Titanfall 2

Did You Know?

• The game was released between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, a crowded release window that contributed to its commercial underperformance.
• A battle royale spin-off, Apex Legends, set in the same universe, was released on February 4, 2019.
• Ash, an Apex Predator from Titanfall 2, became a playable character in the eleventh season of Apex Legends.

Campaign

The conflict takes place in the Frontier, a region far from Earth's Core Systems, where the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) exploits resources while the Frontier Militia fights for independence. After the Battle of Demeter, the Militia is on the offensive. The player controls Jack Cooper, a Militia rifleman sent to the alien planet Typhon. Cooper aspires to be a Titan Pilot and trains under Captain Tai Lastimosa. During the assault, the mercenary group Apex Predators, led by Kuben Blisk and hired by IMC science division head General Marder, mortally wounds Lastimosa and disables his Titan BT-7274. Lastimosa transfers control of BT to Cooper, who inherits Special Operation 217: to rendezvous with Major Eli Anderson at an IMC laboratory. Cooper and BT detour through a water reclamation facility and a manufacturing plant, killing Apex Predators Kane and Ash along the way.

Development

Respawn Entertainment, founded by Vince Zampella, developed the game with a team of ninety people. Production began in mid-2014 with a two-year cycle; the game went gold on September 29, 2016. The single-player campaign was added to expand the player base, as the first game saw low post-release engagement. The team held game jams to create prototypes called 'action blocks', each with unique gameplay features such as time travel or Titan assaults. The campaign structure was internally called '211': two parts pilot combat, one part pilot movement and puzzle solving, and one part Titan combat. The team aimed to differentiate the campaign from Call of Duty, a challenge since many developers had worked at Infinity Ward.

Reception

Titanfall 2 received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. GamesRadar named it game of the year, and PC Gamer chose it as shooter of the year. Polygon listed it among the decade's best. Game Informer's Javy Gwaltney compared the plot to a buddy comedy and found BT a relatable character. Gameplay was critically acclaimed, described as frantic and exhilarating, with fluid movement and satisfying combat options. Reviewers noted that player controls remained invigorating and that Titan combat often presented David versus Goliath scenarios. The game was called a 'thinking man's shooter' for requiring tactical thought. The variety of weapons and freedom of movement were also praised.