Respawn and EA recently introduced a brand new title in the massively popular genre that is Battle Royale. Apex Legends has already seen huge success, racking up 50 million players in its first month alone. The success of leading title Fortnite has no doubt had a hand in this. But, Apex has managed to redefine this kind of gameplay in ways that have positioned it as a real contender. It's been out for long enough now that we've had a chance to really review Apex Legends, inside and out...

The Concept

Apex Legends follows the same formula as most games in the Battle Royale category. Your character drops into the map from an airship, with no weapons or equipment. You'll then have to scavenge and fight to stay alive on an ever-shrinking map, with the goal of being the last man standing. The game's creators have, however, included some unique features that really transform the game and set it apart from competitors.

The Teams

The first notably unique feature in Apex Legends is the team system. The battle for the title of Champion is contested in teams of three, with twenty teams overall. This means that when choosing legends, players must consider who else is in their team to make the most of their legends abilities and spur one another on.

Respawn

The second is the respawn feature, which has since been added to another big title *cough* Fortnite *cough*. It's easy to see why this feature has done so well for Apex. Working in a team of three means that losing one or two of your teammates before the final few fights will leave you at a serious disadvantage.The respawn system is clever. If you are downed during a fight, you'll get the chance to be revived by a teammate. If you don’t survive this and the enemy finish you off, your team have 90 seconds to grab your banner before you're gone from that match forever. Should they successfully collect your banner, they can use one of the openly located respawn beacons to bring you back from the sky.However, these beacons are not always easily accessible and may not provide much in the way of cover, so teammates must proceed with caution. Bear in mind that you will respawn with no shield or weapons!

The Legends

In Apex Legends you have the choice of 6 different ‘Legends’ to play as, with 3 more unlockable using the in-game currency. This can be purchased with real money or earned through in-game progress. Each of these Legends has a different tactical, passive and ultimate ability.For example, the Legend ‘Lifeline’ is a combat medic. She has the tactical ability to call a healthy drone that will heal you and any nearby teammates. Her 'passive' is the ability to revive knocked down teammates faster while protected by a shield wall. Healing items are used 25% faster. Finally her 'ultimate' is the ability to call in a care package that contains high-level defensive gear.Pick legends wisely within your team, as the mix of different abilities can complement each other well to give a serious advantage.

The Map

Apex Legends stems from the universe of the Titanfall games, so the Map is built taking plenty of inspiration from it. The playable area is smaller than most titles in the battle royale genre, meaning that the chance of avoiding any action until the final few teams remain is highly unlikely. The map is full of zip lines for faster travel, as well as jump towers, so you can redeploy from a vertical zip line and glide to your next location.This, coupled with the fact that you take no fall damage, makes navigating the map easy and efficient. The chances of getting caught short and eliminated by the ever decreasing circle in this game are highly unlikely unless you are really unlucky (or playing with danger). You're just going to have to kill one another instead.

The Loot

The Respawn team has created a loot system that works pretty well. You can collect weapons, attachments and items from the ground or from loot crates dotted all around the map. Loot locations vary from game to game, with some areas having higher tier loot than others. This is important to consider when planning a drop. If you are comfortable in an early fight, these crates well worth the reward. As you are looting, the intelligent system will advise you if you already own a better attachment or item. This saves space in your rucksack and prevents the need to rummage through your inventory all game!

The Ping System

Possibly the best thing to come from Apex Legends was the introduction of the Ping system. Using a quick access menu and the shoulder buttons on the controller, players can ping different signals to their teammates during a game. This can be an available weapon, an enemy spotted or just a suggestion for the next location.The introduction of this feature has revolutionised the team play in the battle royale category. Teams in Apex have to play in 3s - this allows them to work together seamlessly without the need for verbal communication through a headset. This is great for solo players and also a good feature for cutting out online abuse. Since Apex gave us the Ping system, similar features have appeared in some rival battle royale titles. They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery.

The Battle Pass

The Battle Pass has come under heavy criticism since its release. It offers little outside of minor cosmetic upgrades. If you are not willing to pay a premium for these, it then takes some serious game time to achieve the milestones!The season 2 Battle Pass looks set to combat a lot of these problems. Players will earn rewards more easily, and also be rewarded with better items. Another legend will also be added, plus another game mode.

Concerns

The initial concerns for Apex Legends have been its update frequency, giving players new content to keep coming back to. Games like Fortnite offer constant new content as the 'seasons' of the game progress. This content includes new weapons, game modes, map variations etc.However, continuing DLC and add-ons come at a price. The Epic team are working around the clock to provide this level of service to their players. Respawn said from the beginning that they would not put this level of stress on their development team even if it means sacrificing growth and success for the title and the company.

The Venom Verdict

When we set out to review Apex Legends, we already knew it was a hot contender in the battle royale genre. The real challenge is for the developers to keep players returning to the game. If they can find a way to do this, it could truly turn into something great.The recently announced 'Top 5' mode ensures that players that finish in the top 5 are automatically entered into a new match against other top 5 finishers. It's a step in the right direction.It will take more than this - with new weapons, characters, map changes and playing modes - to hold the interest of players with games like Fortnite stealing the show.

OUR SCORE: 4 out of 5

Read more of our reviews here.