Fortnite Review
Posted: 8 months ago, last updated 3 days ago.
Author: Andy Robertson.
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.
Details
Rating: PEGI 12+, ESRB EVERYONE 10+
Release Date: 25/07/2017, updated in 2018
Platforms: Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and iOS
Genres: Action, Fighting, Open World and Shooting
Tips
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
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.
You don’t need a paid subscription to play this game online.
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.
Difficulty
How you can adjust the challenge of play, and assistance the game offers when you fail or get stuck.
Competitive Difficulty: Difficulty not adjustable, because you compete against other players.
Assistance With Controls: You can get the game to assist aiming, steering, reloading, jumping, running etc.
Reading
How much reading or listening comprehension is required, and how accessible this is.
Simple Minimal Reading: Minimal reading is required.
Large Clear Text: Text is large and clear, or can be adjusted to be.
Subtitles
Large Clear Subtitles: Subtitles are large and clear, or can be adjusted to be.
Any spoken content has subtitles: All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game.
Controls
How you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Mouse and Keys: Can play with mouse and multiple keys.
Remap Controls
You can customise the controls for the game as follows:
Remap Buttons: Re-map all buttons/keys.
Remap Sticks: Remap the stick controls to buttons/keys.
Remap Mouse and Keyboard: Remap mouse and keyboard.
Invert X/Y Axis: You can invert the direction required to control looking and aiming.
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons not required or can be turned off or switched to toggling the action on and off.
Rapid Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing not required or can be skipped or disabled.
Image
How you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Visibility
Bright Colourful Palette: Game uses bright colours and is generally high contrast.
Large Game Elements: Game characters and other elements are large and distinguishable.
High Contrast Mode: You can adjust the contrast of the game to be high-contrast.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events.
Audio Depiction of Event Location: Indication with stereo audio of where directional events are on the screen for things like damage, footsteps, environmental elements or way-finding.
Motion sickness friendly: Option to reduce motion sickness (motion blur, depth of field, field of vision).
Colourblind friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colourblind friendly mode.
Clear Interface: The game navigation, maps and information are clear to read, large or adjustable.
Audio
How you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately.
Customise Audio Levels: Control volume levels of specific events and elements in the game.
Audio Events
Visual Cues for Audio Events: Text or other visual indicators of audio events.
Visual Depiction of Directional Audio: Indication on screen with arrows, icons, located colour splashes and the like, to show where directional audio for damage, footsteps, environmental or way-finding sounds are coming from.
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well
System Settings
Android has accessibility settings including ways to navigate and interact, although not all games support this. Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games. Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators. PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping). PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings. Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games. Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games. iOS has a very extensive suite of accessibility settings including ways to navigate with voice and comprehensive screen reading, though most of the features don't work with games... read more about system accessibility settings.
Supported by PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors: Andy Robertson
Games Like Fortnite
The following games are like Fortnite. They address a similar topic or offer a similar way to play. They are good options to play next and also good alternatives to Fortnite for younger age ratings.
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