Apex Legends Mobile global launch review: Mobile battle royale gets major game-changer

Apex Legends Mobile by Respawn Entertainment, published by Electronic Arts, is launching on May 17. Before the launch of this title, there were only two major battle royale games for mobile devices that have made it big — PUBG Mobile and Call Of Duty Mobile.

However, the launch of Apex Legends Mobile might just be a breeze of fresh air that players from both the humongous communities have been waiting years for.

Let's get one thing clear: it is not necessary to have played Apex Legends on a PC or console to enjoy Apex Legends Mobile. The title has a flavor of its own, which gamers will be able to appreciate from day one.

There are fresh maps, multiple legends with diverse abilities, numerous game modes, and lots more to look forward to. I have not played a ton of Apex Legends on PC but have enjoyed every bit of Apex Legends Mobile without any difficulty.

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I was allowed to play the early access build, and after exploring it for quite some time, here's a review on Apex Legends Mobile. As players get ready to download the final version of the title, here's all there's to know about Apex Legends Mobile at launch.

Apex Legends Mobile review: Expect a competitive battlefield

Apex Legends Mobile has achieved an excellent PC to mobile port, something that other BR titles on mobile have not been able to bank on. This new offering is mostly similar to its PC and console versions.

In reality, the similarities are uncanny. The developers have even perfected the movement mechanics, the abilities of the legends, the maps, and more.

At launch, players will have access to nine PC legends, but they will have to grind to unlock all of them. Furthermore, mobile users have an exclusive treat to look forward to. The developers have announced that a mobile-exclusive legend will be added to the game.

Fade, a brand new legend, is available on release, and currently, he will only exist on the mobile title and not on PC or console. Fade is a mercenary with a history.

Like every legend, he has a lore and three definitive perks. I did not have the pleasure of playing with Fade in the early access as a lot of grind is required to unlock the character. Gamers can unlock the character for free by grinding up to level 25 of the free Season 1 Battle Pass and collecting Fade pieces.

A first look at the new, mobile-exclusive legend, Fade (Image via Electronic Arts)

Furthermore, players will also be able to take these new and old legends to the ranked mode. This match type will be more about prestige and less about grindable rewards.

Ranked seasons will be two months long, giving users enough time to grind up the leaderboard. They will only have access to regional leaderboards at launch, as the global leaderboards are expected to be added later.

Gunplay and movement mechanics

I was most impressed by the smooth graphics in the limited time I got to test Apex Legends Mobile. Even though I could not try the game on a device with minimum requirements, there was no lag in the menu or while playing the matches.

The gameplay was relatively smooth, including negligible to no frame drops during gunfights. In an early access build, even aerial gameplay (I was frequently spamming Octane’s launchpad) was better than expected.

The map seems to take a few seconds to render while dropping in for the first time, but that might not be a massive problem for most. Overall, users who opt to play the game on high graphics will enjoy the experience.

Multiplayer mode might not be the way for this title

Once gamers reach level 5 on their accounts, they will be able to play the multiplayer mode. There are three specific modes available in multiplayer, but they all have the same objective.

All three modes are essentially Team Deathmatch, even though one of them is called Arena. While these multiplayer modes might be good aim practice, they are simply not cut out for the title.

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Despite multiplayer not being the game's main focus, if it's included, the developers must try and make it engaging for players. Currently, it gets boring after a few bouts of TDMs.

Maps and weapons in Apex Legends Mobile at global launch

The game will launch with two major maps: Kings Canyon and World's Edge. However, it was later updated that the game's publishers found that Kings Canyon still needed some additional polish, so it would not be released as a BR map during the worldwide launch.

The limited map pool might also affect the title at launch. With a new game, the excitement to play it more and more is usually high. Players like me who want to explore as much as possible in the shortest time possible will find it irritating to be restricted to a single map.

The New Arena map, Overflow (Image via Electronic Arts)

However, players will get to check out Kings Canyon in Team Deathmatch and Arenas at launch. For those unaware, Apex Legends Mobile will also bring multiplayer modes to the game that they can practice their aim on and warm up before a sweaty battle royale match.

Furthermore, there are six different categories of weapons. The R-301 Carbine, R-99, VK-47 Flatline, Peacekeeper, Prowler Burst PDW, and Kraber .50-Cal are expected to be meta in the first season.

There are also multiple types of ammunition and lethal equipment like frag grenades and stars.

Music and sound effects

Sound is very critical in a BR, especially for FPP players. I found the entry music before the drop in each match quite thrilling. It lasts until users touch the ground, after which the callouts begin. However, the "callouts" are one aspect I did not enjoy during the matches.

For those unaware, legends in the game will give constant callouts to players about enemy positioning, the direction of shots, use of perks, healing, and more. In a chaotic gunfight, the callouts were quite distracting, and I even misjudged the situation because of constant callouts about multiple actions at the same time.

To understand what I mean, watch the video below, where Octane provides at least five different callouts in a few seconds.

The rest of the sound effects are pretty clear, and users can easily judge the enemy distance if they have a good ol’ pair of headphones on.

In conclusion

Apex Legends Mobile is a complete package when it comes to the battle royale experience. With new legends, map expansions, controller support, and a possible future in esports, this mobile title from EA is here to stay.

The controls are easy to understand, and the maps are beautiful yet provide a clear perspective for long and medium-range gunfights. The lore backs the legends, providing a greater purpose for gamers to get on the grind. It looks like Apex Legends Mobile will be a significant investment for those who decide to get serious about it.

It will also be interesting to see how the launch of Apex Legends Mobile will affect other mobile titles like COD Mobile and PUBG Mobile. Users who want a headstart can pre-register for Apex Legends Mobile in either the Google Play Store or App Store.