The original Titanfall was a hit. Whilst I’d never picked it up, it was easy to see that the game was a major success – it was a fresh and unique shooting experience in a genre oversaturated with repetitive gameplay and narratives.
The gameplay was fast and exhilarating – scaling buildings and blasting away enemies to then leap into your giant titan to unleash devastation upon the battlefield was awesome. The only problem was that it was exclusive to Xbox and that it was multiplayer only.
The exclusivity meant a lot of people didn’t get to try it and since it was only a multiplayer experience, it turned a lot of people away. Sow what happened next? Well, Respawn took what made the first game so great and just built upon it in nearly every way; a single player campaign was added, and the multiplayer was improved with more content and refined mechanics.
Titanfall 2 released between Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Battlefield 1 which you can imagine had a massive impact on sales and it sadly flew under the radar for a ton of people. However, the game was met with high praise and to this day, still has an extremely loyal fan base. So, what made Titanfall 2 amazing exactly?
The multiplayer for starters was so refreshing. The speed you felt as a pilot and power you felt as a Titan was something else. In a genre that was becoming more and more the same, Titanfall 2 switched everything up and games that came after were quick to try and replicate its magic. The game encouraged to you to keep moving and play aggressive; get kills, get them quick. Additionally, you were getting two unique gameplay experiences through your Pilot and your Titan – both of which provide a different set of challenges and thrills.
Whilst the first game had three titans, the sequel contained six; each one felt unique and played very differently to each other due to the different abilities and weapons they carried. You’d start with Ion, which was the default Titan and had a very basic loadout but after levelling up you could unlock new, more diverse titans. The long-distance sniper-like Titan, Northstar, would be great for players who prefer picking off enemies from across the map.
But a Titan like Ronin, who bears resemblance to a samurai, is all about getting up close and personal. It can deflect bullets before phasing through an enemy titan to then deliver a piercing strike from behind. You’d quickly find a Titan that would fit your playstyle and become your best friend on the battlefield. I mean, the multiplayer was always going to be fantastic, it was Respawn’s bread and butter…but how was the single-player campaign?
Long story short, it was brilliant. You play as Jack Cooper, a newly trained pilot who is quickly paired with BT-7247 after BT’s original pilot is killed. It’s a fairly straightforward narrative but damn if it isn’t a ride. Gunfights are chaotic and there’s some great platforming requiring you to make the most out of your Jump Kit. The game also doesn’t shy away from spectacular cinematic moments and set pieces and the bond between Cooper and BT is also surprisingly realised, it feels quite natural and by no means forced.
When it comes to gameplay, everything great about the first game has been carried over with improvements to make it that much better. It’s even more fluid than the original with tighter controls and enhancements to how you move and manoeuvre the well-crafted level design . Wall jumping between buildings to grapple onto the top of a roof and jumping onto a Titan seamlessly makes you feel like a total badass. It’s a fast-paced shooter and it’s all the better for it, requiring quick-thinking and not penalising you for rushing into gunfights on pure adrenaline. Seeing an enemy Titan march towards you as you retreat into an nearby building for safety is actually terrifying. Leaping from the roof and landing on top of it to remove it’s battery though, that’s just cool as hell. And nothing is more satisfying than when you finally call down your Titan and you hear that glorious “stand by for Titanfall”. Bliss.
Respawn created one of the best FPS shooters, period. It’s a shame a lot more people didn’t get to experience this game but like I mentioned, it’s amassed a now large and loyal fanbase. People are still playing it today, hell even I return every year or so even if it’s just a for a few hours because there’s truly nothing like it. No FPS has come close to the feeling I get playing Titanfall 2 ; with a great story mode and a standout multiplayer experience, it’s a game that stands proudly in the hierarchy of modern gaming and deserves a sequel. Seriously Respawn. Titanfall 3. We need it. Now.
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