Fortnite

Genre: Third-Person Shooter

Players: 100 Competitive (Online), 100 Team Competitive (Online)

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Review:

WARNING: THIS GAME HEAVILY PUSHES MICROTRANSACTIONS

(Note: This is an outdated review. You can find the updated review here.)

Fortnite is a Third-Person Shooter where players… okay, hold on a moment. Look, here’s the deal. I know I’m talking about one of the most popular games of the last three years here. Most of you have heard of Fortnite, you know what it is. However, for those of you who have been living under a rock all this time, I’m gonna’ start from the beginning. Like I did. Just now, actually. Yeah, I’m a Fortnite noob. So this review also doubles as a confession of sorts.

So for those like me who are only just now looking into Fortnite, here’s the deal – there are multiple game modes, but most have players in teams being air-dropped onto a massive island from buses converted into blimps (don’t ask why, it’s just a part of the game’s kooky charm). paragliding down to the island, they must scrounge up resources and collect weapons and ammo in preparation for encounters with enemy players, all while keeping watch for the ever-shrinking “eye of the storm” that contains the battle and gradually damages anyone caught outside it. This shrinking eye ensures that the action remains intense as players are eliminated, pushing players all to converge on one central point, picking off enemies as they get closer.

This “battle royale” formula has of course been the popular thing in the realm of online shooters in recent years, thanks largely in part to Fortnite and its competitor and predecessor, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. However, Fortnite brings a few unique things to the table – namely, gameplay that combines the action and gunplay with strategic and defensive building of structures (thus the “fort” in the title), as well as its colorful presentation.

On that presentation, Fortnite’s release on the Switch saw a graphical downgrade from other platforms, with less detail and more pop-in, but the Switch version of the game still looks pretty good, with large areas populated by massive numbers of players without a hitch on Nintendo’s handheld. It’s quite a feat. Plus, the game’s bright and colorful style is very appealing and sets it apart.

When it comes to problems, my biggest problem with Fortnite is that it is a daunting game for a new player to try to get into. I didn’t see a tutorial, there’s no campaign or practice area I could find… it’s all just a trial by fire as you’re tossed onto the map with countless others who want to kill you and expected to learn as you go. On top of this, players are given numerous options of game modes and an ever-cycling array of content (with new content introduced regularly in “seasons”), and it can be enough to make your head spin. Apparently, other versions of the game at one point had a PvE mode that’s not present now, which was a disappointment for some upon the release of the Switch version, but there is so much content here that I doubt you’ll be left wanting, assuming you can figure it all out.

Still, it’s hard to complain too much when the game is free, and as Free-to-Play games go, what’s here isn’t too bad. As far as I can tell, it looks like the premium content being offered is largely cosmetic stuff, and the game gives players other opportunities to earn this content as well. I’m not a fool, of course. I know this whole thing is designed around the monetization this content brings in, but compared to other Free-to-Play games, Fortnite is pretty generous in my estimation (at least at this point – I know that it has changed over the years).

Oh, one other thing I should note. This game has been sold in retail in various packages. Those looking to get this game should know that these packages just contain download codes for in-game content. The game itself still needs to be downloaded and saved to your Nintendo Switch or MicroSD card, and if you’re not interested in the added content in those retail packages, you might as well just skip them and go straight to the free download, because there’s no game cartridge for this game.

Oh, one other other thing – while this game didn’t have gyroscopic motion control at launch, it appears to have since been added in. I mention it since i know this is important to some people.

In the end, Fortnite is a kooky, fast-paced online-focused Third-Person Shooter that’s kinda’ hard to get into for those who are new to it, but if you can have the patience to stick with it, there’s tons of content here, with more added all the time. Switch players looking for some good online action without dropping a lot of money would do well to give this game a try.

tl;dr – Fortnite on the Switch loses a bit in the graphics department, but still overall looks and plays great, and has a ton of content and a pretty reasonable Free-to-Play monetization model. It’s a game that’s not easy for newcomers to crack into, but those who give it a chance will likely find plenty to enjoy here.

Grade: B+

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