Apex Legends: It's Complicated

My Steam review for Apex Legends was titled "It's Complicated: A Love Letter from a Burnt-Out Legend," and I stand by it. I still thumbs-upped it. I'm just not happy about it.

Playing Apex is like being in a relationship you know isn't great for you. The good moments are so good that you keep coming back, and then the game does something to remind you why you left.

The part that's great

The movement. Nothing else in the battle royale genre moves like Apex. Sliding, climbing, bouncing between fights: it's fluid in a way that makes other shooters feel stiff for a while after.

The gunplay. Guns feel right. Fights are fast and readable, and winning one feels earned.

The ping system. It's become the thing every other game copied, for good reason. You can play with strangers and actually communicate without saying a word.

The legends themselves are a strong point too. Each one has a personality and a kit that changes how you play without drowning out the shooting, and the rotating maps keep things from going stale.

The part that isn't

Monetization. When I last updated my review, the double battle pass change had people understandably upset. It fits a larger pattern: the game keeps finding new ways to ask for money.

Cheaters. In higher ranks, you'll run into them. Often enough to notice.

Servers and audio. Connection problems, stability issues and audio bugs have hung around season after season. Performance can swing a lot between updates, too.

Matchmaking. Skill-based matchmaking is controversial for a reason. Some nights it feels fair. Some nights it very much doesn't.

Heads up

On PC it needs the EA app alongside Steam, and it isn't Steam Deck verified. If you mostly play handheld, look elsewhere.

Who it's for

It's for you if you want the best movement in any battle royale, like playing as a team, don't mind regular content updates, and want a high skill ceiling.

Skip it if aggressive monetization, matchmaking frustration, server instability or running into cheaters would ruin your night. Those aren't edge cases. They're part of the experience right now.

Worth it?

It's free, so the honest answer is: try it. If the core game clicks for you, it'll click hard. Just go in with your eyes open and your credit card somewhere else.

If you want a hero shooter with less baggage, I had a better time with Marvel Rivals, which borrows plenty from this genre but launched in much better shape.