Summary
- Team Deathmatch – 6 vs. 6 (two 3-person squads per team).
- Remastered Legend Classes and Perks – five classes, each with special perks.
- Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle – Energy class assault rifle with automatic trigger and burst fire.
Other words for “hoopla” are partying, partying, merrymaking… and that’s exactly what you can expect from this season of Apex Legends. In the four years since launch, it’s grown steadily with new legends, weapons, maps, seasons, and more. But with that Revelry update On February 14th, this can be one of the most important years for Apex Legends still.
Team Deathmatch replaces arenas
I was disappointed to hear that Arena mode is being removed from the game (it’s one of my personal favourites). But in its place, Respawn brings Team Deathmatch (TDM) into play. In this legendary game mode, 6-player teams compete in best-of-three matches for first to 30 kills. You can team up (or auto-fill) with two friends and join another team of three to take on two other teams of three in Skull Town, Party Crashers and Habitat 4.
Additionally, Apex Legends is getting a Mixtape mode in March, which is a persistent limited-time playlist of TDM and fan-favorite modes from previous seasons on a rotating cycle. Team Deathmatch and Mixtape will not have a ranked mode (at least for now). Speaking of ranked modes and map rotations, ranked battle royale will feature map rotation this season, another long-time fan-requested feature.
Revamped legend classes and perks
One of the biggest reveals from a recent hands-on preview event is that legends are now assigned to one of five classes while retaining their individual abilities. The devs discussed players not choosing Legends based on their roles, mainly because the class structure wasn’t effective enough. This disparity ultimately led to the overhaul of the entire core class system.
After the Revelry update, this will work in such a way that each class will get a certain perk; This will be available to all Legends in that class. Some perks will be similar to abilities found in the game today, like supply containers with special compartments and scanning for the next ring location. Others will be new and potentially groundbreaking, like revealing enemy player locations on the map and crafting fallen teammate banners in the replicator. This redesign is intended to benefit teams with a mix of offensive and defensive classes and Legends.
Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle
Designed to compete with the R-301 and Flatline assault rifles, the Nemesis Burst Assault Rifle is a hybrid of the Hemlock and Havoc. It fires a four-round burst with each pull of the trigger, but holding the trigger activates the auto-trigger function and automatically repeats the burst of fire. The longer the trigger is pulled, the shorter the time between shots before it fires like a fully automatic weapon. It’s very powerful and I expect many players will use it.
Other weapon changes coming this season include the return of the Rampage Light Machine Gun to the battlefield, and the Volt Submachine Gun and Longbow DMR will be available for crafting on the Replicator. Additionally, shotguns are getting some much-needed upgrades. The Peacekeeper and Mastiff can now equip tactical stocks to improve reload speed, handling, and aim drift. A gold shotgun bolt will also be available, which improves the rate of fire and has the additional ability to auto-reload while sliding.
The top three things I’m most looking forward to Apex Legends festivity
- Restoring ally banners (even if they’ve expired) – Out of all the new class perks revealed during the preview event, this one got me the most excited. Support Legends (Loba, Lifeline, Gibraltar, and Newcastle) can craft teammates’ Banners for 30 Materials from a Replicator even if their Banner card on their Death Box has expired. You’ll still need to use one of the stationary or mobile respawn beacons to revive your teammates, but hopefully this change will encourage fallen players to stick around to rejoin the fight.
- Care Package Weapon – Learning the Hemlock Assault Rifle, which will be part of the Care Pack this season, came as a bit of a surprise as it’s not one of the most popular weapons – but it’s one of my personal favorites, and this enhanced version is devastating in combat. It offers increased damage, especially from headshots, and comes with the Boosted Load feature. It’s pretty awesome.
- New player experience – I applaud Respawn for improving new player onboarding by implementing measures to help them learn the game. Recruits must complete a series of orientation matches against a battlefield composed mostly of bots before access to the public servers is available. Additionally, new recruits can earn an Apex 101 badge for completing 10 challenges designed to introduce core gameplay mechanics. While these innovative measures will help welcome newcomers to the game, they also help veteran players match up with competent, battle-ready teammates.
As with every new one Apex Legends Season 1, Revelry will include a new Battle Pass featuring Legend skins, weapon skins, weapon charms, banner frames, and emotes. Each of the maps gets a celebratory makeover, with colorful banners adorning the buildings and chibi balloons of legends lighting up the sky. Best of all is the return of the Mirage Voyage. Let the celebrations begin!
Apex Legends is a free-to-play shooter available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Be sure to check out everything included in the new Revelry season when it launches on February 14th. And if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, don’t forget to redeem your perks and grab the Gold Bow Weapon Charm, available for a limited time with your monthly EA Play Rewards.
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