By KAYLEE BECKER-GEORGE – Everyone has heard of the free game by Epic Games that has captured the interest of the world and held it: Fortnite. Players spend hours and hours at a keyboard, controller, or mobile device just to secure that victory in its Battle Royal mode. The fact that it’s free makes it all the better because anyone can play. As of February 2018, there are 3.4 million players. However, is Fortnite as good as its worshippers say it is?
The premise of the game is that one hundred players are dropped onto an island to fight to the death, sort of like the Hunger Games. You can play alone, with another player, or with three other players. These modes are called solo, duos, and squads. You are carried above the map in the very beginning on a flying bus called ‘The Party Bus’. You choose where you want to go first and drop out of the bus and fall to the ground. You scavenge for good weapons and medical kits.
There is almost no gore, with the indication of someone being hit a number that tells you how much damage you did. When they die, the person collapses and disappear with all their stuff appearing. There is also a building mechanic in the game, allowing you to build forts and even gives you some quick protection when you need it.
Freshman Connor Wissinger says, “I like Fortnite because the building part of it is fun.”
The fact that the game is free has no doubt influenced how many people choose to play it. Such a detailed and fun concept thrown into a free game is bound to attract attention. Not only that, but no matter what platform you play on, you can play with others on a different platform. This has permitted friends to have something to do together no matter whether or not they have a PS4, Xbox One, or PC.
Next is the graphics. This is one of the big distinguishers from Player’s Unknown Battlegrounds, also known as PUBG, which is Fortnite’s competitor in the Battle Royale genre. Where PUBG tends to have more realism, Fortnite’s graphics are cartoony, borderline childish. Many players avoid it for this reason. However, this just draws younger people to the game.
Freshman Jesse Greve says, “Fornite is a copied version of PUBG, even though there is one slight difference with the building. It’s just too cartoony, and I prefer realism over cartoons.”
Speaking of younger people, many also hate Fortnite for its younger players, who many think are too young to take that sort of thing seriously. However, whether they take it seriously or not doesn’t matter. They are playing the game to win or have fun and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, Freshman Andre Rubinstein says, “I hate Fortnite because that’s all conversations are about anymore.”
In the end, whether or not you like Fortnite is up to you. However, it’s not as bad as all of its critics make it sound. Fortnite is a good game in its own ways, as is PUBG and most other games.
[Photo by Kaylee Becker-George]
Photo Caption: Freshman Dustin Miller obsesses over Fortnite during lunch.
