There’s a saying that “bigger isn’t always better,” but that’s not the case for Apex Legends’ new season 11 map, Storm Point. This new island paradise turned fight-for-survival map is Apex Legends’ biggest map yet, roughly 15% more than World's Edge, and that size is used to great effect in terms of the longevity and sheer fun factor of the map.
Not only is Storm Point bigger, but it has more ways to rotate, to drop, and to do combat across the entire map. Storm Point falls in line with Kings Canyon and Olympus in this sort of create-this-picture design, but because of its use of an actual island, it makes gameplay feel much more unique. Game Rant previously attended an Apex Legends preview event for Storm Point and walked away quite impressed with the map.
Apex Legends Storm Point Key Changes
Before even noting actual map points and combat styles, it’s worth mentioning that Storm Point does a lot that other maps simply don’t. First off, redeployment balloons are largely replaced with Gravity Launchers. These aren’t just used to outrun the closing ring, however, as they allow players to maintain complete control of all their weapons, abilities, and so on. In other words, timed properly, and these can be used to close in on another fighting team in a more prepared method than simply hitting a balloon, drawing attention, and getting beamed as a result.
Secondly, scattered throughout Storm Point are Wildlife Nests, forcing players into the territory of Prowlers and Spiders across the new Apex Legends map. Flyers are on this map as well, but keep their traditional aspect of flying over with loot boxes. Wildlife Nests are essentially scattered, smaller, but more improved Bloodhound Trials. They are static, meaning they do not move each match, and players can go there seeking loot and more. However, of course, this runs the risk of fighting the aforementioned critters and also drawing attention from nearby squads.
Getting backed into another by a squad isn’t too likely, as long as players are mindful, but when/if it does happen, it creates a chaotic conflict. The reward for clearing a Nest, though, include Smart Loot Drops—meaning players can get attachments and ammo for their loadout, as well as other standard drops; a lump sum of crafting materials, divided among the entire party; and a few EVO points for their shields upon completion as well. It should be noted, however, that is not feasibly possible to try to grind Wildlife Nests to level up an EVO shield.
Tridents are also on Storm Point, likely due to its size, and while players may tend to avoid them on other maps, there’s a strong case to use them when looking at rotations, ring closures, and loot spots. Of course, even if there is a bit more reason to use them, they create the same amount of attention before, so uses should be wary.
Apex Legends: How Storm Point Emphasizes All Styles of Combat
Apex Legends as a whole got a ton of combat tweaks, but for Storm Point exactly, close range is as strong as it’s ever been with no reasons to use different shotguns, mid-range is as strong as it’s ever been, but long-range is really emphasized on this map. All have been viable on other maps, but each section feels more keyed toward one or the other, while combat itself is generally reliant on skill. Knowing the maps like Kings Canyon or Olympus is always beneficial, but Storm Point is designed to keep players on their feet.
There are a ton more waterways for long-distance sighting and interesting combat encounters, while some forested areas provide top-down cover. This is something that is a big deal on other Apex Legends maps, but it is here because there is a solid amount of verticality worked into the map. Players may need to keep their eyes to the sky even more than when fighting Valkyrie. However, the emphasis on PoIs, landing spots, and rotations are changed up too, bolstering short-to-mid-range combat advantages.
For example, Storm Point has 17 named locations, but near practically every one are more small camps and micropositioning than other maps. This means that, if players see three to four squads landing near them and aren’t sure they can win that fight, it’s easier to dip for solid loot spots when dropping instead of trying to get lucky with a certain building. Furthermore, these micropositions bolster finding loot upon rotation, really allowing players to better prepare for upcoming fights.
Apex Legends Key Storm Point Locations
Aside from the Barometer, there are 16 more Points of Interest across the map. Here’s a quick breakdown for each one:
- The Antenna – This POI feels very much like catwalk platforms around The Tree in World’s Edge, if with a little bit extra thrown in for stronger, more interesting combat encounters.
- Cascade Falls – Players will likely see Cascade Falls in a similar vein as Olympus’ waterfall, a strong landing position with many rotation routes between Hammond Labs and Turbine. Cascade Falls offers similar rotation routes and the like, making it a good landing location for strong and confident teams.
- Cenote Cave—Somewhat like a more concentrated cave area such as what players see around Spotted Lake in Kings Canyon, Cenote Cave is nearly an unavoidable location for those rotations on the western side of the map. As such, while it is most isolated than some areas, it can lead to some really intense trappings, defensive fights, and run-of-the-mill combat variety.
- Checkpoint – A more run-of-the-mill location, Checkpoint can be used for strong mid-level encounters and/or offers a strong escape route in the jungle below it.
- The Command Center – Offers great loot in Apex Legends and can be used to get to the very top of the Mountain via the protected network of Ziplines.
- Fish Farms – A wide-open waterway where moving from loot building to loot building offers a lot of room for immediate combat but also opens itself up to being picked on by Gale Station.
- Gale Station – Positioned over Fish Farm for a strong emphasis on mid-to-long range combat, it doesn’t have the most loot, but it has good loot. It also has a general advantage over players who drop at Fish Farm, though that’s not accounting for player skill in Apex Legends.
- Highpoint – Another chokepoint-esque location on the Mountain, Highpoint has a few ways to flank around it, the only redeployment balloon on the map, and will likely play home to several players trying to hold their ground.
- Launch Site – Launch Site features a central control building for strong combat encounters but has three pads around it allowing for multiple points of entry and assault.
- Lightning Rod – Located at the top of Storm Point’s mountain, this is the Storm Point with devastating verticality and strong defensive/offensive angles to make for a real fight when the circle ends here.
- The Mill—A simplistic PoI on the western side of the map seemingly designed for quick loot and rotation.
- North Pad – An almost trench warfare zone, underground bunkers and watchpoints mean players need to be wary of what’s around the corner or what team is watching them move around it.
- Shipfall – In terms of combat, loot, and exploration, Shipfall feels quite a bit like The Icarus on Olympus if drawn back a little more.
- Storm Catcher – A suspended interior fighting area with a strong emphasis on close-quarter combat within and long-range combat from above and outside.
- Thunder Watch—A strong area for short-range combat in Apex Legends, one with a good escape or charge area, but players will need to be wary as it also serves as a decent chokepoint on the Mountain, loosely.
- The Wall – If Thunder Watch is a loose chokepoint, the Wall is as dominating as it sounds. It’s almost as if it’s a forced Kings Canyon Bunker area on a more intense scale, especially for those on the north side of the map trying to move from the beach to the mountain.
At the end of the day, any debate over maps in Apex Legends is going to be up to personal preference. Storm Point makes a strong case for itself, but until Apex Legends season 11 launches on November 2, it remains to be seen how fan reception of the map goes.
Apex Legends is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.