Fortnite

Yet another zombie shooter with PvP option, you may say, and, in fact, it is. But Fortnite offers a bit more than that. In addition to running and shooting, you may have to cooperate with other players, build fortifications, get materials for building, obtain weapons and ammunition, and sometimes even fight the nature.

After the game initial PC release in Summer 2017, it has very soon launched on such platforms as PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Mac OS, and even Android and iOS. The reason to download Fortnite is that all its basic characteristics are simply brilliant no matter what platform you launch it on.

Graphics 5/5

Well, well, first make sure you have at least 8 GB free on your drive. Fortnite PC version promises something picturesque and spectacular, and it keeps the promise. Yes, the drawing may seem a bit schematic, but look closer at that great environment, a training polygon and an island you’re landed to, and you’ll be impressed. The weather and daytime are changing, the 3D landscape is real 3D, and major obstacles make the real problem, while the minor (like bushes) are easy to go through.

Units are sorted by classes, each with its special abilities. Soldier, Constructor, Ninja, and Outlander are then divided into some subclasses. But still, most abilities they have are common. Build and shoot, run and hit – all of them can do it.

The most noticeable feature of Fortnite is a totally interactive environment. “Interactive” means “destructible”: you can crush almost anything – trees, rocks, buildings, furniture, anything you can aim at.

The user screen is very informative. Besides the environment itself, you have a full screen of info. A map in the upper right corner and a compass at the top, resource and weapon selection in the right lower corner and game stats in the left lower one.

As you launch the game on PC, it detects your hardware and software and sets up optimal parameters of graphics. You better trust it. But if you try to start the game in heavier configuration and it won’t run properly, you can roll back to Settings.

Gameplay 5/5

So, there’s four of you in the basic mode, and you’re up against hordes of zombies in an abandoned place. There are some natural obstacles, but they may be insufficient to hold them back, so you need both to build and to shoot.

If you want to build something, you can obtain materials from anywhere around you. The walls you build can help you hold the line, but still, you’ll have to shoot or to flee using a vehicle. The volume of resources you have initially or get daily depends on the mode you purchased.

This element of destructive pleasure changes the whole experience. The hooligan mood makes saving the world a kind of parody fun, a crash-them-all party. Quests and missions can seem too dull, as they repeat themselves constantly. But the game is structured into sequential and daily missions that are meant to add fun, and they do.

PvP mode is available for free. It has a predictable name – Battle Royale. A map is generated procedurally and can place up to 100 players. Yes, you can play solo, in a team of 2 or 4 players. Your mission is to exterminate the others. Weapons can be found right on the battlefield, so select the place to land wisely. And then here comes a standard PvP coloured up by building features of Fortnite and constant reminders “Storm is coming.”

Controls 5/5

Since one of the first platforms that supported Fortnite was Sony PS, the game is easily managed by all types of control devices. You can play with your mouse, keyboard, or gamepad if you have one connected.

Playing on PC gets both keyboard and mouse involved, they’re not interchangeable. The mouse is used for camera movement and shooting, the keyboard does the rest. You can learn hotkeys from the Settings tab and reset it to your preferences if you wish. Your character can be moved both by arrow keys and WASD, so select what your fingers prefer. Camera sensibility can also be adjusted. We have found this keyboard/mouse system a bit complicated, though, one controlling device experience has proved to be much better.

Since January 2019, Fortnite mobile version supports Bluetooth controllers both on iPhone and Android, so no matter what device you use, if you connect the original (or compatible) controller to your it, the experience will be more or less the same.

Replay Value 5/5

While you’re good with a free mode, replayability is almost absolute (unless you get sick of it). You start with almost no weapons and no materials at all, and you obtain all of them as you play. There are no upgrades: your character is still. So there’s nothing to lose as you start over.

We can’t say the same about the basic PvE mode. You pump up your base, gain more resources, new abilities, level up weapons and other equipment. So we’d rather go on playing from where we stopped than start over. Fortunately, the progress can be saved in Epic Games cloud (that’s what launchers are for!), and your account can be connected to Facebook.

In-app purchases

Though the game is available for free in PvP version (Battle Royale), PvE modes stay locked until you purchase them. These are: Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, Super Deluxe Edition, and Limited Edition.

The free PvP mode has gained so much popularity in two years that Fortnite is now perceived as a pack of two different games, each with its own fan base and unique set of features. For many PvP fans, the first Fortnite PvE missions are some kind of Genesis for their favourite game.

The Bottom Line 

A good example of coop and PvP shooter, builder, faster, harder, louder, and so on. Some complications about classes, missions, and other game elements become noticeable in PvE mode, but if you like it in a free version, you may want to discover what’s behind PvP. Although the PvP version has become an all platforms favourite, we’d advise to get Fortnite on PC as many nuances, and smallest tricks are connected with this platform.

• Graphics 5
• Gameplay 5
• Controls 5
• Replay Value 5

Pros

Spectacular graphics
PvP mode available for free
Different game modes

Cons

Relatively high hardware requirements
A bit complicated PC controls
Gameplay may seem too monotonous