Fortnite Review
Posted: 15 months ago, last updated 5 weeks ago.
Author: @GeekDadGamer, Jo Robertson and Rich Adams.
Overview
This simple play mechanic creates knife-edge finales when just a few players are left in the eye of the storm. Along with an ongoing commitment to adding narrative, geographical, weapon and outfits enhancements the developer has build a huge audience of online players.
Although often bemoaned in the press, Fortnite is a healthy game that encourages "soft" skills like smart thinking, social interaction, planning and strategy as well as "harder" skills like quick reactions and hand-eye coordination.
Fortnite also includes a wide range of other activities as well as the shooting gunplay. There are online concerts, building games and other modes like Prophunt where players can transform into items in the world (bushes, doors, toilets, tractors) and then have the seeker players try and find them.
Game Details
Rating: PEGI 12+
Release Date: 25/07/2017, updated in 2018
Price: Free
Platforms: Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and iOS
Genres: Action, Fighting, Open World and Shooting
Accessibility: 30 features
Developer: @EpicGames
Tips
View our choice of games like Fortnite. This game is good if you want to:
- Play BAFTA nominated games
- Play popular blockbuster games
- Play with motor impairment
- Play games with Deaf/HoH features
- Play with DualSense on PlayStation 5
- Use motion controls on PlayStation 4
- Hide and seek
- Play battle royale online showdowns
- Connect and challenge friends
- Play with people on different systems
Commitment
Players: You can play with 2 players in the same room and up to 100 players online. Split-screen is available for two players to compete in online matches on PlayStation and Xbox.
Cross-Play: You can play against people on different systems: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Mobile.
Costs
Fortnite
 | Xbox One | Free | – | – |
 | PS5 | Free | – | – |
| PS4 | Free | – | – |
 | PC | Free | – | – |
 | Switch | Free | – | – |
 | iOS | Free | – | – |
 | Android | Free | – | – |
This game is free to play. Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience. Some of these purchases (known as 'loot boxes') are for a chance of getting rare/higher-value items although common/lower-value items are more frequent. These in-game purchases also offer a regular subscription fee (known as a 'battle/season pass') to unlock access to reward items and other aspects of the game.
You don’t need a paid subscription to play this game online. You can buy Loot Llamas using V-Bucks, these offer unseen items when opened. Recently these have been changed to show players what it inside them before purchase. However, if you earn the Llamas through playing the game rather than purchase you can't see inside beforehand.
You can purchase the Fortnite Crew subscription for £9.99/$11.99 a month. This provides a Battle Pass for the full season, 1,000 V-Bucks each month and an exclusive "outfit bundle" each month.
Age Ratings
This game has been rated ESRB EVERYONE 10+.
This game has received a PEGI 12 for frequent mild violence. It is not suitable for persons under 12 years of age.
User-Generated Content: This game includes content created by other players, such as maps, outfits and items, that are not reflected in the game rating.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Accessibility
There is some reading required. Subtitles for in-game narration.
Sensitivity and button mapping is extensive with many options. You can opt to toggle rather than hold for sprinting and to tap rather than hold to interact. You can also get doors and pick-ups to happen automatically.
There's a setting to visualise audio cues via a circular overlay that shows the player the direction of any sounds nearby. It also includes icons and colours to give a visual representation of this audio information.
Control music, effects and chat volume independently. Audio cues offer direction and proximity of other players as well as wider activity in the area.
Our Fortnite Accessibility Report details 30 accessibility features:
Games Like Fortnite
Our experts have hand-picked the following similar games for you. These offer a similar way to play to Fortnite or are games with a similar theme or topic. These are good alternative games to Fortnite, or are a younger rated alternative for players not ready for PEGI 12+ or ESRB EVERYONE 10+ games.
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