Destruction AllStars and Onrush were deeply underappreciated games that deserved way more players than they each got, and I have held fast that the continued lack of the “hero” formula in racing/derby games is a crime. So you can imagine my anguish when Apex Legends Season 29, titled Overclocked, teased its next playable character with a cinematic trailer that reveals her racing origins before reiterating that she’s being added to a battle royale, not a battle racer.
Now, I know that Apex Legends has always been and will always be a shooter. Respawn is not going to make a brand-new mode in an entirely different style of game just because of one character’s backstory or my wish to see Apex Legends’ universe expanded in more gaming genres. But dammit, there’s just such a huge narrative and gameplay draw to what’s otherwise some throwaway clips in a short cinematic trailer. The glimpse of this battle race is brief, but it is memorable–I want to play as unique racers who speed through obstacles in the Mad Max-looking world of Salvo! Hell, why wasn’t that the mobile spin-off?
My selfish dreams aside, Overclocked’s new racer-turned-legend, who goes by the codename of Axle, looks like a very cool and awesome addition to the game. As an Octane main, Axle’s need for speed is immediately appealing–I haven’t been this excited about a new playable legend since Season 9’s Valkyrie, who was also all about movement but specifically through the skies. So you’re off the hook Respawn (for now), but I’m watching y’all–you can’t expect to tease me with the idea of a hero battle racer in the Titanfall/Apex Legends universe and then just expect me to forget about how amazing an idea that is.
