Get ready to drop, shock, and rock, Legends, as Apex Legends' next major update, Legacy, is so close we can almost taste it. And when it does arrive, there will be nowhere to hide...
Despite a fresh battle pass, Legacy is more of an update than a full-on new season, but that doesn't mean developer Respawn is scrimping on that extra shiny content.
Not only do we get an additional Legend, a new weapon - the Bocek combat bow - and changes on the Olympus map - a parasitic plant of unknown origin is slowly taking over - Legends will also be able to battle it out in an all-new mode, Arenas.
Unlike the experimental limited-time modes we've seen before, Arenas is a permanent addition to the roster. Whereas the default mode typically tasks Legends to take on 20 other teams of three and fight to be the last team standing, Arenas is a more intimate 3v3 fight to the death.
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Each round offers fresh supplies of equipment and weapons, and the further into the game you get, the better the loot will be. The team that wins will be the first to secure three rounds and be ahead by two points, or whoever triumphs in the final sudden-death battle.
Interestingly, Ultimate and Tactical abilities can only be used a limited number of times too, so players will have to think tactically and engage very carefully if they're to scoop that victory.
Because it's just 3v3 players, Arenas offers smaller, more contained environments. Some of them you'll recognise from existing maps - you'll find Kings Canyon's Artillery, World's Edge's Thermal Station, plus Olympus' Golden Gardens in rotation - but there are also two bespoke maps, too, that have been designed specifically for the Arenas mode: Party Crasher and Phase Runner. The former should suit most playstyles, while the latter encourages you to engage at mid- and long-range.
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On the topic of range: can we talk about that combat bow? Bocek (pictured, above) is described as a "powerful and deadly" weapon that's particularly effective at medium range. While it's true you'll have to be pretty precise with your shots - the Spitfire's sprayin' and prayin' mode of attack won't work here - charging the shot before you fire will increase the Bocek's effectiveness, and you can boost that even further with two new hop-up slots: Deadeye's Tempo, which improves your draw speed, and Shatter Caps, which makes the arrows burst and "spread out like a shotgun blast".
This is just as well, really, as the changes coming to Olympus will keep players on their toes. The strange vegetation creeping throughout planet Psamathe signals big changes on Apex Legends' newest map, not least because the numerous growths are obscuring traditional sightlines. There are different drop locations and redeploy balloons, too, in a bid to help teams escape and regroup should they get caught between two teams and "third-partied", so players may need to revise their usual "rotations" and preferred destinations.
Last but definitely not least, we get to meet all-new Legend, Valkyrie. Daughter of famed Titan Pilot Viper - yes, that's the same Viper of Titanfall 2 infamy - Valkyrie rocks not only a fantastic missile swarm to "damage and disorientate" her enemies, but she also uses a jetpack to cover ground quickly, even taking her squaddies into the sky with her, courtesy of her Ultimate ability. We can't wait to find out how her aerial acrobatics shake things up on the battlefield.
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Apex Legends Legacy launches on 4th May 2021, on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. Don't forget that it features cross-play, too, so you can play with your mates even if you're playing on different systems. Find out more on the game's official website.
Topics: Apex Legends