Xbox 360 version of Titanfall delivers a quality experience

 

Though I ended up getting a PlayStation 4 recently, there was one game that made me wonder if I made the right choice – the Xbox One exclusive title “Titanfall.” The first-person-shooter from Respawn Entertainment melds fast-paced, parkour-based on-foot combat with the heavy firepower of enormous, lumbering mechanical monsters called Titans. Titanfall is also interesting in that it’s the first game from Respawn Entertainment. The studio was formed after several members broke off from Infinity Ward, the studio responsible for the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” titles.

Admittedly, Titanfall mainly drew my interest because I’ve always been a sucker for giant robots smashing each other with bullets, missiles and massive, metal fists. I was a big fan of the Mechwarrior games in the 90s and when I heard about Titanfall’s merging of traditional on-foot combat with giant robots, I couldn’t help but recall all the Battletech books I read or the hours I spent playing “Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries.” But because I decided to back Sony’s console instead of Microsoft’s, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to play Titanfall myself.

Luckily Bluepoint Games, in cooperation with Respawn Entertainment, brought a port of the PC and Xbox One title to the Xbox 360.

It wasn’t long ago that I read this story which noted that initially, Respawn Entertainment only planned on bringing Titanfall to the PC. This news made me wary of the quality of a 360 version of Titanfall – if the game wasn’t even meant for the Xbox One, how good could it be on the 360? Luckily the answer to that question is “surprisingly good.”

There are several types of Titans - the nimble Stryder (left), the sturdy Atlas (center) or the massive Orge (right).

Titanfall is interesting in that it is solely focused on multiplayer, though it uses elements of a single-player narrative to tell the story of the confrontation between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation  and the Frontier Militia. Advances in space travel allowed humanity to spread beyond the stars but when the IMC tries to expand its operations to the colonies of the Frontier, the colonists form the Militia to fight back, using the massive Titans as battle platforms to wage war on their opposition.

While many these days are quick to dismiss FPS games because of how saturated the market is with shooters, Titanfall makes quite a few changes to the usual formula – the least of which is the inclusion of gigantic, walking tanks.

In Titanfall, players take the role of Pilots, who are the equivalent of special ops soldiers in this conflict. Each game type in Titanfall is 6-on-6 and in addition to human players, games are also populated with computer controlled bots in the form of human Grunts or robotic Spectres. These units are basically just cannon-fodder but their inclusion creates a more hectic atmosphere and makes conflicts feel more alive.

Pilots are much smaller than Titans but incredibly agile and capable of holding their own.

Human pilots are superior to grunts in almost every way. Pilots have better weaponry as well as the ability to call down and pilot Titans. But their biggest advantage is their mobility. Pilots are equipped with booster jetpacks that allow for extra mobility in the air as well as the ability to quickly navigate environments with parkour-esque free running skills that include wall-hanging and wall-running. Like most FPS games, as you play you earn XP to gain levels which unlock new gear and weaponry for your Pilot and your Titan.

There are over 15 maps included in Titanfall with the usual compliment of game modes like Team Deathmatch (Attrition), Capture The Flag and Domination (Hardpoint) as well as variations like Pilot Hunt, where only Pilot kills go toward the team score, and Last Titan Standing, where players start in a Titan with no respawns.

You might think that Pilots would not be able to contend with the massive Titans but their agility and firepower make them just as formidable as the walking tanks. Using their jetpacks and free running abilities, Pilots can easily ascend the structures on each level to gain height on their towering foes. From there, Pilots can unload on them with anti-Titan weaponry or even hitch a ride on the back of one where they can do massive damage to a weak spot. Pilots also have a cloaking ability that will hide them from Titans as well as making it harder for other Pilots to spot you. As long a Pilot keeps moving, they are just as formidable as a Titan – if not more so.

Each player has a countdown timer until a Titan can be dropped in that can be shortened by earning kills or completing objectives. Pilots can also make use of Burn Cards, which are boosts players can select before a game begins and use one time during the match. Burn Cards can reduce your Titan timer, give you more powerful weaponry or other abilities. Burn Cards are easily gained so make sure to bring as many into battle as you can.

Overall, Titanfall is an incredibly fun game. I was worried about the quality of the Xbox 360 version of the game but haven’t had a single issue with it. The visuals look are as high a quality as any other 360 shooter and thanks to a mandatory install the first time you play, I’ve never experienced any slow down or seen any visual hiccups. The fact that it’s only multiplayer may drive some away but those who enjoy shooters will easily find something to love about Titanfall.