Patch 1.5.0 added the first time-limited mode to finals. This mode was Solo Bank It, a new take on the regular Bank It.

While some may imagine flashy new maps and ridiculous rules when they hear "limited time mode," this is not the case; Embark has positioned Solo Bank It as "experimental" and is seeking feedback on it. Let's lower our expectations a bit. This is a pretty standard Bank It, with a few tweaks to the rules. Players of The Finals have been begging Embark to add a solo mode since its launch. Early Impressions" Not so good.

Yes, it would be great to have a mode in The Finals where solo players are not at a huge disadvantage. It should have been there from the beginning; it's nice to be able to start 1vs1 battles that don't end in 1vs2, and the lack of teammates relieves some personal pressure. For the first time in the finals, I was able to run around the map at my own pace, pick matches when I felt like it, and learn the game slowly. Solo Bank While not always as sweaty as the team mode, it is unfortunately not as good as the casual mode either.

For one thing, the lack of teammates unbalances the game in perhaps predictable ways. More than half of the matches I've played so far have been with light players, who, freed from their medium and heavy teammates, are free to traverse the map and scavenge for cashboxes. It doesn't even matter which class you should play if you want to win, as they are the most mobile option and have weapons that are more powerful in 1v1 situations.

On the other hand, the medium's heel gun is useless and the mobility-challenged heavy has even fewer options to reach the rooftops than before. Solo Bank It has the same 12-player limit as the regular version, but The Finals' sprawling map suddenly feels empty. Perhaps that's because there are too many bland building interiors that are easy to hide in. The prominence of light classes also means that there are fewer heavy players with the tools to blow up hiding places during matches.

Embark already seems to be running into the same problems that competitive team games like Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends face when they try to branch out. Classes that rely on Finals equipment are square pegs against the round holes of Solo Bank It.

If The Finals wants to eventually offer a permanent casual mode, it will probably have to start from scratch. A map with a longer outlook and adjustments to make all classes viable would be a good start. It would also be a good idea to rethink the emphasis on free-for-all. Solo-friendly modes don't have to be literally solo modes, such as 6-on-6 team deathmatch, capture the flag, conquest, and other classic FPS that have been largely abandoned by shooters outside of "Call of Duty" and "Halo Infinite". modes. A mode of this magnitude might be a milestone in the second year, as it would require more resources and testing than a time-limited variation of Bank It.

For more changes in patch 1.5.0 (including a nerf to the popular "nuke" strategy), check out the full patch notes.