What is it?
If you have not heard yet, Apex Legends is the new (and sudden) free to play Battle Royale game by Titanfall creators, Respawn Entertainment. Now that whole sentence in itself sells me the game (but not really sell since its free). Apparently it is set in the same universe as the Titanfall series, though it doesn’t really do much to sell you that point. Now, what does Apex Legends do to set itself apart in a market that is becoming more and more overpopulated with Battle Royales?
The Basics
First of all, Apex Legends is a Battle Royale, so you can expect it to play, in general, as a BR. This means that you are in a squad and drop in from the sky onto an open battlefield. You don’t have anything but your fists and your character’s skills. Speaking of which, this is the first thing that sets Apex Legends apart from other BRs. As it stands at the time of this review, there are 8 different characters, with 2 locked away at the start. Each character has a passive ability, an active ability that has a short cooldown, and an ultimate that requires building up and careful planning. The shooting is first-person, there is a scope button, a sprint, crouching, and jumping (note: you do not take fall damage). All pretty standard, but things that I like to make note of.
The Flair
The influence of Titanfall is quite apparent in Apex Legends. The shooting is quick and feels light and enjoyable. Squads are made up of 3 players and begin the game grouped together as a selected character moves the others to their drop site. Each member is able to break away and go wherever they want instead, but you can also offer suggestions on where to land. Whenever someone dies, they drop a crate that can be looted by enemy players or picked up by allies and taken to a respawn point to bring that player back to life. However, you really want to make sure the area is safe before attempting this as it takes a few seconds and leaves you vulnerable. As an attacker, once an opponent is knocked down, but not finished off, each character has the option to perform a unique finisher that cuts to a quick cinematic of the character killing the downed player.
The Verdict
Do you like running around with a team of three and coordinating a plan to survive, find weapons, and kill all other teams on a map before being killed by others or by a shrinking safe zone? Did you play Titanfall and enjoy the basic shooting, even without the titular Titans? This game may very well be for you if you answer yes to these things. But if you are still unsure, at the very least the game is worth downloading and trying for a few rounds. It costs you nothing but the space on your device and the time you take to play it.
