Titanfall (Xbox One & PC Beta) review

[Uli]

very early impressions of roughly 1 hour of playing through the tutorial and few matches of Attrition...

first on the technical side of things: i am running the beta on my PC, which comes equipped with a i5-4430 and a comparatively cheap GTX650/2GB card, and get between 35 and 50 fps while running the game in 1080p with everything set to high except ragdolls (medium) and shadows (low). so it's safe to say Titanfall isn't a very hardware hungry game and should run fine even on older PCs and most likely Xbox 360. the game looks absolutely stunning in motion and screens do the game no justice. there are the occasional low-poly objects and low-res textures though but the particle FX more than make up for this. sound is also very impressive and the PC version even supports 7.1 sound.

as for the gameplay, i have mixed feelings. after a comprehensive tutorial you get to the MP menu where can chose from 3 game modes: Attrition, Hardpoint Domination and Last Titan Standing. i played the recommended Attrition (equals TDM) and apart from killing the occasional cannon fodder AI i found it pretty hard to stand a chance against more experienced players (pilots). even in my Titan i got mostly smoked before i could even adjust to the situation on the battlefield, which was a bit frustrating as i remembered this to be a more fun experience back at gamescom. i am not sure if your Titans also level up and get stronger but i sure hope so as i need to feel strong and powerful in my Titan. while the gameplay feels fresh i really miss a single player mode where i could at least train myself and better prepare for the MP experience. i think getting thrown into MP after just a brief tutorial will put many gamers off, especially the ones that usually suck at MP games or need a longer time to learn and adapt.

i will post more impressions later...

[Neon Ignition]

It feels like a light footed CoD to move about with I find which means it's very easy to pick up and play. Wall running and jumping is about as simple as could be so navigating is easy too. The titans themselves are fairly nimble too but I can see what early players meant by it being more fun to be on foot. Visually, maybe the XBO version differs from the PC one but to me this is in no way a looker. I doubt the 360 will break a sweat, it's incredibly CoD levels of visuals wouldn't be surprised if it's practically the same engine. However, though manic and not yet feeling very tactical it is fun.

[nonny]

I'm playing on Xbox One.

Up to rank 10 now and that gets you custom classes, more load out options and access to SMG and DMR rifles. All up once you get into it this game is a blast to play but there are a few minor niggles.

The AI grunts are dumb. I don't mind cannon fodder but really they're only there to serve up a spectacle and let you grind down your Titan timer. On Xbox graphically it actually looks really bloody good. I know this is running at 792p or something wacky like that but on my 120" projector screen it looks really nice. Equal to say BF4 with different effects. If they get it up to 900p in the final code it'll be impressive despite the fanboys going ape ****.

From here us Aussies have to connect to Singapore servers. I'm getting 120-155ms latency reading and there is lag but its hidden well. It certainly is present but it hasn't affected my gameplay enjoyment one bit so far. It's also certainly better when all Aussies are in so we're all in the same boat and thankfully that's so much easier when its 12 players max.

As for the actual game. They've absolutely nailed the balance and the maps lend to all ranges and styles of engagement. That's the biggest thing I take from this. Titan v Titan, Titan v Pilot, Pilot v Pilot. It all works and is seamless in transition as well.

I said this in another forum but basically is sum it up as "COD with Mechs" as someone described it in a negative statement. It is that... In essence, but more specifically its the best parts of COD coupled with the best kill streak reward ever. It's better than any COD since these guys left it and its balanced almost perfectly.

[nonny]

Oh and give it a little time to bed in...

I had a life expectancy of under 30 seconds in a Titan for a while but I just had some rounds where I dominated (got MVP) by using cover to regen shields, sliding in close for melee and salvos... Basically controlling the engagement distance throughout and baiting my opponents. Took 3 opposing titans down without dying.

So there is a lot of depth and a fair learning curve. You unlock some handy equipment as you go but not really increasing the titans power

[EvilBoris]

Hopping around is really fun.
They need to sort that sharpness filter big time.
The graphics are overalls much better than I expected, textures are super clear and generally it's quite stylish. I played a level that really reminded me of halo/destiny. Lovely scifi sky with ships flying around.

[Neon Ignition]

Had a read around and turns out the PC version does have much better effects and texture work compared to the XBO version which helps explain why the One version looks so last gen. I'm not expecting it to change for release but as long as it plays smoothly it's all good. I doubt it'll tear me from BF4 but it should take down CoD on the playlist. Will give it a couple of nights but it seems a safe buy as long as there's enough maps.

[yesteryeargames]

Severs are down doh

[Uli]

yep nothing goes. can't even play the tutorial without being logged in to a server. welcome to the online-only future of videogaming!

i am really impressed though with the hardware-friendliness of the game, seems the updated source-engine is put to effective use. why the Xbox One can't keep up with my entry level gaming PC to handle this game in 1080p/60 is truly beyond me. i really hope they get it a least up to 900p plus including best textures.

[EvilBoris]

Got the new update and it looks better as it's not being post processed to death, I'm not really sure what else you want from the textures.

[Neon Ignition]

XBO wise I'm alright with the textures, I imagine they're toned down for performance given the game is still prone to frame drops etc. It's more surprise that after so much hype etc they're no different than what is in CoD and that gets a big drumming each year for its aged visuals despite being very similar, if not better in some ways. It's still the same case though that the performance outweighs that aspect and having spent a bit more time on it this morning I think I'll have no worries about the full game. It's just out and out mayhem and whilst I think it'll wear off after a few weeks rather than be something I play all year I can't imagine it not tallying up more play hours than most games. Tried to snag some vids too so will try uploading them

[djtickle]

I got to level 10 and it's great. Nice looking and it's really well balenced gameplay wise. Hoping in the Titan has been a blast for me I have had games with 10+ player kills and 0 deaths.

Dodging in the Titan and using the buildings for cover is great. This really wouldn't work if the buildings collapsed like BF4.

[PeteJ]

Really struggling to get into any matches (PC version), I join the session and the map loads but at the loadout screen it seems to disconnect from the server.

Got into one match but came last. Seemed good fun though.

[Uli]

these early beta server problems are eye opening to me. i should better wait and see which version's netcode performs best before making a buying decision. that said i really don't get how they can afford to not do a beta for the 360 version.

[EvilBoris]

Problems with a Beta!
GASP
The 360 version of the game is entirely different, it could be running on an entirely different engine for all we know about it.
The netcode is going to be identical between the PC and Xbox One versions.

The 360 version is just a giant cash grab, just like the DS versions of Call of Duty were.

Anyway, I've been quite enjoying this, it's very hectic and I like the way there are quite a few different ways to play. I've just discovered how cool it is putting your Titan in AI mode.

a bit screen teary at the moment, I hope they can sort that out.
Once you are in a game, it's flawless, none of the connection nonsense from BF4

[Uli]

Got the new update and it looks better as it's not being post processed to death, I'm not really sure what else you want from the textures.

it's really not about textures, it's about how much this game will indicate the Xbox One's hardware power. given this game's undemanding system requirements on PC i think the XO version should at least be able to keep up with a cheap gaming PC don't you think.

let's face it guys, Titanfall is really not a next-gen tech piece of code at all. the AI is braindead (grunts) to very simple (Titan in auto mode) and there levels are static with no procedural damage as far as i can tell. no co-op and no offline game mode. it's all about eye candy killing.