Bullets rip through the air as the player moves toward a full-scale assault. The army of six pilots and many expendable grunts charge to take out the enemy. Dodging shots from the right, the player takes out a couple grunts with a tap of the trigger. Feeling accomplished, the player moves further into the heat of battle when it appears – the giant weaponized mech, called a Titan, stomping toward him.
Letting off a shot from his rifle, the player recklessly charges at the Titan. Leaping off a nearby wall, he lands on the back of the Titan. As it jerks around, trying to throw him off, he rips off the cover of the control panel, exposing the inner wires of the Titan. Aiming his gun, the player fires into the exposed armor. The enemy pilot ejects from the Titan’s neck as the Titan explodes, sending him flying to the ground among a pile of rubble.
Such moments make up the bulk of “Titanfall,” an online multiplayer first-person shooter that was released for Xbox One last week.
Developed by Respawn Studios, “Titanfall” casts players as pilots and soldiers who can control mechanical Titans. Playing as a pilot is an exercise in mobility. With the ability to run up walls, jump across rooftops and quickly traverse the chaos of battle, “Titanfall” offers many options for players. They can choose to cloak themselves and take out enemies from afar with a sniper rifle, or they can equip quick mobility with a shotgun amidst the heat of battle.
After a two-minute cool down period, the Titans can be called in, changing the landscape of battles. Watching a Titan spiral downward and crash into the ground is an awe-inspiring experience that shows just how small the pilots are in comparison. When controlling the Titan, players are given the opportunity to stalk down the opponents’ pilots and grunts. Armed with missiles and a force field, playing as the Titan feels appropriately balanced, and balance is an important part of the game. Pilots come armed with rocket launchers that can destroy Titans with carefully placed shots, and the other team has Titans ready for use.
The real excitement of the game is when multiple Titans fight each other. Ripped from the pages of a B-movie, watching these giant robotic mechs duke it out is exciting and vivid. Titans can rip each other’s arms off, project bullets back at their shooter and even self-destruct in a fiery explosion.
The aim of “Titanfall” is laudable, and the fast pace of its matches is exhilarating. While its game modes can be somewhat lacking in variety, Respawn plans on adding more content to the game over the coming months. “Titanfall” showcases the early potential of the Xbox One through its speed, enhanced graphics and towering mechs.
