The Apex Legends developers freely admit that they are taking big swings at changing up the meta in the hit battle royale with each seasonal update. Where previously they might have tweaked a weapon’s damage by a point or two, now they buff every single gun and remove helmets (almost) completely so that the time-to-kill (TTK) drops rapidly. That’s not a random example, it’s exactly what Respawn did in Season 24.
The change was unpopular in online communities when it was announced, but when players actually got a chance to jump into the game, the response was far more mixed. Some players still don’t like the changes – whether they’re opposed to change in general or specifically preferred the longer, drawn-out fights – but others get what the developer was going for.
Healthy Scepticism
I admit that I was sceptical about the changes. This season was one of the few that I didn’t see, play, or interview the developers before launch due to attending the ALGS Championship, so I had no particular insight into the changes or the devs’ reasoning for them.
Lower TTK immediately made me think of Call of Duty: Warzone, a battle royale with sluggish movement and a who-shoots-first-wins philosophy to fights. It’s the antithesis of Apex Legends, and exactly what I didn’t want my favourite battle royale to become.
I was nervous heading into Season 24, but when I actually sat down with the game I was… exactly as confused as everyone else. This shift to quicker fights was radical, but not terrible. It was difficult, but I didn’t hate it. It took a week of playing to truly understand my own feelings.
Think Fast
Apex Legends has a steep learning curve for casual players like me. I may not seem casual, with over 1,000 hours in the game across numerous devices, but I sure don’t play as much as I used to. I jump into matches now when I need a fresh mind and a clean slate. Maybe I’ve played one too many indie RPG demos in a row, or spent too long staring at a draft I’m trying to perfect. A couple of quick matches of Apex will reset me.
Long gone are my days of grinding battle passes and buying heirlooms, although I don’t regret them. I still maintain that I have good macro skills in the game – my loot paths, rotations, and positioning are all great – but the TTK change has shown the wear in my 30-year-old fingers. While the game isn’t quite who-shoots-first-wins, if an opponent gets the jump on you, you’re pretty much screwed.
The same goes for snipers. Once an overlooked weapon in a Legend’s arsenal, these are now devastating forces, Kraber or not. This goes double on the open fields of Olympus. Guns feel powerful in your hands again, but at what cost?
It’s safe to say you die incredibly quickly now. Getting one-clipped by a controller player with an SMG is a serious problem again. In the past, I could out-move or out-ability them to reposition and take a strategic approach to the fight. With the new TTK, that’s impossible. But is that a bad thing?
Quicker fights (should) mean fewer third parties. That doesn’t quite work in practice, but it’s nice to have a bit more time to reset after winning a fight. On the other hand, I’ve had to rewire my brain to stop myself from running headlong into any fight that I hear, knowing now that my opponents won’t be as injured as I think after wrapping up a quick 3v3.
The new TTK changes how you have to think about Apex Legends. And that’s a huge positive. Players – myself included – have spent too many seasons just going through the motions. It’s refreshing to finally have to think, even if it means my K/D is in the gutter.
Next
Apex Legends Creates “Gigantic LAN Party” 480-Player Tournament For ALGS Year 5
Apex Legends introduces Legend bans, a new map, and its biggest LAN yet in ALGS Year 5.