We get a new legend in Apex every season, and the opening hours with each are an exciting time for experimenting with their moveset and trialing new strategies. From an arms specialist, to a killer robot with a grudge, Apex's characters never fail to have an interesting backstory, even if their abilities aren't always worth raving about. However, with the launch of Season 7, we've been introduced to a charming astrophysicist with an offensive playstyle, and she slots perfectly into a proactive squad that's forever on the hunt.
As an offensive legend, Horizon's abilities are tuned to make her especially deadly during combat. Her passive, Spacewalk, affords her more control in the air, while reducing fall impact. Usually, running off a high platform greatly slows down each of the legends. So, while there's no need to worry about fall damage there's still a downside when taking a leap of faith from a great height, opposed to sensibly zooming along a zipline. Thanks to Horizon's passive, you can practically hit the ground running.
I've already found that Spacewalk has given me a solid advantage when chasing down opponents in the heat of combat. So far, I've noticed that Olympus, which will be the only map on offer for the next couple of weeks, naturally encourages players to use sniper rifles to guard its open spaces. Featuring tall, twisting towers and even a Rift zone where the landscape is fragmented and broken, Horizon's additional air control and quick recovery post-fall, in conjunction with her tactical Gravity Lift, make her effective for rushing down static snipers, and closing in on retreating enemies.
Having primarily played in a duo with a Pathfinder, it's nice to form a team with plenty of freedom of movement as it means that when we set our sights on an enemy, we can pounce on them quickly. I usually choose Octane as his launch pads are reliable for covering ground at speed. However, Horizon's Gravity Lift already feels more useful in combat where there's a sense of urgency, and a quick elimination to score. Knowing that an enemy squad is perched halfway up a tower, it's exciting to know that my duo can reach them in a matter of seconds. Who needs stairs, when you can just channel Titanfall 2's fluid traversal energy instead?
Horizon's tactical ability may only last for ten seconds, but that's ample time for myself and my teammate to hop up onto a roof or platform as we dash after another squad. With just a 15-second cooldown, I've found that I'm not even scaling buildings to reach the roof, or over walls anywhere near as often. Most of the time, it makes far more sense to pop the Gravity Lift and gain some height, as I can quickly scan my surroundings before plopping down on the other side.
One of my favourite moments in Ascension so far has been scooping up a squad in Horizon's Black Hole ultimate. You throw her robotic companion NEWT onto the floor (similar to how you'd activate Caustic's Nox Gas Grenade) to open a micro black hole. Coaxing an opponent close enough to engage in a firefight and then holding them captive in my black hole makes it much easier to focus on them as a target. It's also quite amusing to watch an enemy slide sideways and scramble as they realise what's just happened.
It's early days, but I'm enjoying Season 7's new legend and map so far. While I'm mourning the loss of Kings Canyon, I'm really impressed with how bright and varied Olympus is. I'm keen to continue honing my skills using Horizon's abilities, and hopefully clinch some wins along the way.
