Titanfall is set to be the big first-person shooter this year. The game is essentially a high-tech shootout in the Call of Duty vein (with good reasons as we'll discuss) that mixes highly-mobile infantry with hulking great armoured mechs. Videos of Alpha gameplay are now widely available and the gameplay is looking to be fast and furious. Here's everything we know about the game to date.
TITANFALL XBOX (ONE) EXCLUSIVE?
First and foremost it's worth pointing out that Titanfall isn't a next-gen exclusive or even an Xbox exclusive, though it won't be appearing on Sony consoles anytime soon. The game will be available on Xbox 360, Xbox One and for Windows PC - kind of a Microsoft exclusive then.
That exclusivity deal must have looked pretty good to publisher EA when it was made some time ago, with the Xbox 360 being the go-to console for first-person shooters. However, with the PS4 reportedly outpacing its Microsoft rival both in terms of sales and critical approval, it may not look so clever when the sales come in on launch day, especially as next-gen games command a far higher price (and so a bigger profit) than last-gen copies.
If you're looking to play Titanfall on a new console, then it'll have to be an Xbox One
EA for its part has stated that the exclusivity deal isn't time-limited, so Titanfall won't be popping out on PS3 or PS4 in six months time. The exclusive deal doesn't cover sequels however, so Titanfall 2 may well make it to Sony consoles when the inevitable Titanfall 2 is released.
TITANFALL RELEASE DATE
That's getting a bit ahead of ourselves however. The first game will be released in the UK (and across Europe) on March 13th, that's 2 days after the US March 11th launch. At present all three versions, including the PC, are scheduled to launch on the same day, but we'll be holding our breath that that stays the same, as the PC version of what is primarily a console game (the Alpha is running on Xbox One) is always liable to slip at the last moment.
TITANFALL AND CALL OF DUTY
If you watch people playing the Titanfall alpha test the first thing that comes to mind is Call of Duty. The animation, the run-and-gun gameplay, the customisable weapon loadouts and general slickness of production all bring the classic shooter series to mind.
And there's a good reason for all that as Titanfall is developed by Respawn Entertainment, the studio that Call of Duty honchos Jason West and Vince Zampella set up after their less-than-amicable parting with Activision after the publisher bought Infinity Ward - who continues to make Call of Duty without the pair. West and Zampella brought a reported 38 members of staff with them from Infinity Ward too, around half the staff at the new company.
The lovely people at Respawn Entertainment, many of who worked on Call of Duty at Infinity Ward
Respawn Entertainment is a telling name, and it certainly feels like the pair haven't strayed far from their roots with Titanfall. On the plus side this means that Call of Duty should feel right at home with the new game, or the downside those who have tired of the formula may find this a little too reminiscent of the blockbuster series. On the other hand, the feel of Call of Duty running at 60fps (or close to it) is incredibly responsive, and if it ain't broke ...
Titanfall is also launching on the Xbox 360, which means that it isn't a truly next-gen title, and so we wonder how far they'll push the envelope when it comes to level size, player numbers and destructible environments.
TITANFALL GAMEPLAY
Now you know the basis of the game, lets take a look at what Respawn have added to the mix. For starters your infantryman in Titanfall is far more agile than most grunts, he has a jetpack that allows him to double jump, letting him easily reach first floor windows from the ground (that's second floor if you're in the US) and leap from roof to roof across typical streets. On top of all this, he can run (for a short period) along walls.
Combine these and you can pull off some pretty incredible feats of agility, jumping around corners by bouncing off buildings. It all adds a little Tony Hawk's Skateboarding to the mix, and top players should be able to run circles around the inexperienced.
TITANFALL TITANS
Next up are the Titans themselves, which kind of take the place of the Killstreaks from Call of Duty games. Once you earn enough points in the game, from kills or objective captures, you have the ability to call down your own giant robot suit from orbit. This slams into the ground and you can then either jump into the cockpit, or alternatively set the AI to follow you around the map, like a hugely oversized bodyguard.
A player in a Titan will be looking to take on the opponent's mechs, but they aren't invulnerable to infantry. All infantry look to carry an anti-Titan weapon, such as a rocket launcher, and they can also jump onto a moving Titan and rodeo the robot while shooting it from point blank range.
TITANFALL VIDEO
There are now numerous videos online, posted by players who were admitted into the Xbox One alpha test. These give us a very good idea of how Titanfall will play, as you can see how actual gamers react to the new gameplay elements. We've put a few below for your enjoyment, though we're not responsible for any bad language you may hear, as some videos have voiceovers
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