Enough is never enough; that’s just human nature. We’re rarely satisfied with what we have or what we get; we always want more. Yes, there are three new maps available for Titanfall, but they’re not enough. Surprise; I want more. That thorny issue aside, these three new maps are pretty great and they are rather satisfying, but because they’re so good, it just feeds that desire for more. Well, this is all we have for now, so enjoy because they are very enjoyable.
The new Expedition map pack for Titanfall offers a fun variety of new locales for parkour running and mech battles. “Swampland,” which hereafter shall be referred to as “the forest moon of Endor,” is the most interesting and for my money, the most challenging. Tall trees in a swampy forest that features one industrial complex as well as some ancient ruins to explore is a nice shift from the typical urban combat of the game. However, adapting to the lack of buildings can be a bit of a challenge when running through the forest, but it is a blast to get a nice rhythm going, jumping from tree to tree and finally landing on a Titan to rodeo it down. The forest setting also makes for some interesting Titan battles as you weave in and out of the trees for cover. Here’s hoping for more “natural” settings like this in future Titanfall map packs.
“Runoff” is a more typical industrial setting, but it has three unique layers to it. The lowest layer is basically a bunch of canals. The second is the main floor, and the third is a bunch of interconnecting catwalks and sky-bridges. These three distinct layers add a strategic element of verticality to battles and makes for really interesting matches of capture the flag. “War Games” is the final map, and it’s Titanfall’s version of Tron combat; sort of. This map is set entirely within a simulator that has a few glitches, so you’ll go from a fully rendered industrial setting to very basic but very shiny and clean, computer rendered areas that are just basic shapes. This map has lots of long corridors that are great for wall running and can make for some nice choke points for rodeoing and ambushing Titans. Plus, when you take down foes, they disintegrate into a bunch of pixels, kinda like in Tron, which is a fun little switch from regular matches.
Going back, for a moment, to this idea of enough never being enough. There was a song once that talked about how we can’t get no satisfaction no matter how hard we try. There’s always something new for us to attain – new map packs, new cars, new technology, new relationships, etc. – but none of it ever really satisfies because as soon as we attain the next big thing, we’re just wondering what the next big thing will be. We are a culture of perpetual discontent; is there anything that can ever be enough?
For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.
(Jeremiah 31:25)
Does that sound familiar? Does that sound like you? Are you weary of not being satisfied, of feeling like enough is never enough? God says he satisfies us, not through giving us what we want but by providing what we need. He satisfies the deep need of our souls for something eternal. He restores our nature to what it was truly created to be; the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ makes that possible. He is the answer to when is enough enough; He is enough. You don’t have to live a discontent, unsatisfied life if you don’t want to. God’s love can provide the answer to what we’re all longing for; it just may not be the answer we thought we needed.
Getting back to map packs, however, the question is if for ten bucks (or $25 if you want the entire set of three expansion packs with the season pass), is it worth it. Well, if you enjoy Titanfall and want more, then I’d say yes, it is. It’s nice to have some new settings to play in, but better yet, the new maps add some interesting wrinkles so far as your strategy goes. The forest moon of Endor especially changes things up with its very different setting, and it is by far my favorite map to play on because of this. It’s also nice that along with the map pack, which you have to purchase, there’s also a new update, which is free, that adds things like the ability to name your custom pilot and Titan loadouts, among some other fixes. However, I’ve noticed some server instability that didn’t seem to be there before this update. I never had issues with server connections timing out before, and now, it’s a bit common. It might just be me that’s experiencing that, but if you have as well, you can mention it in the comments below. So, be happy that there are some new maps to play on in Titanfall, and try just to be satisfied with them for the time being. We will get more eventually, but we shouldn’t let our desire for more interfere with enjoying what we have now. Something that can apply to life just as much as Titanfall.
