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The game developers have a special treat in store for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's highly fluid movement will be pleased to discover that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this ability gives players a surge of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique has unofficially been a feature of Apex Legends for quite a while, often called as "mantle jumping." But it's no easy feat for casual gamers, 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 speed-boosts.

"Mantle Boosts existed in the game for a while, but executing it isn't easy to perform and a player might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese explains. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify the timing to trigger the high-octane traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and introducing new ways to compete for a much wider base."

The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible

What's the reason for making a previously obscure technique available to all players? Principal designer Josh Mohan says the team aims for gamers to experience empowerment — even those who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs other crazy stuff like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we examined at our competition, looked at what our players execute, and we wondered, 'How can we provide these capabilities to more players?'" the designer clarifies. "Since currently, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to use — you need to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a more official version?'"

The Amped Update Movement Focus

Mobility is largely the central theme in this season, with characters Horizon, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to help keep them in motion. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and this skill will propel players upward faster than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover now include overhead protection and capability to provide movement bonuses to allies in range. But it's the high-flying this Legend who's getting significant improvements this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to enhance her as stronger, faster, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," states Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly she was top-tier previously, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in today's the game. It was an ideal chance for the team to revisit a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and essentially bring her back to former prominence."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim her competitive status in the game's meta, Holstead says Respawn evaluated all her skills and implemented significant changes. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, boosting her speed while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling her to remain longer aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag enemies who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts teammates skyward for redeployment or retreat — requires much less time to fire up. She's also getting some new Legend Upgrades that players can choose to conserve resources, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or further speed up her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," he comments.

Map Changes

Additionally, the lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a mobility-focused facelift, with an extensive redesign that expands choke points and renders claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn says Apex Legends Season 27 focuses on providing gamers the tools they need to compete in the competition.

"Really, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," explains lead Legend designer Josh Mohan.

Apex Legends Season 27: Amped launches Nov. 4 at the specified times.