Titanfall 2 Review And PC Benchmarks Quick Take: Fantastic Mech Fun
Suit-up mech pilots! Titanfall 2 has landed! Developer Respawn has returned with a sequel to its frenectic-paced FPS from 2014, offering yet even more stylistic wall-running, double-jumping and a bit of mech-on-mech action peppered throughout. Titanfall 2 is not your average first-person shooter, to say the least.
The original TitanFall was fun but quaint affair that felt under supported, with DLC distribution that essentially fragmented the community. Acknowledging this shortcoming for the sequel, EA and Respawn are promising that all additional content made available post-purchase, (maps, cosmetics, missions, modes etc.), will be free of charge to all who own Titanfall 2. Moreover the game has launched simultaneously on the PC as well as consoles (PS4 and Xbox One). While the console crowd enjoyed an early beta test, the PC version did not, leaving the self-proclaimed “Master Race” to wonder; “Is the sequel any good?”
Out the gate we can attest, Titanfall 2 is definitely fun, addictive and an improvement in many ways over the first release. It offers a surprisingly polished and satisfying single-player campaign and a more engaging multiplayer experience with an expanded selection of Titans and a further flushed out customization system. In the campaign, you play Jack Cooper, a 3rd Class rifleman and aspiring Titan pilot who finds himself as the last man standing behind enemy lines. When Jack’s commanding officer is killed in battle, he relinquishes command of his Titan, BT-7274, to Jack and the pair must work together to survive in hostile enemy territory. This is something completely new for the series as the original used AI-controlled bots in what was essentially a stitched together series of missions that mirrored the multiplayer portion of the game.
Not quite as original is the developer's return to Valve's Source 2 Engine for developing Titanfall 2. The Source 2 Engine has never been terribly demanding. However, if your system struggles to run the game at playable settings, there are nearly 20 in-game graphics options for PC users to tweak.
We are happy to report, that Respawn has tightened the screws and spit-shined every possible corner of the ageing Source 2 Engine and Titanfall 2 is arguably as rich in fidelity as Gears of War 4, and more striking in many of the verdant outdoor areas, which are rich with foliage and have a visible horizon. The battles in these environments make for eye-catching contrast with all of the metal and future tech strewn across the lush landscapes.
Speaking of tech… Today’s testing was conducted on our updated test rig featuring an Intel Core i7-6700K, installed atop an MSI Z170A Gaming M9 ACK motherboard, equipped with a 16GB kit of Corsair Vengeance 2666MHz DDR4 memory. Windows 10 is installed on a 256GB Corsair Neutron Series XT SSD and our game files are installed on a 1TB Corsair Voyager Air.
In the following pages we will talk about features, graphics and image quality, performance and then wrap with our opinions and some closing words. Lets move out...
