Titanfall has finally dropped, receiving high critical acclaim and mixed fan feedback in equal measure. While it’s still too early to start assuming that it’s ‘revolutionary’, it’s still possible to speculate on what unique features of the game can be relevant for other FPS games. This is only from my own perspective, from my experience of playing the game last week, as well as knowledge of the game’s features. With that said, let’s get into what makes Titanfall unique and what these features mean for the FPS genre.
Multiplayer Campaign Mode-
The idea certainly seemed ambitious. I was incredibly hyped by the launch trailer, which featured various moments from the multiplayer campaign. Having played it, I admit that the story did have thought put into it and the lore does seem to run deep, but I couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed by the execution. That’s just me of course, and I imagine there are those who genuinely thought it was amazing. I believe that the idea could be executed even better with time. Co-op story campaigns in other games are a kind of ‘multiplayer campaign’, just without the competitive aspect. Splinter Cell Conviction’s co-op campaign had a twist at the end where the two agents had to eliminate one another, which was very shocking especially if you’d been working so hard together. A multiplayer campaign mode could certainly be an interesting addition to FPS games by introducing a narrative during a multiplayer match, however some work needs to be done to ensure that the player actually witnesses the story and isn’t off shooting people while important plot points are occurring.
Mobility Options-
Aside from Mirror’s Edge 2, I don’t foresee any first person games adding wall-running any time soon. The mechanic was well implemented in Titanfall, being very easy and fun to utilize when traversing the maps. You could call it a gimmick and to an extent that is the case; while it’s a thoroughly enjoyable part of the experience, it’s not something that can be inserted into other FPS without context. Try to imagine the next Halo game with Master Chief wall-running with no explicable reason. Regardless, developers looking to add wall-running to any type of genre can take some notes from Titanfall’s use of it, though how easy they make it to pull off is up to them. It’s definitely something that changes the mindset of gameplay and makes it so that map traversal is less about running around and more about jumping and scaling tall structures. This kind of mechanic also influences how encounters play out, and coupled with the double jump ability it allows players to engage in some very interesting shoot-outs. I don’t imagine every FPS could have it, but those that will can introduce a sense of verticality that only some FPS utilize.
Titans-
Titanfall’s Titans are one of the funnest aspects of the game and the smooth transition between on-foot gameplay and Titan action is something that never gets old. Mechs aren’t something that can be incorporated into other FPS, though every game has its own technology and machine helpers (Halo 4’s Mantis, Battlefield’s tanks, Call of Duty’s killstreaks etc). When I played Titanfall, I, like many others, was pleased by the concept of ‘This is MY Titan’. Too often in games with vehicles of any sort you’ll run into the situation of waiting for it to spawn or having it stolen when you call it in. By having players get their own individual Titans which no one can steal, it means that everyone gets a chance to experience the thrill of being a walking metal juggernaut. Other FPS games could take this on board when designing their vehicles/machines; by allowing the player to gain their own which cannot be taken. A feature like this would be interesting in a game like Battlefield where everyone scrambles for vehicles upon spawn. Being able to enter the fight with your own tank or your own jet would mitigate the frustration of almost never getting to play or level up vehicles. This may completely change the dynamic of multiplayer matches and it might not work with all FPS, but I definitely think it’s something to consider.
Burn Cards-
The idea is very intriguing. By giving the player a random ability/power up/powered up weapon, it allows for on the fly variety that cuts up the monotony of normal matches. There may be some balancing issues to consider and there’s a heavy chance of things getting chaotic or unfair, especially if someone’s running around with a very good ability that they’re using to flatten everyone in a match. You might also say that it’s making the game less about skill and more about luck, when everyone’s being given powerful tools for free. The burn cards only work until you die and you can only equip 3 per match, so it’s balanced for the most part. If we take this kind of concept and apply it to other games, how well would it hold up? If FPS began to allow players to gain a boost for one life, how does it affect the respective game? The burn cards in Titanfall are in generous supply, especially if you keep completing objectives, though you’re only allowed to keep a limited amount. It’s not a game breaking feature, nor is it what holds the game up either. I’d be interested to see if this kind of thing could be used in other FPS without completing making the game rely on it.
Everything else in Titanfall is based on things we’ve come to expect from multiplayer shooters such as a XP leveling system, challenges, class customization and so on. I’m particularly impressed by the level of cinematic real time events, from all that happens on the screen to the tense Epilogue segment. Infinity Ward set the bar for real time events in multiplayer in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall impresses as well. FPS for years have been pushing a more cinematic angle in both their singleplayer and multiplayer modes. Both Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4 from last year feature some dynamic destruction and real time map alterations that change up how you play the match. The further multiplayer shooters go with cinematic real time events, the more authentic and exciting the experience can become. Overall, Titanfall’s features are interesting and fun, but may only end up being unique gimmicks if the FPS genre doesn’t take them on board. We’ll have to see in time, but regardless of whether or not Titanfall changes FPS even one bit, the game itself is still very enjoyable for its own reasons.