Titanfall 2: Titanfall Retrospective

If you’ve followed this blog, you’ll know I’ll play online shooter betas when available but rarely, if ever, go on to purchase the full release. The original Titanfall was different. I enjoyed it in a way I haven’t truly enjoyed or been hooked by any online shooter in years. And haven’t since, in fact. Which is why its upcoming sequel is one of my most highly anticipated games.

So let’s break down what I love about Titanfall. There are three main components. The first is the tiered system of gameplay. There are four very distinct layers to Titanfall combat – Pilot vs Pilot, Pilot vs Titan, Titan vs Pilot and Titan vs Titan. The gameplay constantly shifts and evolves as these layers overlap during the course of a match. Each layer has its own strengths, challenges and skill curve.

The second most important component is movement. The movement system of Titanfall also had its own skill curve that separated the experienced players from the newcomers. This was always apparent during ‘free weekend’ events, when new players would remain primarily on the ground, whilst Titanfall veterans would be bouncing overhead like a pinball with a rocket up their ass.

Mastering the movement system and learning the fastest way of traversing the various maps was a major part of Titanfall’s appeal. Which is why the third most important component of the original Titanfall is its map design. I was somewhat critical of the game on release for what I considered to be a lack of environmental variety, but I couldn’t fault their fantastic design which perfectly served not only the movement system, but the multi-tiered gameplay. The maps accommodated all four layers almost perfectly, but more importantly, they also ensured a degree of balance.

And these three components – multi-layered gameplay, movement and map design is what I consider to be the ‘holy trinity’ of Titanfall. They really nailed these aspects, which is why it was so unfortunate that the shell surrounding this core was rather thin.

There was no single player campaign, only a limited multiplayer ‘campaign’ which strung various maps together. The maps and modes on release, whilst enjoyable, were also somewhat limited. The weapon selection, Pilot/Titan customisation, player abilities and progression were also fairly lacklustre and bare bones.

Over time, with various updates and DLC, Titanfall expanded for the better, even including an enjoyable Pilots vs AI mode (Frontier Defence) which is something I suggested during my original review.

From what I’ve seen of Titanfall 2, it appears to have retained the core ‘trinity’ (although we’ve not yet seen enough of the maps to make a firm judgement on that aspect) but also expands and evolves the weaker elements of the original.

In addition to those key components, Titanfall also had several other features that I thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst the ‘campaign’ was disappointing, the few narrative and world building aspects were extremely promising. The Titanfall universe seemed ripe for a full single player, story driven campaign, which is why I’m so pleased that Titanfall 2 will feature such an addition.

Another key component was spectacle. The background scenery, the radio chatter, the ongoing war between AI bots – it all made other shooters seem sterile, empty and static in comparison. This was particularly true in Titanfall’s flagship mode – Attrition – which is why I was even more pleased when the mode was officially confirmed for the sequel.

In fact, nearly everything I’ve seen of Titanfall 2 has impressed me. The initial Technical Test raised some concerns, but these were swiftly addressed. And though I’m still uncertain about some design decisions – such as the new Titan shield and rodeo mechanic, or the removal of the Burn Card system – I’m keeping an open mind. I wasn’t too sure about the ‘hero class’ style Titans either, but having seen more gameplay, I can see it providing a far more varied experience to Titan gameplay, particularly in the returning Titan vs Titan mode.

If Titanfall 2 can successfully build upon the core foundation of the original, whilst expanding the surrounding shell, it has real Game of the Year potential. I’ve seen enough to pick it up on release. Hopefully it can live up to my expectations.