Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends may share the same universe and the same developers, but their actual gameplay couldn’t be any more different. The naive may think that Apex Legends is just Titanfall minus the Titans and set in a BR (battle royale) arena.
Apex Legends vs Titanfall 2
However, as someone who’s sunk countless hours into both titles, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Two Types Of Legends!
So in terms of the actual lore, the Pilots in Titanfall are renowned soldiers that have endured years of rigorous training. Their abilities in combat are nearly superhuman, and they’ve mastered control over the awe-inspiring Titans. Similar to the Spartans from the Halo series, Pilots are illustrious soldiers that inspire courage amongst their allies and instill fear into the opposition.
The Legends in Apex may not necessarily be enhanced super soldiers, but they’re still deadly mercenaries adept at taking on any challenge. Some fight for honor while others have more sinister motivations and backgrounds. Regardless, each Legend is far from the stereotypical grunt and remains valuable assets in any conflict.
In Terms Of Gameplay?
Yeah, yeah all of that lore was interesting but how does it feel to control these characters? I’ll admit that after not playing Titanfall 2 for nearly a year, I’d forgotten how fast paced the game was. But returning to the game after an intense week of Apex matches was a complete culture shock to my system. Not only are the Pilots more agile than the Legends, but they have numerous mobility options at their disposal. From grappling hooking to wall riding, every Pilot can effortlessly traverse the battlefield at incredible speeds.
Both games share the same weapons being that they exist in the same universe. There may be slight stat changes between each game, but the smoothness of the gunplay remain intact. The most notable difference was, of course, the movement speed but I wouldn’t say that one was superior to another. The in-game lore associated with the Pilots helps to justify why they’re the most agile soldiers on the battlefield. Titanfall 2 is more considered about empowering the player while Apex Legends wants the player to gain their empowerment through tactical use of their abilities.
The Duality
The gameplay flow of the Titanfall series is that the player kills enough enemies to call in their Titan. These devastating tools of destruction change the once-threatening image of infantry enemies into mere insects waiting to be crushed. However, some of these insects happen to be skillful Pilots such as yourself, and this leads to a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Everyone is given access to these powerful abilities and movement options, but the most skillful Pilots will usually win.
Apex Legends, however, switches up the empowerment of the player. No matter the ability of your Legend, each will start the match completely naked and defenseless without even a sidearm. They only have one ability that’s on a cooldown, and most of the abilities are defensive or scouting related. Even your melee won’t instantly kill an enemy player. This is a far cry from the Pilots who can send enemies flying by way of a single punch. By the luck of the draw, a Legend acquires rare weapons and armor, but their true prowess on the battlefield come in the form of coordinated strikes on the enemy. Players who cannot only use their abilities but also plan with other Legends will feel the most gratification when playing Apex Legends. Sure Pilots can perform cooperative actions, but Apex Legends’ gameplay is inherited designed around rewarding Legends that have the insight and strategic foresight to use their environment and powers to their advantage.
Two Sides Of The Same Awesome Coin
Both games are shining examples of great multiplayer experiences! People concerned that Apex Legends was going to be a half-hearted/cheap attempt at a Titanfall BR game were sorely mistaken. As usual, Respawn Entertainment has innovated within a genre that most assumed had reached its peak. So if you enjoy their latest effort; Apex Legends, go out and purchase the highly underrated Titanfall 2!
