“Apex Legends” is redefining what it means to be a battle royale game. Players are dropped onto a map where they must annihilate other players and be the last one standing. The game, which hit 50 million players in one month and is widely considered a rival of iconic “Fortnite,” released its fourth season: “Assimilation.” The game implemented new material to make it feel fresh to its 70 million players. The changes include a new legend, weapon, map, rank series and a set of over 100 rewards in its season four battle pass.

“Revenant” is Apex’s new playable character, belonging to the group of Legends, with his unique abilities forcing players to rethink their strategy on the battlefield. I found Revenant’s abilities to be versatile when it came to gaining the upper-hand. His abilities allow him to climb and crouch faster, disable other characters’ abilities and summon a totem which puts whoever enters into a “shadow-like” state.

The new season follows Revenant’s past and ties to the big environmental corporation Hammond Robotics. Revenant used to be a human, but after Hammond Robotics’ experiments, he transformed into a “synthetic nightmare.” Using his mercenary skills, Revenant promises to hunt anyone who was involved in the experiment, which turned him into a monster. The storyline of season four connects players to the game in a deeper sense allowing players to understand the true purpose of the game.

Alongside the new Legend, there are new map changes which feature The Harvester, a machine created by Hammond Robotics to extract material from the map. The Harvester’s aftermath creates cracks of lava splitting select locations, old and new, with the center of the map containing the Harvester itself. Players are not aware of the exact purpose of The Harvest, nor of what Hammond Robotics is using the extracted materials for. However, this keeps players enticed. It is crucial for game developers to add new material daily or they will start to lose players’ interest, which is why these map changes are a definite need.

What is a new season without a new weapon? Arguably one of the most important aspects of the new season is the Sentinel. The Sentinel is a long-range gun that does 68 base damage, with the option to be charged up using a shield battery. This weapon added an extra sense of caution to players. I found the Sentinel to be quite balanced when compared to other weapons in the game, but not too overpowered when it came to long-range fights.

The creators of “Apex Legends” have done a great job keeping players engaged. “Apex” may not be the next “Fortnite,” but it has impressively created a loyal and responsive community. This season of “Apex Legends” deserves 5 stars for its enticing new content and thrilling storyline.