It feels like i'm one of the few people who really enjoyed the original Titanfall... I loved it's fast paced action and it's overall feel. It was a flawed game, of course, the lack of a proper singleplayer campaign only held the game back and it's multiplayer, while fun, didn't do much to keep you engaged. It's unfortunate, because underneath those flaws was a unique and truly excellent game!
Given how much i enjoyed the original, hearing the news of a sequel was extremely exciting to me! The developers would get the chance to work on and perfect their solid idea, improving the original games shortcomings and making this new sequel something really special! The news of a singleplayer campaign being added only added to my hype, but did this sequel live up to my expectations, or is it just another disappointment?
The singleplayer was of course my first stop. The game puts you in the boots of Rifleman Jack Cooper, or as i like to call him, generic action hero #275. It kicks off with an intro in which you and a few others drop onto a planet and proceed to get your ass handed to you by the games antagonistic group. The team you're sent in with gets wiped out and a pilot on his deathbed links you with his titan named BT-7274. Now you are tasked with completing your mission solo and the game that follows is a fast paced joy ride that had me smiling from start to finish!!!
Shockingly, the games level design compliments Titanfalls movement mechanics and feels open, encouraging you to keep moving. This was a surprise, given the game is a modern FPS after all... I half expected it to be a linear game with big blockbuster setpieces comparable to the likes of Call of Duty, but what i got was more that that! I found myself moving all the time, dodging gunfire, dropkicking grunts, cloaking when things got too hairy and so on... It just feels good to play! The areas were surprisingly memorable too, the most talked about being the construction line level and another memorable level appearing later in the game. Without spoilers and with enough information for you to know what area i'm on about when you reach this point, it's where you get a thing on your hand that does something cool when you use it.
In addition to the awesome levels, the titan BT-7274 also adds a lot to the game, less so with his slower paced gameplay and more so with his character. This giant robot is so lovable in my opinion and seriously was a highlight to me! He made me laugh and smile more times than i care to admit. Really, the titan/player interaction is one of my favourite things about the campaign!
With all that being said, the campaign does of course have a few flaws, the main of which being the length. While i believe the game ended perfectly, i couldn't help but just want more and with it lasting at just around 5 to 7 hours... In addition to that, after playing through the game and enjoying the hell out of it, i must admit i literally paid zero attention to the characters or story. The characters (excluding BT) were just so dull and forgettable and honestly i cannot remember the names of any of them apart from Jack Cooper, and that's just because his name is so laughably generic. I wish i could tell you more about the games antagonist too, but honestly i cant remember anything he did... I think he speaks to you a couple times, but that's it.
These flaws didn't detract from the gameplay for me however, and i believe that the gameplay is what you should really buy this game for... Not the plot, not the deep characters, just the smooth, fun gameplay.
The game really holds its own as a singleplayer title in my opinion, but of course with the original being multiplayer only i must speak about multiplayer too! Well, what is there to say? The multiplayer hasn't really changed much from the original game and is still as fun as ever, but this time around it has more stuff to keep you engaged. This comes in the form of more unlockables and customisation which is a welcome addition. Just like the original, this games epilogue sequences are highlights for me. These occur at the end of matches and task the losing team with trying to escape while the winning team tries to wipe them out, and i really find it to be a fun, if pointless addition... If you enjoyed the original game, or you enjoyed this games singleplayer then what you have here is just more and i'm certain that you'll find it enjoyable!
In conclusion, Titanfall 2 is an excellent game! It's not perfect by any means, but everytime i play it i find myself grinning from ear to ear. It truly is everything the original game should of been and if you enjoyed what little content the original offered but were disappointed by it's lacking nature, then i encourage you to take the gamble and pick this one up! The pros outweigh the cons for me and i sincerely hope this game gets the sequel it deserves.