Apex Legends‘ Gundam event is far more fun than it has any right to be. While I would have preferred some new Titanfall lore if we’re getting mechs, the wrecked Gundam suits strewn across the game’s Broken Moon map are suitably epic, and the Buster Rifle is a fun weapon for casual modes. Just two weeks ago, popular streamer Mikkel ‘Mande’ Hestbek managed to achieve two million damage during a single match with the weapon in a private lobby filled with his subscribers. I’m not saying this may have led to the game’s new Vortex Shields, but the event’s similar Bit Staves may have planted an idea in the developers’ heads.
As battle royale games go, the Gundam event is Apex Legends’ first to veer into Warzone’s Cardi B skin territory. Despite the lack of visual identity for the new mech skins, players have largely forgiven Respawn thanks to how fun the casual mode is to play. Whether you’re armed with the devastating Buster Rifle or just engaged in a shotgun battle atop a Gundam’s head, there’s hours of fun to be had in this twist on the game’s Wildcard mode.
As ever, things are changing yet again with the next event. Aftershock gives every Legend access to a Vortex Shield, which can catch incoming bullets and send them back at enemies. It’s basically the Matrix, yes. You can also unleash EMP blasts to stun enemies (Crypto may sue for gimmick infringement), and there are nine new Wildcards that impact these abilities.
It’s worth noting that you won’t be able to do this all the time. Vortex Shields’ energy must be replenished by collecting EVO, meaning that you need to be careful about where and when you use the tech in order to best benefit your squad.
If the Gundam event was anything to go by, this could prove loads of fun. I’m even more excited for the new-look Hemlok, however. The Hemlok Breach AR is fully automatic with a silencer, and you bet I’m going to try my best to match Mande’s two million damage with this monstrosity. Its rate of fire is now much slower, but the Breach Charge firing mode, which shoots an explosive at opponents, more than makes up for that.
Elsewhere in the game, Elysium has moved to the northeast corner of the Olympus map in order to shift things up. Olympus will feature alongside Storm Point and World’s Edge in pubs and ranked for the duration of the Aftershock event.
As for balance changes, Gibraltar is getting a movement passive, Momentum Boost, which gives him a speed boost if he sprints for a couple of seconds. The cooldown on his Dome has been reduced by 25% and his ultimate has also been buffed. Wraith’s abilities also have reduced animation times and shorter cooldowns, while Wattson’s kit has been changed to better interact with Hardlight mesh.
None of these updates are particularly groundbreaking – Elysium’s move will probably have the biggest impact on competitive game modes – but it would be nice to see more Gibbies in my lobbies. I remember the old days of the ALGS when he was picked in every team. How the mighty have fallen. It’s too early to say whether these buffs will be enough to make him a staple once more, but at least Respawn is doing something about his terrible pick rate.
Most importantly of all, Respawn confirms that it has plans for an ‘April Friends Day’ event on April 1. While previous events have focused on buffing the game’s worst weapons or spawning adorable Nessies everywhere, the developer suggests it’s switching things up this time around. What exactly it means by that is a mystery, but one I’m ready to unravel.
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