Three and Out – ‘Apex Legends’

I feel 15 again. Six plus hours a day, every day, grinding matchmaking in Halo 3 with Krischiken, Eethman, and Skuzi. Late nights, sporadic food scavenging, and as much Dr. Pepper as I can get my hands on. I load in and ready up for the ritualistic warm-up games in an attempt to brute force my way through stiff mind and body, both lazy from the few hours of sleep I nabbed earlier this morning. I can’t help it. I crave the satisfaction of sliding down slopes at breakneck speeds, jumping off cliffs, slamming down in front of multiple enemies, and mowing them down with some swift rifling or a few well placed magnum shots. No need to rinse, just repeat. Apex Legends has revived the sweaty competitor in me.

The gunplay reminds me of a mix of classic elements from old-school shooters. Recoil like in Counter Strike, shot leading reminiscent of Halo, and animation cancelling like a throwback to Team Fortress and Unreal Tournament. Apex Legends, at its core, shares those genre defining, gameplay distinguishing shooter mechanics that differentiate each gun. The result is a robust and dynamic arsenal with an inherent skill ceiling that relies on the gun handling, accuracy, and creativity of the player. It is here, in the throes of gunplay, that I become my own worst enemy, and I won’t settle for anything less than the satisfaction of perfecting my craft. Apex feels like a return – nearly an homage – to the classic shooter legacy.

Though it plays like a polished shooter, Apex still acknowledges its royale temperament. Large maps are a staple of the battle royale genre and often hinder gameplay due to inaccessibility and low interaction. This creates a sort of predictable, linear gameplay in the microcosm of player actions during different phases of the round, ultimately resulting in a frantic opening, drawn out middle, and usually anti climactic end. At least, other battle royale titles do that. Apex, however, mitigates a great deal of telegraphed gameplay through momentum based movement mechanics and unique character abilities. The slide mechanic allows players to take advantage of downhill slopes for quick getaways or wiry engagements. Climbing and clambering bequeaths unprecedented verticality and maneuverability that emphasizes positioning in and out of combat. Redeploy stations are both forgiving and rewarding. Character abilities are situational but powerful, adding extra spice to battles. Apex Legends emphasizes variations of movement in tandem with familiar gunplay and character abilities to compliment the map design; both fight and flight are viable options. Engagements are fresh and interesting, shooting feels nostalgic and comfortable, and the core gameplay is altogether unshackled from battle royale tropes.

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