Titanfall Reviews
All things considered, Titanfall is insanely fun. After all the hand-wringing about odd visual resolutions, a 6 on 6 cap, and being little more than "Call of Duty with robots," it turns out that playing Titanfall is an absolute blast.
Titanfall isn't a flawless game, but it's a heck of a lot of fun and quickly turns into an interactive addiction.
And that's maybe Titanfall's biggest, and most forgivable flaw: it looks less interesting and novel than it actually is. It's such a fresh take on the military shooter, splitting the difference between the more deliberate pace of games like Battlefield and Call of Duty and the kinetic excitement of games like Tribes or even Counter-Strike. It just takes a while to see that, because Titanfall's presentation is so conservative.
Don't listen to the cynics and the moaners: Titanfall was a great multiplayer shooter last year and it's even better now. Its innovative movement and Titan mechanics put many more recent shooters in the shade, and it's as fast-paced and addictive as ever. If you've just bought an Xbox One this Christmas, put it on your shopping list right away, and on PC it's an absolute bargain. Titanfall might not be the deepest, richest or most tactical competitive FPS around, but it's easily one of the most entertaining.
Do you like fast-paced multiplayer shooters? Then I can pretty much guarantee you'll love the hell out of Titanfall.
Answering the question of whether Titanfall lives up to the incredible amount of hype and anticipation is something that'll take a little bit more time. It's fun, damned fun, but the lack of single-player campaign, customization, and matchmaking options come as a bit of a surprise. What amazed me most though is what is layered throughout – accessibility. Titanfall makes every player feel like they have a role to play. Even if you are just crushing bots underfoot, you feel like a badass in a giant walking tank every second of play – I just wish there was more of it.
No game can live up to the level of hype foisted on Titanfall, but few games can be this hyped and still satisfy the end user. Respawn Entertainment most certainly satisfies, providing a solid shooter with a laudable amount of unique extras draped over a durable and familiar framework.
Nobody can argue with Titanfall's minute-to-minute gameplay. It's a wonderful blend of verticality and brilliantly frenetic combat, and is sure to be the new standard of awesome when it comes to competitive multiplayer shooters. What you can argue with is the package as a whole, which could be described as a little light and lacking in some places. Still, there's a lot to be said for the inherently fun, shooty mech action that Titanfall has to offer.
I was expecting Titanfall to be the next EA game with major online problems, but all of the server issues I've experienced in Titanfall can be found in any multiplayer focused game.
In today's entertainment software landscape, the pure definition of a true "system seller" is a thing of the past. Gone are the days of 16 bit Zelda vs. a more "graphic" version of Mortal Kombat. And the era of complete AAA 3rd party exclusivity, a la Final Fantasy or Metal Gear Solid, is virtually extinct. What we have here is a "limited" release. Something that is better defined as NOT being made available on a certain machine. But for the effect that Microsoft honestly needs right now in its effort against Sony, Titanfall is the weapon that keeps the door open. If this game was out on the PS4, or had plans in the near future for a release, this generation's console war would probably be decided very, very early in the life cycle, with the Xbox One having little chance of catching up. I'm not saying this is the cure all, and will drastically tip the sales scale in the other direction. MS still faces an uphill climb in that regard. The only difference is now they have a much needed bandage for the wound from Sony's early, heavy shot. The wide appeal this title has will be a tipping point for people on the fence about which machine to adopt right now. Currently, I don't believe the PS4 has an equivocal "killer app," nor is one known to the public in these pre-E3 2014 months. As much as a game can be a system seller nowadays, Titanfall is, undoubtedly.
Life really is better with a Titan, and Titanfall demonstrates how much better the multiplayer genre can be with its fresh, compelling gameplay.
Titanfall isn't the most amazing shooter I've ever played. It doesn't live up to the unreasonable amount of hype it has received, but it is a fun game, and a good one at that. What it lacks in depth and variety, it makes up for in map design, maneuverability, action and balance. Titanfall is probably the most balanced and versatile shooter that equips players with multiple tools to get the job done.
Respawn understood that what they do best is multiplayer and focused all of their efforts to create the best multiplayer shooter they could. Instead of including a single player mode just to check off that box on a features list, they stuck to one thing and the result is spectacular.
Titanfall is definitely a breath of fresh air when it comes to playing online multiplayer and although the story is largely absent in the game, the gaming mechanics really helps in creating a very sturdy gaming experience. Developers Respawn Entertainment should be commended in successfully merging a traditional first person shooter experience with Mechs, especially with the flawless gameplay.
In short, TitanFall has the goods. If you have an Xbox One, buy this game. If you don't have an Xbox One or gaming PC and love FPS multiplayer games, go buy an Xbox One and buy TitanFall. They even have a convenient bundle for you. Even though I wish TitanFall had a more complete campaign, it doesn't detract from the fact that it is probably the most fun multiplayer FPS I've ever played. Sorry Battlefield. Now, if you'll excuse me, my Titan is ready. "Order Confirmed. TitanFall incoming."
Titanfall is just so full of things. The world is beautiful and detailed, the maps are detailed and confusing, the giant robots have plenty of places to hide. Take your time to drink it all in as the bullets zing around and into you.
Titanfall is a very good shooter, and I'm always a fan of any game that lets players use movement to separate themselves from the herd. Nevertheless, I feel like Respawn is simply setting the foundation here -- what they really want is for us to prepare for Titanfall 2.
Respawn Entertainment has created a brilliant new twist on the FPS experience. Titanfall is a wonderful hybrid of the aggressive play style from an on-foot shooter with the tactical yet satisfying combat that comes from wielding the power of a Titan. We can only hope that new Titans follow the promised map DLC, to help keep the experience fresh in the months to come.
Titanfall isn't a stunning technical achievement, it isn't a master class in storytelling however it is arguably the best evolution of online multiplayer in some time. A godsend to those Call of Duty players who aren't 'hardcore' and have grown very tired of getting shot in the back with no idea how it happened. Familiar and different at the same time, simply a must for any Xbox One owner and a very convincing argument for an Xbox One.
Titanfall lives up to all the expectations established when it was first revealed, in a way that so few games are able ever to accomplish, and represents nothing short of first-person shooter multiplayer taken to new heights.