5 Titanfall 2 Improvements That Show Respawn Really Learned from the Original

A Campaign is Important

Lets get the obvious one out first. The first Titanfall fell away due to a lack of content, and not having a single-player mode meant that players didn’t get any background on the world of Titanfall or the relationship between a pilot and their titan. A campaign also acts as a glorified tutorial, without meaning to sound disparaging. That is the case even more so in Titanfall since there are two core mechanics that are both first person shooter based, yet feel completely different. A campaign allows you to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of each play type whilst determining what you, as a player, are good at.

Titanfall’s story also adds vital context to the world. The campaign makes clear how the role of titans and pilots are connected, and that follows over to multiplayer. This isn’t only the case for Titanfall 2 — a campaign is important in any game that features a new world with the potential to tell an interesting story. Respawn clearly listened to all the people that asked for a single-player story, and they followed through with a strong campaign that adds a lot to Titanfall as an overall package.

More Weapon and Titan Choices Add Variety

It wasn’t only the lack of a single-player that led the original Titanfall to feel light on content. Online, the choices seemed limited, with only three titans and a weapon count that was lower than many of its rival shooters. The lack of possibilities in how you approached online matches bored players quickly, but there is far more to experience in Titanfall 2. There are six titans, all of which feel different, each featuring unique primary and special weapons as well as its own ‘core’ ability. The variances are not small ones either, with primary abilities ranging from lasers to rocket launchers. Also, each titan moves uniquely, making you choose between maneuverability and power, depending on which suits your play-style.

There are also more pilot weapons to choose from, all of which feel powerful in their own way. Assault rifles are accurate and work well at all ranges, whilst shotguns and snipers are perfect for certain tricky situations. When online, picking the one that feels the best takes some time, but you’ll get the hang of it sooner thanks to your time in single-player.

More Maps and Customization Options Add Replay Ability

Re-playability was certainly an issue for the original Titanfall. Without a single player, there was just the online multiplayer to sink your teeth into, and even that lacked the large amount of content many other online shooters have. The original had more maps from the get-go, but all future DLC maps for Titanfall 2 will be given out free of charge. The increased number of modes in the sequel makes the prospect of returning to new maps all the more appealing.

The increased customization options also adds to re-playability, as players can test out different load-outs for both their titan and pilot selves. With three or four perk slots and four weapons attachment slots, the number of combinations is huge and it’ll take hours of play to find the one that suits you. Also, with twice as many titans in this sequel, the titan load-out options also offer plenty of scope for tinkering.

Pacing, in All Modes, is Important

Being a multiplayer only experience, every moment of the original Titanfall was frantic. Firefights would begin moments after a round started and the over-populated maps would leave little chance for tactical play. However, with Titanfall 2, Respawn has perfected the pacing of both the online mode and the single-player campaign. The story doesn’t send the player down an endless number of enemy filled corridors for six straight hours – it in fact breaks up the action with slower platforming sections that showcase the fantastic movement in Titanfall 2. The slower moments give the game a chance to tell the story of a pilot and his titan whilst adding different gameplay elements.

The pacing of online matches has also been tweaked to allow for more tactical play. Maps feel less crowded, leaving room for slower movement when it is useful and making completing objectives worthwhile. The countdown to Titanfall is also shorter, meaning giant mech warfare plays a greater role in how a match plays out. Respawn has clearly understood the importance of pacing in shooters, and not just when it comes to storytelling.

A Unique Leveling System is Appealing

Leveling up your character online using XP gained in battle may be simple, but it is great when a game adds something new to the standard upgrade system. Titanfall 2 sees you level up using merits that are awarded for a variety of trackable missions. You get merits for completing matches, winning matches, for getting a certain number of kills with weapons, and much more.

Having clear goals when going into a match makes the individual objective clear, yet, since merits are awarded for wins, the team objective does not go ignored. In other multiplayer shooters leveling up takes care of itself, but in Titanfall 2 it requires thoughtful play and planning, refreshingly taking the focus away from KDR chasing and score counts.