Apex Legends Season 18
Apex Legends Season 18 is shifting the focus of the Respawn FPS game towards casual players with several changes coming to the popular Apex Legends battle royale game. The reworked Revenant is now more accessible for newcomers, there are even more wallhacking abilities, and the ring is changing in a way that’ll speed up matches. There are also a couple of changes that are aimed at addressing toxic behaviour.
As I’ve mentioned in previous Apex Legends season reviews, I’ve found the game’s balancing to be the most consistent among the battle royale games I play. But Apex Legends Season 18 is the first time I’ve felt that Respawn is prioritising viewer appeal over player appeal. Of course, it’s Respawn’s game, and it’s free, so it’s entitled to cater to whoever it pleases. But as somebody who has played since day one and still enjoys the game, the changes are so transparently geared towards bringing in and retaining new players.
The Changes
The most significant change is to the Revenant. Its abilities have been streamlined so that it’s now easier to learn. I’m all for making the game more accessible for newcomers, but I worry that this will take away from the character’s complexity and unique playstyle. Newcomers should learn to appreciate the character for what it is, not a watered-down version.
There’s also a lot more wallhacking, which is something I’ve been complaining about extensively in past season reviews. Respawn has slowly been increasing the amount of wallhack in the game, and that’s becoming the meta. You can see right through walls now, and this will only get more and more prevalent. I’m not saying that wallhack is inherently bad, but it’s such an essential part of the game now that it’s starting to take away from strategic gameplay and reduce randomness, which is what battle royale games are all about.
The ring now does more damage in the early stages (previously it started doing less damage near the end of the match), so now early matches will be faster. It’s disregarding all the high-level strategies that players have developed around the ring’s damage rate. By catering to newcomers, Respawn is driving the game towards faster-paced, less strategic matches.
These changes are all driven by the need to attract and retain new players. New players make up the majority of the player base, and by making the game more appealing to viewers, the idea is that it’ll become more popular. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but I wish Respawn would be more transparent about its priorities. I’ve been playing since day one and I’m still here, but I recognise that the game has changed.
The faster pace may make for more exciting battles, but it also increases randomness and limits strategic gameplay. I can’t believe that the more casual-friendly changes are going to give me a better experience. I’m sure they’ll be beneficial to newcomers, but I want something more for myself.
The removal of dive trails as ranked rewards is also interesting because it’s aimed at addressing toxic behaviour. I think that’s a great move, but I’m not convinced that it’ll actually do anything. It’ll be interesting to see if my suspicions are right.
Even though Apex Legends Season 18 seems geared towards casual players, I’m still going to play it. I’m just not going to be excited about it. I hope Respawn’s next update will be more beneficial to players like me.
If you’re looking for a new battle royale game to try, we’ve got a rundown of the best battle royale games for you.
