Titanfall Review Roundup

The wait is (nearly) over. Titanfall comes to Xbox One and PC tomorrow, March 11, in North America, but should you buy the game or hold off? To help you out, we've rounded up what the critics are saying about the new IP from Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment.

Something to consider: Titanfall is an online-only title and the integrity of the battlefield could change from what it was when reviewers critiqued the game. Should anything go wrong tomorrow, we will of course make this known. Titanfall is also coming to Xbox 360 on March 25 courtesy of Bluepoint Games. We'll have a review roundup for that version of the game when critics have a chance to finally play it.

Right now, Titanfall boasts an 87 metascore on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. That number only includes Xbox One scores.

Polygon -- 9.5/10

"Titanfall is the rare game that feels like it came out on top of the few compromises Respawn has had to make. Sliding the spectacle and holy shit moments of an epic campaign among bold, fast multiplayer that steals unlikely elements, Respawn has made them shine like they belonged there all along. Titanfall may not mark the same kind of sea change that Modern Warfare started but the pieces are all there in a game that delivers on its potential as the next big thing." [Full review]

Joystiq -- 4.5/5

"When it's not all a clash of the you-know-whats, when there's a volatile mix of scampering boots and earth-rattling bipeds on the battlefield, Titanfall truly excels. It subsists on imbalance and the race to bear big arms first. It feeds on the fallout that results when equality means the other guy gets a robot too. Titanfall isn't tuned to perfection for everyone yet, but it starts as a smart, swift, and startling movement in well-traveled space." [Full review]

Official Xbox Magazine -- 8.5/10

"A consummate multiplayer shooter, Titanfall has little to offer those interested in story--but for everyone else, it's a must-play." [Full review]

Electronic Gaming Monthly -- 10/10

"Titanfall lives up to all the expectations established when it was first revealed, in a way that so few games are able ever to accomplish, and represents nothing short of first-person shooter multiplayer taken to new heights." [Full review]

GameSpot -- 9/10

"The overarching experience of playing Titanfall is one of rejuvenation and reinvigoration. The sprint speed, the arsenal, the game modes, and more are all firmly derived from some of the most successful online shooters of recent years. But by reinventing the way you move, Titanfall reinvents what it feels like to play a competitive shooter. The high-flying action intertwines beautifully with the brutish, tactical titan battles, creating battlefields that crackle with possibility. Titanfall is a leap forward for shooters, a game that combines the vibrant and new with the tried and true to create something special." [Full review]

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) -- 7/10

"The total lack of single-player capability is at odds with most other FPS games. If the likes of Call of Duty or Halo can provide both single- and multiplayer modes for the same price tag, it doesn't seem right that Titanfall can't. While Respawn and EA are cutting down on the price of development by foregoing single-player, those savings aren't being passed on to gamers, which is the concerning part of the game. At the very least, including an offline AI bot mode would seem to be a no-brainer, but it's not here for whatever reason. So, while Titanfall delivers amazing next-generation action, its next-generation business plan isn't nearly as impressive." [Full review]

Videogamer -- 8/10

"But for all its strengths, its reliance on tried and true modes and rigid maps stops Titanfall achieving its full potential. Capture the Flag, Attrition, and Domination are the best gametypes, but none of them show the same invention that's occurring elsewhere in the title, leading to a feeling of natural fatigue. Some of the maps also feel too similar to each other, lacking in distinction, and campaign multiplayer is sadly non-dynamic. A very good first installment then, but the best is yet to come." [Full review]

VentureBeat -- 8.2/10

"For a multiplayer-only game, Titanfall should have some amazing options and ways to play. But it doesn't. It has a very healthy number of maps (15), but the lack of interesting new modes will make you feel shortchanged for not getting a single-player campaign. Hell, even shooters like Halo 2 from two console generations ago offer more in the multiplayer-options department. A lot more. It all feels like a temporary stop for Respawn on the way to Titanfall 2. But what is there is so incredible, assuming you're already into such games. (Don't like shooting things? Nothing here will change your mind.) After almost 20 hours of playtime, my hands are cramped from gripping the controller so tightly--and I'm going back for more." [Full review]

For more on the critical reception for Titanfall, be sure to read Metacritic's full coverage of the game.