Apex Legends Mobile is built from the ground-up for mobile devices & does so without compromising what makes the original game so much fun.
Mobile gaming is one of the industry’s most profitable and successful markets that is home to a ton of great games, and Apex Legends Mobile is the newest addition to the roster. Rather than simply port the game from PC to mobile, Respawn Entertainment created a team who worked to build Apex Legends Mobile from the ground up. Putting in this extra work resulted in a game that retains the original game’s successful formula while also carving out its own identity.
Apex Legends Mobile is a standalone version of the game that will have its own seasons, battle pass, game modes, maps, and legends that are separate from the PC and console versions. Some of these will be available right at launch, such as the mobile exclusive game mode, Team Deathmatch, a 6v6 match that utilizes smaller arenas and fast respawns. The classic Battle Royale mode will be present as well and take place in Storm Point, with King’s Canyon coming later down the line.
The gameplay is a bit of a mixed bag but that’s not totally unexpected for a mobile shooter. Movement is fairly intuitive thanks to a virtual joystick which allows for walking and sprinting based on how far forward it is pushed. Gunplay is not so intuitive as there are several ways to shoot and most feel too stilted or confusing when in the middle of a stressful gunfight. The main way to shoot is by holding the reticle icon which will auto-fire while the player moves the camera – though this method often feels wasteful since ammo is limited. The alternatives are to fire from the hip or to awkwardly bring up sights and try to find the spot on the screen that will allow the camera to move without firing first.
Most of the gunplay issues are thankfully alleviated by great aim assist and an abundance of resources. When not engaged in combat, players can open the map, pin targets or resources, choose between throwable and consumable items, jump, slide, and more. Every feature one would expect from the main game is present in Apex Legends Mobile. Getting used to the screen-based controls will take some time for those not accustomed to mobile gaming and to those that use third-party mobile controllers, Apex Legends Mobile will not support them at launch – however, it is something the team says is a priority post-launch.
There will be ten legends available at launch: Bangalore, Bloodhound, Caustic, Gibraltar, Lifeline, Mirage, Octane, Pathfinder, Wraith, and the mobile exclusive legend, Fade. This new legend borrows from other legends like Mirage and Wraith, and can be compared to Overwatch‘s Tracer. His passive ability, “Surge,” provides a boost of speed that leaves after-images behind. His tactical ability, “Flash-Back,” opens a rift that transports him about 60m back. His ultimate ability, “Phase Chamber,” allows him to throw one of his suit’s activator cores, which leaves anyone caught in its radius unable to take or receive damage – perfect for a quick escape.
While Apex Legends Mobile is already feeling tight and responsive, it will still be prone to some hiccups once the player base starts to grow. Some known bugs and connection issues are present but the team is aware of them and is actively working to resolve them. Thankfully, there will be a ton of polished content at launch with even more core and seasonal content already in the works. For those who are on the fence about giving Apex Legends Mobile a go, it is absolutely worth trying as it only costs about 2gb of storage space and fifteen minutes of free time.
Apex Legends Mobile is available now for iOS and Android devices. Screen Rant was provided with an iOS download for the purpose of this preview.
Jacob is a writer, actor, and musician based in Baltimore, Maryland. He has had an original play, The Voyager, produced at Towson University, contributed articles to HaloScope Magazine, and is currently producing the “Bus Ride Talks” podcast for Greatest City Collective. His hobbies include: gaming, making great coffee, and listening to prog-metal.
