Almost exactly four years ago, Apex Legends was launched. In the meantime, the Battle Royale built up a loyal fan base. Not least because developer Respawn Entertainment continuously provides fresh food. A whopping 15 seasons are now behind us. But nobody thinks of an end and so season 16 called Revelry is about to start. Probably the most important innovation is the return of the Team Deathmatch mode. All other changes, information and my first impressions after a try-out session can be found in this news.
The fight for the chicken dinner in the Battle Royale area has been raging for years. Many shooters came and went, only a few managed to stay in the hype genre. With Apex Legends, Respawn Entertainment and EA threw a competitor into the ring almost exactly four years ago, which is still very popular today. The relationship to the two Titanfall parts is certainly not entirely innocent. Ultimately, however, the continuous support from the developers keeps the title running.
Season 16 is now in the starting blocks, starting on February 14, 2023. Not only were all innovations revealed to me at a presentation, I was also allowed to lend a hand in advance. Even though many changes are taking place at the meta level this time, Respawn Entertainment makes it much easier for newcomers to get started with “Revelry”. The team deathmatch mode is likely to provide the biggest hype.
New modes in, old ones out
Yes, you read that right. Finally, two teams of six are allowed to attack each other in a well-groomed manner. Up to three matches are played, and whoever wins first wins. You choose your loadout at the start of the round from a selection of predefined setups. In my first game, the assembled arsenals made sense, with plenty of options for rushers, snipers, and other playstyles. Random supply drops add even more variety to the matches. According to current planning, the map selection is limited to Party Crasher, Habitat and Skull Town. As expected, they offer plenty of room for surprise attacks and vertical movement. Unsurprisingly, I found the mode extremely enjoyable. Finally, Apex Legends’ fast-paced gameplay is perfect for short, competitive skirmishes.
Revelry’s new modes don’t stop at Team Deathmatch, though. With Mixtape, Respawn introduces a playlist variant in which various game variants will be available in rotation. For example, the developers call Control, Run Gun and Team Deathmatch. So if you need a training area for the Battle Royale, you will find it here. The only downside: You can only use the mixtape from March 7, 2023, so not right at the start of season 16. But all these additions come with a price: the three-versus-three Arena mode is out of the game.
To give newcomers even more opportunities to practice, Season 16 introduces ten new challenges. They should introduce Apex-specific mechanics. The Orientation Matches, on the other hand, fill up your first Battle Royale rounds with bots so you don’t get thrown in at the deep end. A lot has also happened on the firing range. The bots can now punish, their movement speed can be adjusted and their shield level can be adjusted. In addition, you will see hints how much damage you caused and where your bullets hit exactly. For example, prospective professionals learn the spray patterns of the individual weapons.
Changes at the meta level
In fact, Revelry doesn’t bring a new legend with it. However, Respawn Entertainment gives a pretty good reason for this decision. Many existing heroes have had their meta reworked to further refine their balancing. In total, the skills of seven legends have been adopted: Seer, Lifeline, Bloodhound, Pathfinder, Wraith, Horizon and Mirage.
That’s not all, Respawn also shakes up the class system massively with season 16. They are now divided into five categories, each with their own perks:
Assault: Carry more ammo and open secret areas in weapon crates Skirmisher: Detect the most powerful weapon in incoming supply drops Recon: Use a surveillance station that taunts enemies for 30 seconds but is seen by nearby enemies Controllers: Use a new one Console showing the location of the next ring Support: Open an additional section of the supply crates (like Lifeline used to be)
I’m not sure yet how much of an impact these changes will have, and whether they will fulfill Respawn’s desire to offer smarter team builds and more varied matches. The time was too short for that. But it’s always nice when developers listen to the fans and take feedback seriously.
With the Nemesis, the developers are also introducing a new burst assault rifle. The special trick: If you keep the fire button pressed, the gun continues to shoot and reduces the intervals between the bursts of fire. The gold shotgun bolt, on the other hand, pulls rounds directly from the backpack into the gun when you slip. Very useful, theoretically you never have to reload again.
In addition to the free revisions and content, Apex Legends Season 16 also offers a Battle Pass again. This includes, for example, legendary skins for Crypto and Valkyrie, a fresh version of the Mastif as well as charms, emotes and banners. The map rotation in Ranked Battle Royale is Broken Moon, Stormpoint, and Worlds Edge. To celebrate the fourth birthday, balloons will also hover over all maps and at the start of the match, jets will shoot over the maps and put on a show. With the Mirage A III (Ménage-à-trois), the popular party boat is also back in the game.
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With the changes, some of which are very small, there is no way I can determine after just a few matches how much of an impact they ultimately have. Overall, the revisions make a very well thought-out and sensible impression. In my opinion, Team Deathmatch as a new mode should have come much earlier. The bottom line is that season 16 does not revolutionize Apex Legends, but it should give both beginners and veterans many enjoyable hours. I will definitely spend a few hours on it again.
