Our Review of Titanfall 2

Time is running short for finishing your bucket list of 2016 video game titles that you didn’t find time to play.  At the end of next month, we start to see titles like For Honor and Horizon: Zero Dawn.  Then March brings Mass Effect: Andromeda, Ghost Recon, and the Nintendo Switch with a new Legend of Zelda title (and who knows what else).  Before you know it, we’ll be talking about Prey and South Park and (maybe) Red Dead Redemption 2 and, by then, your bucket list becomes history.  So, if you missed it last year, one title we’d highly recommend is Titanfall 2.  It’s got a sharp story, some great characters, and the best level designs we’ve seen in a shooter for years.  If you missed it, now’s your chance.

Make sure to walk him twice a day.

The game returns you to the world of Titanfall, in which “pilots” link to enormous robots to battle through various missions.  Being called a pilot in the game seems to be a bit of a misnomer, as you’re actually Assassin’s Creed level gunner who can run along walls, spring to tremendous heights, and kill waves of soldiers with your weapons.  Your companion, Bt-7274, is usually with you throughout the game.  At various times, you’ll fight alongside him against other soldiers or take control of him to battle more significant enemies.  There is actually a lot of variety in gameplay as rotate through agility sequences, gunfights, and robot-led carnage.

Apparently one of your military trainers was the Prince of Persia.

The game would be just fine with these elements, but Titanfall 2 really goes above and beyond in two important ways.  First of all, BT-7274 turns out to be a terrific companion, with a great sense of humor and a real connection to your character.  He was easily the NPC I most enjoyed battling with in 2016.  Second, the levels in the game are extraordinarily intelligent, rivalling Dishonored 2 in their cleverness.  It’s worth a play through just to experience the crazy industrialized landscapes of Into the Abyss and the time-traveling gunplay of Effect and Cause.  These aren’t just good levels, they are easily the best levels I’ve played in a shooter for years.  My only complaint is that the game is done too soon, I’d love to spend a lot more time in this world with this gigantic robot.

BT is always here to help, whether you need moral support, extra backup, or to be tossed hundreds of feet into the air.

I remember playing Titanfall 1 for about an hour before deciding the game wasn’t for me.  I am not a big fan of player versus player shooters anyway, and the very slight storyline of the “campaign” mode wasn’t enough to keep me interested.  However, I remember thinking that there was great potential for a terrific campaign in there, and Titanfall 2 delivered beautifully.  If you like shooters (and who doesn’t), memorable levels, and probably the best NPC partner we’ve ever experienced, you gotta play through this one.

After a tough fight, it’s good to air these things out.

THE BEST:

The gameplay is always fun and never repetitive, which is unusually in shooters.  Titanfall 2 also offers some of the best levels we’ve seen and one of our favorite NPC’s ever.

THE WORST

It ends all too soon!  I really wanted more time with these characters than the 5-10 hours the game provided.  Still, wanting more is a good problem to have.

OVERALL: BUY IT

It may be too short a campaign to warrant a purchase at full price, but if you see it at $20, you really oughta consider it.  The game is one of the best we played in 2016, and we’re already in line for Titanfall 3 (fingers crossed).