Apex Legends - Titanfall Battle Royale: None of the Titans, and all of the "fall"

[Polkadi~☆]

There are rumours of a new Titanfall game arriving Monday, the 4th of February.

Except this Titanfall game... Is a free-to-play battle royale mode. And it's less of a rumour, and more of an open secret, considering EA has invited streamers to an event a few days ago, and said streamers have made hints at the game since then.

Named 'Apex Legends', this Titanfall battle royale is a 60-player game for PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Featuring classes with unique abilities playing in teams of three, and micro-transactions and lootboxes for cosmetic items much akin to Overwatch.

This game also lacks many trademark features of the franchise. There are no Titans (large personalised mecha that the player can call down), and no freeform movement of a Pilot (main characters you play as).

 

A Titanfall game, with none of the Titanfall. Many dedicated fans (such as myself) have cried out in outrage, for this feels like such an obvious cashgrab. As soon as Respawn were bought out by EA, we could see this nightmare was coming...

[Failinhearts]

That sounds like the dumbest idea ever.

So... take Titanfall, strip it of the thing that makes it unique from any shooter... and make it a Battle Royale game. 

This practically just becomes PUBG EA edition without a gimmick.

[Moslithe]

end it.... end it really brutally.....

[SgtBloxx]

Of course I am against this, but I have one rule when it comes to game announces like this; Wait for raw gameplay footage first before beginning to actually judge it.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Titanfall 2 has one of the best single player campaigns in recent history.

 

This sounds like a stupid cash grab which will be dead in a month.

[Bobnik]

I'll agree it doesn't sound too optimistic, but I'll wait till I see actual footage before throwing temper tantrums. Maybe it could be good and introduce more people to other Titanfall games, which would be awesome. 

And I know I'm talking about EA here, but I'm kinda tired of being outraged at something I haven't seen yet. So I'll wait till I see something before judging it. And it's not like Titanfall 3 got cancelled for this game (not yet anyway)

[KHCast]

Of course EA want in on the trend, I’m not shocked there, but since it’s a EA product, don’t expect me to give a shit or give them any benefit of the doubt until said games out. I’m not expecting much tbh. Taking out what makes a game notable in order to “appeal” is always a risk that usually never works out and just comes out like a waste of time imo

[Polkadi~☆]

1 hour ago, KHCast said:

Of course EA want in on the trend, I’m not shocked there, but since it’s a EA product, don’t expect me to give a shit or give them any benefit of the doubt until said games out. I’m not expecting much tbh. Taking out what makes a game notable in order to “appeal” is always a risk that usually never works out and just comes out like a waste of time imo

Although I understand EA not being a reputable publisher, Respawn is still one of the best developers out there for putting out games of unique themes and great quality. And as much as I may be against a move like this, there are interesting mechanics in the Titanfall universe that the game could take advantage of (like Ash's combat simulation facility, with bits and pieces of the map swapping in and out, Aperture Science style).

I just hope this isn't a total cashgrab, and that the game still uses some of Titanfall's specialties. Fluid movement like Titanfall 2's would be great, though I fear that may make the skill gap between beginners and pros extremely wide. And if these "class-based abilities" are correct, I hope it's something like Titanfall 2's Tacticals. What I would give to have my grappling hook back in a battle royale!

 

It just feels weird that we're recieving a new game in a franchise with next to none of it's established identity woven into it.

[KHCast]

Just having a well known dev that’s made good stuff in the past doesn’t guarantee success or quality product. Especially when talking about EA

And need I bring up Star Wars battlefront which was helmed by DICE? Hell, BioWare is working on Anthem and that looks like your big standard destiny/Warframe clone. Sorry, but like I said, until the games out, don’t expect much optimism from me when EA doesn’t really deserve that. If you wanna go ahead I realize some people function like that regardless of the publisher, but EA has kinda lost all and any respect from me 

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Taking respectable franchises and devs..... only to kill or ruin them eventually after draining is EA's most common tool and what they do best these days. 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

The same guys who removed and paywalled the hero mechanic in Battlefront - y'know one of the few actual unique selling points of the game - is now doing the same to Titanfall, only without the mechs altogether?!

Gasp, shock. Horror.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

You mean the same guys who re-animated Command & Conquer's corpse into the mobile zombie fest they wasted time on at last year's E3 could do such wrong!? Even more shock!!

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Tbh, if Blizzard didn't make the infamous mobile games comment, there's probably a high chance it would've come out of an EA executive instead.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

It's really funny. Everytime we fear we're headed to mobile dominated future,  companies do stupid crud like that which helps reignite just why that ain't gonna be. 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

20 minutes ago, JokerJovahexeonJoranvexeon said:

It's really funny. Everytime we fear we're headed to mobile dominated future,  companies do stupid crud like that which helps reignite just why that ain't gonna be. 

I mean, at least they were right about single player games being dead.

Right?

...Right?

...right?...

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

44 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

I mean, at least they were right about single player games being dead.

Right?

...Right?

...right?...

I imagine Persona 5, Super Mario Odyssey,  Celeste, Undertale,  Shantae,  Ace Attorney, Sonic Mania and so many more contenders having a hearty laugh at that EA line of thought. 

Y'know,  when even games like Smash Ultimate are respecting the need for single player content, come now EA.

[SonicWind]

Well, the game's been officially revealed.

Also, it's available for download on PS4, Xbox One, and PC right now.

[Bobnik]

Hm, based on what I've seen, it's kind of weird. There's no wall-running and no titans, but the rest of the movement looks to be as smooth and as fast-paced as Titanfall 2. But I think I'm just gonna try playing the game for myself to have a fully developed impression on the game

I appreciate them not doing p2w stuff, instead going for cosmetics, but it's still a weird way to advance the series. And what really bums me out is apparently Respawn outright said they're not working on Titanfall 3 (source: Eurogamer). That said, I'm not too surprised, since I never saw that team as the one working on more than 2 projects at the same time.

And before people hate on EA for this, Respawn were working on this before EA's acquisition, so it's more on Respawn here than EA. Anyway, gotta download it and play tomorrow myself.

[Polkadi~☆]

Respawn was behind the reason this game exists, huh...? Wouldn't be the first time they made a bone-headed decision that EA copped the blame for (coughtitanfall2releasedatebetweentwojuggernaughtgamescough).

There are things that I like about the game. Slide-hopping appears to be back, the grappling hook is still here, and MRVN becomes a playable character (with a high-five execution!).

I'll check it out, getting my Titanfall group together as we dive into this... Thing. Then I'll post my thoughts.

[SgtBloxx]

I haven’t played the game yet, but so far it doesn’t look like my cup of tea for two reasons; It’s a battle royale and it’s a MOBA.

I am almost never a fan of the two genres. Battle royales for me tend to get repetitive for me fast and I always prefer to play as my own character, an option not present in MOBA’s.

Maybe I could get a few friends together to fully experience it since it’s free, but right now I’m not convinced enough to play this for a while.

[KHCast]

The game may be on respawn, but the predetory money making manipulation tactics at play here? I’m almost positive, given how respawn were banging about no microtransactions and lootboxes in their previous work and championing it, that is on EA souly, so cosmetics or not any critiscim given to ea on that, I think is deserved 

[KHCast]

3 hours ago, Polkadi~♪ said:

coughtitanfall2releasedatebetweentwojuggernaughtgamescough

Pretty sure that was on ea considering they were giving the press response to that criticism.(something about the “market not being the same so it’ll be fine”? Lol wat.)

edit: plz merge 

[Polkadi~☆]

4 minutes ago, KHCast said:

Pretty sure that was on ea considering they were giving the press response to that criticism.(something about the “market being the same so it’ll be fine”? Lol wat.)

When fans cried out that the game was screwed over thanks to EA's release date for the game, and that the fans felt sorry for Respawn, the studio replied that it was their decision. It left many of us confused, why would you willingly put the release of your game in a spot on the calendar that's otherwise just no-man's land?

So no, that was on Respawn.

[Polkadi~☆]

Everything has blown over, and I'm calm enough to get some of my Titanfall friends together to play this game.

Final verdict?
It's like a weird fever dream.

The gimped movement is screwing us over, because it looks like Titanfall, yet feels nothing like it. All the new weapons and items feel like a slap in the face to Titanfall 2's underwhelming updates. The respawn system is interesting, yet not engaging. And the characters are really "whatever", I don't care about them.
Overall, it's very boring. And if you're into Titanfall, this game is just weird. It's so strange, like something that shouldn't exist. I suppose it's good if you're into Battle Royale, however.

[KHCast]

Jim’s thoughts 

it's alright, there are lootboxes and there are 2 characters held behind a paywall if you don’t wanna grind for them, so that’s turned him off the monetization. The rest of the game is fun, but with the release of anthem so soon, is curious if that’ll have any effect on this. He also doesn’t feel as sucked in as he did with games like fortnite.