Recently, I asked the question about whether or not you should buy an Xbox One just to play Titanfall. That, however, assumed that you were interested in the game at all.
I know it’s shocking for some to consider this, but not everyone is sold on the “next big thing in the world of gaming.” There are those that have no opinion on it and others who didn’t enjoy their time with the beta. Considering this, we then need to ask the question: Should you buy Titanfall?
Do you enjoy a deliberate, methodical pace to your shooters?
If so, you should probably stay away from Titanfall. Much has been made about the incredibly quick pace of matches the game has to offer, and that’s before you even jump inside of a mech. Here’s a list of things that, due to the game's frantic nature, you won’t find:
– Long, drawn out battles that require steady pressure to win
– Squad based combat where you’re dead without friends (yes, friends) by your side
– Walking slowly down hallways lest you turn a corner at the wrong time
Sufficed to say, if you’re looking for any of that, you’re not going to find it in Titanfall.
Are you looking for the first killer app of the new generation?
Both consoles have had some pretty good launch titles, but there’s just something about Titanfall that stands out above the rest. No doubt you’ve started seeing the TV-spots filled with one-liners that read “it’s fantastic,” “believe the hype,” yadda yadda yadda. There’s a reason for that, though. Titanfall is more than just an ordinary shooter cranked up to 11. While yes, there isn’t that slower pace that I talked about in a previous paragraph, that’s not to say the game lacks strategy. Anyone who’s found running around for the sake of running around will be picked apart. Conversely, those who are camping on rooftops will be blown away. The amount of quick thinking needed in this game is nearly intimidating. The fact that developer Respawn Entertainment has been able to combine that quick thinking with speed in a game that’s an absolute joy to play.
Do you want to play Call of Duty at a faster pace?
No. Stop that. This is not Call of Duty.
That said, I originally made that mistake, too. Granted, I haven’t touched a Call of Duty game since Modern Warfare 2, so I have no idea what the newest entries in the series play like. Maybe that’s why Titanfall reminded me of the first two Modern Warfare games: they’re made by most of the same people.
Still, the two are nothing alike. So stop making that comparison.
Do you want to play a game that drastically changes between modes?
Speaking of that Call of Duty comparison, the general feel of the games didn’t change when the game modes did. At the end of the day, I was still camping, still dodging grenades, and still sprinting from one point of cover to another.
It should be noted that I’m not the greatest Call of Duty player in the game.
With Titanfall, Attrition (Deathmatch) is joyous chaos on the battlefield. In Hardpoint (Domination), the game takes a more tactical pace. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still flying across the map with the game’s parkour system, but you’re observing actual objectives.
You have to defend the various capture points and keep an eye on your surroundings. You have to consider that people are defending, too. That Titan patrolling an area is probably on auto-pilot, so you do you worry about the big mech or the pilot who’s right around the corner. Then there’s Last Titan Sanding, which is a completely difference entirely. Lose your Titan and you’re dead, but you can still roam around as a Pilot should you eject in time. Granted, you’ll be surrounded by other Titans, but it gives this cautious nature to the game that isn’t present in the other modes.
Here’s the bottom line: if you’re looking for something that’s fast, fun, and strategic, you should absolutely pick up Titanfall. If a slower paced game is up your alley, then chances are that you won’t enjoy it.
