think many agree that her moment is here," states character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt she was top-tier previously, but with the introduction of other characters, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's the game. This presented a really great opportunity for us to revisit a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and sort of bring her back to her glory days."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To restore her competitive status in current strategies, the developer notes Respawn evaluated all her skills and implemented some powerful changes. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting velocity while airborne, and this equipment now recharge three times faster, allowing the player to remain longer in the air. Now she won't take damage from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to tag opponents who are hit from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive skill — which launches her entire squad into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires reduced delay to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new perk choices that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack fulfills the pilot experience," he comments.

Olympus Improvements

Additionally, the lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands bottlenecks and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. The developers state the game Season 27 focuses on giving players the tools required to keep up with the competition.

"Really, we were looking at Apex's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains lead Legend designer Josh Mohan.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at the specified times.