Fortnite Review
Before I start this “review,” I must admit that as soon as I heard “Fortnite OG” (a terrible name) was returning, I jumped on the bandwagon and immediately reinstalled the game for the first time in two years (even when I did revisit it two years ago, I definitely played no more than ten rounds before uninstalling it again), which is likely the same story for many others who played the Battle Royale upon its initial release in 2017 and wanted to take a trip down memory lane.
With six years in retrospect, it’s difficult to summarize the impact Fortnite had not just culturally but influentially. Tons of games became eager to include a Battle Royale mode in their games (CoD: Warzone), and even games released before Fortnite switched to free-to-play, with in-game purchases (and battle passes) being the sole source of revenue (i.e. Rocket League).
A disclaimer before discussing my thoughts: assessing Fortnite as a whole is difficult given how many changes have been implemented over the years, which is the harsh reality of one has to face when attempting to review popular multiplayer games such as Fortnite with its constant updates (that, and the fact that the only two times I deeply delved into the game was late 2017 / early 2018 and now, Fall of 2023).
I want to preface my musings with this article I wrote in high school (I would have been 17) where I was clearly trying my hardest to be a deliberate contrarian (which ended up working; the article became one of the most commented-on stories on my high school’s online newspaper). Because while I was admittedly a little full of shit, I still mostly agree with my younger, more naïve self.
Before concurring with that 17-year-old hipster, however, let’s talk about what Fortnite does well. For one, it’s innately fun, and it set the staple for the Battle Royale sub-genre. The very concept of dropping from the sky into a game of 100 players and fighting until the death last-man-standing style is enough to get your blood pumping (regardless of who came up with the idea). And it encourages players to interact via “the storm,” which circularly encloses in on the map and gradually damages any players caught in it.
The entire map consists of alitteratively named locations (i.e. Fatal Fields, Salty Springs) in which players are to land and loot. You could land in the middle of nowhere if you really wanted, but the locations are where the loot is at, and chances are, other players will land there, too, if you are looking for some early action. Occasionally, piñata llamas and loot drops containing rare loot will fall from the sky, prompting battles over the resources they carry.
Weapons and items vary in status (Common (Gray); Uncommon (Green); Rare (Blue); Epic (Purple); Legendary (Orange)), making rarer loot justifiably more desirable than common loot. Every round is a constant search for these better weapons. Better weapons equals greater damage to help strengthen you in battle. Luckily, none of the weapons or items with higher rarity are too overpowered (so that finding them does not constitute an automatic win, in a sense).
Then there’s building, a divisive function. Building materials are among the gatherable loot, as well (wood, the weakest, brick, and metal, the strongest), which can be used to make structures for protection, to gain higher ground, or for a multitude of inventive uses. While this building aspect is certainly inventive and distinct, its divisiveness can be attributed to the fact that specific players have mastered building and editing a mega-structure in less than five seconds, which obviously takes practice. BUT — Epic Games was kind enough to hear the outcries of the more casual players among us and added a “Zero Build” mode, which, I have to admit, is one I frequent. You have probably heard the phrase, “Don’t hate the player, hate the game,” but in the case of Fortnite, I would have to disagree.
As for improvements since the game first dropped, Epic Games added sliding and mantling, two basic functions, yes, but nonetheless welcome additions that have vastly improved movement. The addition of bots may be a little disappointing, but not a major problem since they are easy kills for players who are just learning the game and its mechanics. And easily the greatest improvement is that you can now revive dead teammates when playing in squads so they instead don’t have to sit there and watch you play. But, thankfully, it’s not too easy. You first have to gather their “reboot card” from their body and then take it to a “reboot van.” After a lengthy 20ish seconds, your teammate is back in action but with just a common pistol in hand, so they will need to regather some loot.
Switching gears, one aspect I still agree with my younger self on: the map is just too damn big, which will probably be the biggest indicator that I lack the knowledge to fully assess every season/chapter since the map changes with each update. In the slightly varied map I know, however, games tend to get quickly uneventful after settling at the first location you land (enough so that I could write some of this review without a sweat), even when you actively seek out trouble. Epic have added vehicles since, but a little downscaling wouldn’t hurt.
(Speaking of the map, those expecting the true “OG” map/weapons/items will be slightly disappointed. The content used here is what “Chapter 1” (or somewhere around there) ended on.)
Another huge aspect I would have to concur with my younger self on is the reward system. This will be my most subjective argument because it involves negligence on my part, that being I refuse to buy the Battle Pass. I know — I get it; free-to-play games have to earn money somehow (and this one certainly has), and if you don’t buy it, you will earn scant rewards.
But if I have to be honest, the rewards aren’t even that good to begin with (which may also be a MP), as commodities that affect the gameplay little have no appeal to me whatsoever, at least not when it requires spending IRL cash. Sure, it would be cool to play as Batman, surf on a snowboard as you land, or emote while a licensed song plays, but I miss the half-forgotten art of playing towards earning something substantial.
Which leads into my next point: Fortnite has limited replay ability (solely speaking about the Battle Royale mode; custom gamemodes exist now). The novelty of earning a Victory Royale wears off after so long, and the lack of substantial rewards plays into this. But it’s hard to see the appeal of a Victory Royale even as a non-Battle Pass buyer. You only earn more XP towards the Battle Pass. There’s nothing special about those big wins, which is, if I’m not mistaken, what this whole game is about.
“But wait..!,” you might say, “…why are you complaining about winning not being enough in Fortnite when other multiplayer games don’t offer much for winning, either?” The answer may be innate to the Battle Royale sub-genre in that, chances are, you are not earning a win every time you step into a lobby with 99 other players. It’s the rarity of a Victory Royale that makes them “special.” The cycle of landing, looting, and dying should be worth something. In my eyes, it’s not enough because undergoing that cycle over and over makes playing in the long run much less worth the effort.
That said, Fortnite is a fun game at times. Earning a Victory Royale and letting out that huge sigh of relief is an unparalleled feeling. Do I think it’s one of the Top 100 Video Games of All Time? No. But that should not stop anyone from sampling its delights at least once.
7/10
