I’ve been playingApex Legendssince season 12, and I’ve enjoyed it immensely. However, its most recent season—which dropped In October 2023—hasn’t really grabbed me or the friends I play it with. This led to us playing moreTitanfall 2, a game set in the same universe and a title I was still very new to. If you’re at all familiar with these two games, you’ll know that there’s something of a debate surrounding them (to put it mildly). Many fans of Titanfall 2 aren’t happy with Apex as a direction for the franchise, especially since its success has led to the likelihood of a true Titanfall 3 being a pipe dream.
On their face, Apex and Titanfall 2 are are pretty different games (one a variety multiplayer/singleplayer shooter, whilst the other is mostly a battle royale). Despite that, their core gameplay has a great number of striking similarities as well as sharp differences, showcasing two parallel yet distinct design philosophies.
Let’s dig in, shall we?
Apex Legends Review — Taking Battle Royale to New Heights
A step above the rest, Apex Legends is a masterful re-examination of the battle royale genre that will inform multiplayer launches to come.
Single-Player Advantage
Before we get into what we can directly compare, let’s look at what gives Titanfall 2 an advantage right out of the gate. Titanfall 2 has a short but critically acclaimed single-player campaign. It mixes the frenetic pilot movement with the hulking titan shootouts in a way that’s arguably more compelling than the multiplayer itself (which I’ll get into later). Whilst not exactly a unique plot (it’s a pretty typical hero’s journey), it’s easy to get attached to the hero’s titan sidekick BT, and the fun roster of mercenary baddies.
The best part, undoubtedly, is the time travel section midway into the campaign. You gain the ability to switch from past to present, dodging hazards in both eras. The switch is absolutely seamless, time-skipping brings a lot to the level design, and it’s great fun hearing characters in the past react to your antics.
Apex, of course, has no single-player campaign. It’s honestly weird how little there’s nothing in that area outside the firing range or a couple of AI enemies. Apex’s characters are more interesting than any in Titanfall 2, and the lower time-to-kill is something that would really suit a solo experience. With Titanfall 2 also having robust multiplayer capabilities, the addition of a solid campaign gives it a boost off the bat.
Moves, Shoots, and Leaves
Both titles have some similar core mechanics, sharing a lot in terms of movement and gunplay. They both have a moveset that’s satisfying and simple to understand, yet hard to master. They share the thrill of stringing together jumps and slides, building up your momentum and thinking on your feet. Titanfall 2 spices this up with wall-running and double-jumps, while Apex has a wider array of movement abilities thanks to its expanded cast.
Despite having a lot in common (so much so that playing Titanfall 2 will feel like second nature to Apex players), they’re underpinned by two very distinct design philosophies. Apex is more about survival; you can take more shots, but you won’t be bouncing off the walls like a caffeinated gopher. You’ve not just got to adapt in a fight, you’ve got to stock up on heals and ammo for the long game. Conversely, your Titanfall pilot is the epitome of a glass cannon.
The time-to-kill is over before you blink as both you and your enemies dish out crazy damage. You also respawn after dying, whereas Apex’s main game mode gives victory to the last squad standing. Titanfall 2 encourages your adrenaline rush all the way, with fast fights over a small map where risk is minimal due to reduced consequences. Apex, whilst by no means a slugfest, gives you much more of a reason to retreat and adds a dose of resource management.
Both of these are legitimate approaches to multiplayer, but which does their own schtick better? Well, the shared pool of weapons, abilities, and moves gives us some good points of reference. Weapons like the Eva-8 and the Charge Rifle feel more satisfying in Titanfall 2 due to their instakill capabilities; a good hit from either will reduce your foe to lovely chunks of bloody viscera. I also slightly prefer its version of the stim ability, if only for how well it synergizes with the movement. I’ve really enjoyed using the stim with the aforementioned Eva-8, letting me swoop in for some fancy hipfire kills by mixing double-jump bounces with a ridiculous speed boost.
On the other hand, most rapid-fire stuff (assault rifles, SMGs, LMGs, etc.) feels much nicer in Apex. Whether it’s lasering someone with a single mag or trading shots from afar, these weapons are more satisfying when the enemy has a little more meat on their bones. Add in that vaguely metallic noise that comes from blasting an enemy’s shields before hearing that lovelyshatter—now that’s some good stuff. Apex also has the advantage of way more variety in abilities—from gravity lifts to sticky cluster bombs. There’s something for everyone in the game (except for a dedicated melee option,I’m begging you Respawn), whether you like supporting your allies, defending a point, leading the charge in a fight, or running around like a muppet.
It’s honestly pretty close, but there’s one area that breaks the tie—and if you’re a big fan of Titanfall 2, you might not like what I’m gonna say next.
Untitanic Titans
The main draw of Titanfall 2 and the star of its main multiplayer mode are the titans. These hulks of metal arecharacters unto themselves, with their own unique primaries and ability assortments—and they’re pretty cool!
They’re great, in the single-player at least. As for multiplayer titans? Well…
Titanfall 2’s multiplayer really flounders when titans get involved. This is because most games end up going the same way, particularly with the core game mode Attrition. A game will start out with all the madcap fun of Titanfall 2, with fast-paced pilot-on-pilot violence. Part-way in, however, everyone will start getting access to their Titan. This slows everything down dramatically, making for fewer flurries of fisticuffs and more use of slower, high-damage weapons against metallic behemoths. A match will always become a battle of ironclad against ironclad; if you want to keep playing in the more mobile pilot form, you’ll be wiped out if a titan so much as looks at you funny. You’re pretty much forced to join in the slugfest and slow down with everyone else.
There is a mode with only pilots, but for some reason it’s hard to be matchmade into it. I won’t hold that against Titanfall 2 (if a multiplayer game lasts as long as it has, inevitably some modes will fall by the wayside), however I will give Apex a leg up here. Apex doesn’t have any gameplay modes that I think are fundamentally flawed, save for the occasional time-limited mode. If this was a few seasons back, I’d be more lenient on Titanfall 2 for its greater variety, but Season 16’s Mixtape Mode added the extra permanent game modesApex needed.
With the flaws in the titans giving Apex an edge.
Money Talks
Monetization always feels a little left out in comparisons such as these. It might not impact gameplay (cosmetics have been the name of the game since that Battlefront II fiasco), but when handled badly it can really diminish the experience. Titanfall 2 is a premium game, always has been, but still offers a couple of cosmetics to purchase in its store. It’s not egregious and there’s no ludicrous quantities of currency up for purchase (hell, it took me time to even find the store).
I won’t complain too much, though, because Apex blows Titanfall 2 out of the water.
Apex Legends is a freemium title, so at least it has some leeway for microtransactions. That’s where the positives end; Apex employs so many dirty tricks of mobile gaming that I’m shocked its own mobile portgot shuttered so fast. Not only does it have multiple currencies to confuse the player and remove the direct association with spending real money, they’ve got lootboxes.
These little gamble-crates have been mostly scraped out of AAA gaming, with evenOverwatch(Overwatch!) getting rid of them. A friend of mine who, for the sake of anonymity and an inside joke, we’ll call Montgomery (you had to be there) spent around £750 on Apex Legends. Not all at once, but it’s an absurd total. Lootboxes and heirloom-tier items have led to some ridiculous price gouging. I really can’t look past how much money Apex has siphoned out of its playerbase.
So, Apex Or Titanfall 2?
Purely in terms of the in-match experience, Apex Legends just about wins it—but it’s close! Both are great games with some high-octane action, but Titanfall 2’s titan sections hold it back a bit (even if they’re no dealbreaker). However, Apex has far worse monetization and I’d strongly advise against it for those who feel they might fall prey to some cunning money-making tricks.
