As Titanfall reaches three months in the public gaming arena, Respawn have dropped the first DLC pack, Expedition, on Xbox One and PC. The first in a trio of planned map DLC’s to be released in the coming months, Expedition includes three new maps – Runoff, Swampland and War Games. I’ve invested a number of hours into the new content, and though the three maps vary in both the design and entertainment factor, they are still a welcome expansion for committed Titanfall players.
The first of the maps I’ll touch on, Runoff, is very stock standard and probably the weakest of the set. A visually bland map populated with brown blocky buildings and walkways, the lower regions force titans to engage each other, while pilots clash in the higher areas. Runoff feels very similar to many of Titanfall‘s vanilla maps, and doesn’t really offer anything new to the game.
Swampland, on the other hand, fares much better, taking place in a unique forest area with plenty of catacombs for pilots to engage in close quarters combat. Parkour experts will enjoy skipping from tree to tree to outmanoeuvre titans in the open forest environments. Swampland isn’t a map that you can become instantly familiar with, so for players looking for a new challenge, this one is for you. Our one caveat about Swampland is that the dense environment and platforms gives campers much more of an opportunity to set up shop.
War Games is undoubtedly the best Expedition map and offers one of the most entertaining experiences in Titanfall. Taking inspiration from the Tron-esque training grounds from when you first boot up the game, the premise of the map is a practice arena where pilots can hone their skills. The designers have constructed War Games with thought to both pilot and titan gameplay, while the bright holographic visuals offer a very different experience. Also having the bodies of dead pilots digitally break down is a nice touch, and reinforces the idea of playing in a practice simulator.
Unfortunately, Expedition doesn’t address one of the main problems – the lack of multiplayer game modes. More maps certainly gives players something fresh, and committed fans will enjoy becoming familiar with the new areas. However, if you became tired of Titanfall very quickly and were hoping for something new, perhaps like new weapons, titans and the like, Expedition may not be for you.
Ultimately, if you picked up Titanfall at launch and are still having fun with the game, Expedition offers a solid addition to the title’s growing roster of maps. Runoff isn’t anything new, but both Swampland and War Game are well-designed and are visually appealing maps that Titanfall fans will enjoy. Expedition may be purchased on its own, or is also included in the Titanfall Season Pass.
