Average Guy Reviews: Titanfall 2

If it ain't broke, don't fix it...
by ~ SL

I dumped a ton of hours into the original Titanfall, when it was released in 2014. Criticized at launch for not having single player game, I found the multiplayer component satisfying enough to keep me vested for many hours. How does the followup game compare? Find out below!

The original Titanfall arrived when the marketplace was already filled with a plentiful amount of shooters. Backed by the man who created the famous Call of Duty 4, Respawn Entertainment marched in with a fast, frantic, and fun take on the shooter franchise. It had the smooth movements of Call of Duty, while layering in double jumps and wall running that was as fluid as the best of them. They also introduced playing as giant Titans, which added more depth to the gameplay, and was something unique added to the first person shooter landscape. It was highly criticized at the time for not including a single player game (Nowadays this sadly isn't as uncommon), but the multiplayer alone satisfied me enough to keep me coming back for numerous hours. So here we are 2 years later with Titanfall 2. The game is still fun to play and the additional single player adds an unique story to tell in the game universe, but overall doesn't offer anything that makes me go "WOW!" like the original did.

Single Player: The story in the first Titanfall was told via intros and voice overs, which you never listened to while playing other players in the multiplayer game. They promised in Titanfall 2 to add a single player game, and to my surprise, while short, it was actually pretty fun.

You play as rifleman Jack Cooper, who due to some unfortunate events stumbles upon, and becomes the pilot of, a Titan BT-7274. From there you go on to a 5 hour buddy movie of finishing a mission together to help save the world...classic. 

The single player showcases the strengths of what makes Titanfall unique. The levels are open and vast, but linear enough to keep the firefights focused. You can stick to the run and gun approach, or use the wall-running and double jumps to leap around the area and take out your foes. Certain parts then require you to jump in your Titan and unleash all the destruction you can. There are also some areas that require a bit of platforming, once again showcasing the movements and fluidity that comes with what makes the game fun. After about 5-7 hours, I completed the campaign and left with a "meh" feeling. It wasn't terrible, but is not something I will tell people to go out and buy specifically for. The real heart, like the original, is the multiplayer.

Multiplayer: The game itself has not undergone a lot of changes, just a few tweaks. Some are good, and some are bad, compared to the original. Every match starts out with player vs player as pilots, with AI characters scattered throughout. As you accumulate kills against pilots or AI, you fill a meter to call in a titan, and rain down the devastation. 

In Titanfall 2, the multiplayer is one word...fast! The gameplay is fast, the rounds are fast, and the unlocks come so quick, you can't keep up. In Titanfall 2, everything levels up...your overall player level, the guns, the Titans, and even the perks. The game requires, even demands, the reflexes to be at the ready, and the trigger finger locked in (bring the Dew!). The new weapons and new titans bring a bit more variety to things, but in the end, you still have that core game you know and love.

Titans also underwent a huge overhaul in the 2nd game, with some aspects I am not fond of. In Titanfall 1, you could pick a Titan chassis (Light, Medium, or Heavy), and from there add abilities and guns as you please. In Titanfall 2, the Titans are now there own "characters", with each Titan having its own preset of weapons and abilities, which cannot be changed. To me, I always liked having the Titans fit my play style. My default set up was always having a smaller Titan that can move quick, but use a more powerful weapon. Well, now having that powerful weapon, means I am stuck with a slowest moving Titan. It is something that it easy to adjust to over time, but just sad that they took away options we once had before. I also noticed that some Titan weapons used in the single player are not found in multiplayer, which leads me to think there will be DLC Titans in the future.

The shooter landscape is very crowded this holiday with Titanfall 2, Battlefield, and Call of Duty, all out at the same time. Battlefield wins in the slower paced, but larger scale combat. Call of Duty is well...shooters in space with Jon Snow...and Titanfall 2 is your fast, frantic, Titan vs Titan shooter. I am still very much enjoying my time with this game (even for being overly critical), and will continue to play it. In the end, it's more or less the same game, but like the title says, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

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​Average Guy Review Score: 6 out of 10
​Price point worth of purchase: $30-$40
Level of Replay: The single player lasts about 5-6 hours with the multiplayer never ending. Will last for about as long as you want to play or until you move on to another game