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The game developers has an exciting surprise prepared for Apex Legends players, arriving just in time for festive season. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick movement can rejoice to discover that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped launches on Nov. 4.

Introducing The Mantle Boost

Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this feature provides gamers a burst of propulsion when scaling obstacles. As explained key developer the design lead, 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 casual gamers, and is mainly used by competitive players in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for everyone to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for some time, but the movement isn't easy to perform and gamers might not realize it's possible without external guides," Canavese explains. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so users can easily see the timing to activate the high-octane movement ability, opening up the feature and adding fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."

The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible

What's the reason for making a once niche movement quirk available to all players? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan explains the team aims for players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"Our community is doing other crazy stuff like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, looked at what our players execute, and we wondered, 'What if we extend these capabilities to more players?'" the designer explains. "Because currently, some of these techniques are kind of janky to use — it requires to remap your keybinds and execute within one-frame windows. We proposed, 'How about we create a more official version?'"

Season 27 Movement Focus

Movement is primarily the central theme in this season, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie receiving buffs to maintain them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel users into the air faster than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover now include overhead protection and the ability to provide movement bonuses to allies in range. However it's the high-flying this Legend who's getting significant improvements this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her stronger, quicker, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," states Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly that she's been dominant previously, but with the introduction of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it felt like she fell behind in today's Apex. It was a really great opportunity for the team to revisit a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and sort of bring her back to former prominence."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To restore her competitive status in the game's meta, the developer notes the team assessed all her skills and implemented some powerful modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting her speed while airborne, and this equipment regenerates three times faster, allowing her to remain longer in the air. She can no longer be harmed from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to mark opponents who are hit from it. Her squad redeploy skill — which launches teammates into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires reduced delay to fire up. She's also getting recently added Legend Upgrades that users can choose to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate takeoff time.

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

Map Changes

Additionally, the only floating arena, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands choke points and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn says Apex Legends this update focuses on giving players the resources they need to keep up with matches.

"Essentially, we examined the game's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," says principal designer the lead.

The battle royale the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.