Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org
By Bailey MeCey
As one of the newest contenders in the first-person shooter genre, “Titanfall 2” stands out as a great game for both fans of single-player and multiplayer shooters.
The gameplay has the player shooting and free-running, with the player running on walls while taking out enemy combatants. Along with this, you can pilot a giant mech with a variety of load-outs ranging from a thermite rifle, predator cannon and even an electric sword.
“Titanfall 2” takes place five years after the events of the first game, which has the player fighting as the Frontier Militia or IMC in a battle for control of frontier planets. The first Titanfall lacked a single-player campaign; however, “Titanfall 2” breaks new ground not traditionally done in a first-person shooter.
In the single player, you play as Jack Cooper, a Frontier rifleman who finds himself leading the fight against the IMC along with his mech buddy BT-7274. Together your mission has you bringing the fight back to the IMC.
The inventiveness of the level and game design of the single-player makes it unique among the competition. Instead of a by-the-numbers single player campaign, “Titanfall 2” focuses on fun level design. Whether exploring a giant industrial testing factory or wall-running while time distorts all around you, the single player takes some serious risks not seen in other major shooters.
If only the main story would have taken some risks like the level design of the campaign does. For the most part, the story has the player trying to kill the opposition, which might push away someone looking for a good narrative game. While the main story feels generic, the relationship between Cooper and BT stands out because they play so well off each other, and by the end of the single player you genuinely care about them.
The single player also doesn’t do much to prepare players for the multiplayer, with a lot of the abilities in multiplayer not given a spotlight to shine in the single player. The multiplayer brings a lot of different elements to make a cohesive multiplayer experience.
The multiplayer has nine modes that will be instantly familiar to a shooter fan but also have their own unique twist. Attrition, a team deathmatch game type, has 12 players on the battleground along with AI. teammates fighting to get to the score limit. As you get more points, you build up a meter to then bring your Titan into the match to fight with you.
It also has a network system that allows players to easily join a group and play multiplayer together. You can join multiple networks at one time, and when you are in one, other players in the same network can invite you to join their group.
One of the new game types, Bounty Hunt, has players trying to take each other out, but after each kill you collect cash. You must “bank” your cash to keep it, and if you die along the way you lose half of it. This game type adds real risk to each life but does not punish the player too harshly.
A lot of the abilities for the ground soldier focus on mobility, with items such as the grappling hook and the stem that allow players to fly across the map. Other abilities, such as the invisibility cloak and the phase shift, help to evade hostile fire.
The fast-paced nature of “Titanfall 2” could be a drawback for some, but it keeps it under control with the nature of the controls. The game never feels like it’s two steps ahead of you no matter what you are doing. You always retain control and can easily outmaneuver opponents if you know what to do.
I will say that my first matches of “Titanfall 2” multiplayer took some time to settle in. After understanding all the mechanics at play during a match, it has become one of the most satisfying games I’ve played this year.
Whether you are looking for a fun single-player or multiplayer experience, or even both, “Titanfall 2” more than delivers on both ends of the spectrum.
