Titanfall 2 Multiplayer Technical Test Impressions (XB1/PS4)

PS4 felt better aim wise than xbox one, not sure why I don't have problems switching between Destiny and Battlefront between the two consoles but for some reason playing on xbox one I had a real tough time with aiming, whereas it felt a bit better on PS4. I did have both set to classic mode controls. I'd still prefer on PC though.

I hate to say it though but I'd agree with the people who are saying they would rather just play Titanfall 1 than this :( Hopefully they rotate the maps or game modes or both next weekend, these maps are just awful. Between being sniped all the time and having much fewer parkour options, the maps feel better designed for single player than MP. I just don't get the long Titanfall times either, you'd think they'd want players in Titans way more than way less.
 
Respawn had maybe the most consistent track record when it came to maps in TF1, but it feels like the current maps have lost some of the naturalistic sightlines that led to tons of smooth movement. For as "boxy" as the previous maps were they were at least in service of making transitions between wallrunning as smooth as people.

Really hope the final game isn't just a bunch of awkward-ass maps to run through.

If you extend it back to their time working on CoD2, Modern Warfare, and Modern Warfare 2 I would say there is nobody else who comes close to rivaling them for consistently outstanding multiplayer maps. This shit is baffling.
 
Managed to get a few games in over the last couple of hours.

Unlike a lot of people that play games like these, my first experience of playing an shooter online was actually Overwatch, so I'm a little less familiar with the intricacies of the genre, despite having seen plenty of deathmatch shooters played by others over the years and having gone through my fair share of single player campaigns.

Overall impressions based on the alpha are that it's an okay game. The problems that I'm having can be sourced to the fact that the two hooks differentiating that game from most other shooters games - the titans and the parkour - are not fully realised.

The Titans are a good time for sure, but dealing with them is too simplistic. Grappling onto them as a pilot is way too easy with how much trouble enemies have spotting you and being locked into a several second animation where the enemy and you can both do nothing to aid or hinder your offense (save a teammate helping them which... yeah) makes dealing with titans an annoying slog. I've had a couple of good battles where I've made use of parkour and anti-titan weapons to flank and confuse enemy titans, but that leads to my other problem.

The parkour is great. If someone told me that parkour so smooth as to allow for aiming on twin analogs while doing it would be possible with a controller, I wouldn't have believed them. The issue with this is that there are often just not enough objects around to parkour on. I feel like I just get into a flow of bouncing from wall to wall, grappling across areas (which should frankly be a default on double tap jump rather than an ability with how central it is to movement) and then - bam! - a big open area where I just flop to the ground and the game becomes Call of Duty. I'm not expecting infinite parkour, but I would like for areas with a good parkour flow to be more than 2-3 walls long before I run out of stuff to use.

It sounds like a lot of my issues are actually changes from Titanfall to Titanfall 2, which is a shame since I don't own an Xbox One and had to miss out on that experience. I'd vowed to pick this up when it came to Sony platforms, which seemed like an inevitability with market trends, but based on the reactions here, I might not have too many people to play with if it doesn't change too much.
 
While I'm not down on it as many in this tread are... I'm still going to pre-order the title but hope that Respawn has some whatever they can in the last few months to polish and do a minor course correct.

Holding solace that this is a very old build.
 
I liked having AI grunts running around the map in Titanfall 1. It made for a nice pace of action, they were fun little distractions between encounters with other human players. It's a shame that they took a few steps back in that regard.

The first game was solid the way it was. All it needed was more diversity in its weapons and titans.
 
So, as someone who never played the first game, I put in a few rounds today on the PS4. It seems fine. I had really high expectations from all the praise about Titanfall's movement system, but I'm not very impressed at all. This is probably because I'm not good at it yet, but also, it sounds super nerfed from the original. This is too bad -- I was really looking forward to experiencing what everyone was so excited about.

There's a lot of apologia on the Titanfall subreddit about how this is "just a beta" or whatever, but I'm skeptical that Respawn can (or even would want to) change this game in like two months to match what was so good about the original. There's a lot of shooter competition this fall, and although I was looking forward to playing a Titanfall game finally, I don't think they'll be getting $60 from me. I can see picking it up when it's half price if the campaign reviews well. *sigh*
 
While the game has a lot of issues I think the biggest ones is the maps. A good set of maps could really turn this game around I think. The changes aren't good but these maps only make them worse.

But as said you usually want your beta to be a good first impression, so I'm worried the maps in the game are the best they have to offer. Hopefully next weeks map is a god tier map to give us some hope for the rest.
 
See, the AI is what really made the maps feel alive and made it feel like you were more on a real battlefield.

precisely.

anybody who complains about AI in TF1 clearly didn't master the game.

they were a core function of reducing your titan timer, which added this great little balance nuance where if you chose to shoot grunts / spectres to reduce your timer, your location would be exposed on the map [although you could melee kill them to avoid that, but that would require you to stand still for a few seconds, which is also very dangerous in TF1].

so far TF2 plays with pilots on the ground, or pilots on roofs.

i've been trying my god damn darndest to parkour around like a maniac, but it just feels like i'm forcing something on a game that doesn't play that way anymore.

i'm sure i could get used to this game once it releases on PC and i give it more time... or something, but i'm just super disappointed right now, and honestly quite sad.
 
I've been waiting years to play titanfall after following it since reveal. These impressions have killed my hype for titanfall 2. I'm gonna play the tech test but I was getting a creeping fear that some of the E3 quirks were distracting the game. Barely any titans? Obfuscated movement, no recoil on the guns? Maps that look pretty empty and too wide for kinetic, continuous motion? This is all the opposite of what I was waiting for when TF when multiplat. Sigh, getting the feeling that switching my preorder back to Battlefield 1 is looking likely, DICE at least seems to be preserving what was amazing about BF4.
 
One other somewhat minor criticism: the art direction in this game really feels like a step down in areas like the weapon and pilot design imo.
 
While I'm not down on it as many in this tread are... I'm still going to pre-order the title but hope that Respawn has some whatever they can in the last few months to polish and do a minor course correct.

Holding solace that this is a very old build.

Why would you pre-order this if you're worried about it. You don't have to pre-order games.
 
See, the AI is what really made the maps feel alive and made it feel like you were more on a real battlefield.

I never once felt the AI added to the whole atmosphere, I find them rather annoying than anything. The maps were just good. As ive already said, they could remedy this by adding more players.
 
I just played some Pilot vs Pilot and, excluding the Titans, it feels a bit better than Bounty Hunt. Lots more wallrunning and roof hijinks like the first game. It's mostly the titan stuff that feels off to me, how fast they can get killed and how it's set to your kill/objective score to unlock. Maybe the Bounty Hunt map is just a bad representation, and there are more city/village-based areas where movement isn't so open and you can do a lot more.

Plus I hope that there's more AI in the actual game. That's how I racked up kills for the most part in the original, haha.
 
So they reduced the standard movement speed and kept the ADS speed reduction?



That's fucking dumb.




Played 2 games so far, pretty meh about it really.
 
Well, I don't know if I should be saddened or impressed, but playing this beta has made me lose so much interest in TF2. I didn't think it was possible to fuck up the sequel given how outstanding the first game was, but there's just so much changed/removed from the first game that I enjoyed that I'm not feeling the hype anymore. I'll probably Redbox the game when it releases to see if anything in the full game can allay my fears, but as it stands now these are my issues with the game:


  • Removal of the AI Grunts in most modes
  • Titanfall is now based on points earned rather than a timer that you can burn down faster
  • Removal of Attrition (They aren't saying one way or the other, but the lack of grunts in Hardpoint and the addition of Bounty Hunt suggest it's gone)
  • The maps don't feel conducive to the parkour mechanics like the first game (The full game might prove me wrong)
  • Parkour speed has been slowed from the first game
  • Titan loadout customization is predetermined by frame
  • Titan shields are gone (Which also defeats the purpose of hitching a ride on a friendly titan since there is nothing to keep you from getting blown away)
  • Burn cards are gone
  • Wallhanging is a perk now
  • Can't hack Specters to do your bidding, although this is probably a consequence of the removal of AI in the other modes
  • I prefer the old rodeo system of trying to outfox the guy in the cockpit when he tries to remove you, rather than just having the whole thing automated and having to do it multiple times
That said, there are a few things I like. The grappling hook is a cool addition, although I wish it was available to all classes and didn't take up an equipment slot. Bounty Hunt is interesting, although I don't like that it seems to be in there at the expense of Attrition. I'm not sure how I feel about the merit system replacing XP for leveling, or moving to infinite grenades on a cooldown timer though. Hopefully I'll be able to catch the back end of the second test as I won't have more time to play until then, but as of right now my outlook on the game is pretty low, and that's really disappointing as this was the game I was looking forward to the most this year.

Pre order literally cancelled. Fuck this
 
Only played 1 match so maybe my impressions will improve, but the game definitely feels slower and I did not like the map design of Homestead. Not great for the parkour at all. Also, I miss the AI. And I think I only saw 1 Titan maybe 2(?) in the entire match lol Absurd to me.
 
I never once felt the AI added to the whole atmosphere, I find them rather annoying than anything. The maps were just good. As ive already said, they could remedy this by adding more players.

this just sounds like you never mastered the game.

the AI were useless, they didn't get in your way, they didn't detract from anything.

so tired of hearing this argument.
 
Critical feedback is good and can only help so long its descriptive and constructive
and ReS is reading this thread
.

I can't wait to get home and try it out myself.
 
I never once felt the AI added to the whole atmosphere, I find them rather annoying than anything. The maps were just good. As ive already said, they could remedy this by adding more players.

The AI did add to the chaos of battle, there was always action going on, constant combat you were involved in, Titans fightings, other players fighting something, troops flying/jumping in. In TF2 there is just alot of empty moments that you just didn't have in TF1.
 
This is strange. This is the kind of game I'd expect if a new developer was taking on Titanfall and didn't fully understand what made Titanfall 1 great.

Even something as simple as a third-person camera when entering a Titan, or during melee kill animations. Why change that? Dropping down into a Titan and seeing the display light up just isn't the same when the camera dips out to third-person. Or the lack of AI in the Hardpoint and Pilot vs. Pilot modes; the map feels empty, and it doesn't even seem like they accounted for how much longer it takes to get a titan without killing grunts.

Strange choices indeed.
 
Just the one game of Bounty Hunt played so far and pretty pleased, it's still great.
Was getting worried reading all the negative opinions.

Will still be pissed off if Attrition is gone or most of the modes don't have grunts though :(
 

Glad you like it, but your in the minority from someone among other's who I regularly play with who have messaged me on Origin about their PS4 takes on this, they think it's a bad design decision in what they have done.

It lost to me most of it's identity in a way. Feels more to focused on powerups, pilot on pilot, and not the overall balance of having a titan change the play of the game as it did in attrition while also being known one pilot with arc mines, or satchel charges and charge rifle or spitfire can take you out.

Everything seems ass backwards in maps design, to traversal, to drastic titan changes with TTK.

Seems like it was made by a committee and not the same people who made Titanfall 1 so special.
 
This is strange. This is the kind of game I'd expect if a new developer was taking on Titanfall and didn't fully understand what made Titanfall 1 great.

Even something as simple as a third-person camera when entering a Titan, or during melee kill animations. Why change that? Dropping down into a Titan and seeing the display light up just isn't the same when the camera dips out to third-person. Or the lack of AI in the Hardpoint and Pilot vs. Pilot modes; the map feels empty, and it doesn't even seem like they accounted for how much longer it takes to get a titan without killing grunts.

Strange choices indeed.


It's all very nonsensical.



Really hope IW is listening. Hell, at this point, I would rather them delay the game, get out of the crossfire of BF1/COD and actually release I good TF sequel.


At this point, I think they are sending the franchise to its death with all of these horrible decisions.
 
Titanfall 1 veteran here, reached generation 10 within the first 2 weeks of the game's release, loved it to death

here's my honest opinion on Titanfall 2, first of all the movement didn't change that much although it seems a bit slower but gunplay still great, the TITAN are HORRIBLE, in the original game playing as a titan was amazing and now they ruined it, the timer has been removed and you can't change the weapon of the titan so each titan has it's own weapon, the maps are bad in every way possible, the big map is a bad idea, lots of empty space and that makes the parkour scripted, the modes are even worse, bounty hunt is trash, the grappling hook is boring, slow and makes it much easier to escape in epilogue for the losing team, just when i thought they couldn't ruin the leveling up system more than they did in Titanfall 1 with the challenges, they surpassed my expectations, now instead of the normal XP system they made the leveling system completely based merits, which is very similar to the challenges

i just don't understand the developers, do they ruin their games on purpose ?? for example, Uncharted 4 Finally had great gaemplay and they made the game 80% walking and climbing with no action, Titanfall 1 had absolutely nothing bad in it except the lack of content, so why change some thing that was perfection ?? just add more content to make it more perfection instead of changing it

sadly this is it for Titanfall, if TF2 fails( which will probably will ) i doubt we will see TF3, they ruined the game and changed it from the original which was beyond amazing and they are releasing it 1 week after BF1 and 1 week before COD:IW, RIP Titanfall, you were the only reason i bought Xbox one and didn't regret it at all because of him amazing you were

now don't get me wrong i'm not saying TF2 is a bad game, no, far from it, it's still so far the best FPS MP game this year after Overwatch but the original game was much better in it's simplicity

i guess i'll wait for BF1 beta and see if it lives up to the hype and decide if i'm gonna buy BF1 only or buy both BF1 and TF2
 
Respawn ditching the pervasive-AI -> Titan Timer combat loop really feels like them choosing to listen to the absolute worst people who probably either didn't or barely played the last game.

"wut i can't believe you fight bots so lame"
 
One other somewhat minor criticism: the art direction in this game really feels like a step down in areas like the weapon and pilot design imo.
Agreed. I always compared it to Halo: Reach's art direction, but now it looks more akin to Black Ops 3. One of the snipers looks like it could be from Destiny, too.
 
This is strange. This is the kind of game I'd expect if a new developer was taking on Titanfall and didn't fully understand what made Titanfall 1 great.

Even something as simple as a third-person camera when entering a Titan, or during melee kill animations. Why change that? Dropping down into a Titan and seeing the display light up just isn't the same when the camera dips out to third-person. Or the lack of AI in the Hardpoint and Pilot vs. Pilot modes; the map feels empty, and it doesn't even seem like they accounted for how much longer it takes to get a titan without killing grunts.

Strange choices indeed.

That was part of the magic for sure! Especially dropping into Atlas or a heavy. That feeling is gone because ???
 
It's all very nonsensical.



Really hope IW is listening. Hell, at this point, I would rather them delay the game, get out of the crossfire of BF1/COD and actually release I good TF sequel.


At this point, I think they are sending the franchise to its death with all of these horrible decisions.

Totally agree, I WAS ACTUALLY SHOCKED that it's releasing this fall. Should be Spring of 2017, and maybe make all the changes they need.

Game feels like internally there's a different group building this game than who made original. Didn't they say a while back they had other projects they were working on? Maybe they gave the original main members of titanfall development the smaller project and gave the reins to other's who were more of the support staff for titanfall1 a chance?

Possible no? That could explain the drastic changes.
 
On the art front I actually like some of the new designs. The second sniper rifle and lmg are both cool looking. I miss being able to pick between male and female pilots (is that gonna be retail?)

I will also say, I know it was a late addition to TF1 but I wish they had brought back customizeable titan os voices. I know it's tech test but iirc they've already said thats gone from 2 in interviews/videos.
 
I really hate that red outline around players - I feel like I cannot outflank enemies because they can easily spot me across the map...
 
General consensus on Titanfall subreddit is the game is 2 steps back, and not a step forward...ouch. Will still try out the test tonight.

They changed so much of what was perfect and great, instead of just adding to and improving a good game. It's like they listened to the wrong feedback from other games and tweaked the game in all the wrong ways
 
What are those using the Xbox controller assigning to their paddles?

I'm using jump on the left and sprint on the right, but thinking about going to crouch on the right, because that slide is juicy.
Jump and reload, have auto sprint enabled. Everything else is default and it's been really comfortable. Would like to try to get all 4 paddles down before the full game comes out.
 
While i like the removal of the AI, theres just so many things that are off in this alpha. They need to add more players everything feels so empty. I hope the devs really listen to these criticisms/feedback.

That is literally the point of the grunts/spectres/new AI running around the maps. They also act as the method for getting a Titan in a reasonable time. Making it only pilots in amped hardpoint sucks.
 
Disappointed so far. I still sink plenty of hours into the first one and thought they nailed the multiplayer. The missing ai on the battlefield, the time to get a Titan out, no real customisation on titans, burn cards gone, maps which accommodate camping, flakey parkour. I don't understand what went wrong. All they had to do was build on the original not strip it down.
 
this just sounds like you never mastered the game.

the AI were useless, they didn't get in your way, they didn't detract from anything.

so tired of hearing this argument.

It's not an argument, it's just pure nonsense and unfortunately the kind of shit that Respawn actually listened to.
 
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