Fortnite. Apocalypse never changes

It so happens that talk about the game objectively – not an easy task. And it’s not in the preferences of specific authors or the media. The design of some projects sometimes so specific, and developers know so well what they were doing, that it does not even want to get involved.

 Let, say, the creation itself will find its audience, or vice versa.

At some point we can only state the obvious and to warn readers about the pitfalls. Fortnite from Epic Games is an example. We have already talked about the game in the preliminary review, and since then it has not changed much.

There was, however, very big “but”.

Fortnite announced in 2011, and six years of development, it has become almost mythical protracted. Fabulous invention Epic Games, designed to turn the multiplayer co-operatives on its head.

But even this preview (second!), We wrote after thirty hours of play in a paid “early access” – officially Fortnite will be released only next year. Whatever you may say, the studio disposes of time and credibility to themselves quite freely. This is doubly ironic when you consider that many of the ideas on which the Fortnite, managed to annoy the order of the general public.

The words “crafting”, “survival” and “zombie” in the same sentence cause abdominal cramps unpleasant almost anyone who follows the trends in the industry.

But that is only because, despite the popularity of concepts, they are rarely implemented at a decent level. Fortnite also copes with it surprisingly well. How? Put it this way: if you think you will like it, most likely, it will be so.

The developers describe their creation as a hybrid of Minecraft and Left Dead 4 . In fact, it is rather a union of Orcs Must Die and … Warframe . Only with a much bigger budget and love for his work.

After an unknown cataclysm planet enveloped ominous purple haze called Storm. And, as if spoiled climate and the atmosphere was a little unkind, fog flooded the Earth with countless hordes of zombies. Or “Mozglyakov,” according to Russian localization. The consequences of the sudden invasion of cute, but carnivorous creatures were not long in coming: 97% of the population died.

Our nameless hero escapes from Mozglyakov crowd and accidentally stumbles upon zombinepronitsaemoe refuge suspiciously well prepared for just such cases. A handful of local robot assistants quickly introduces hapless Gawker to date, and instructs him to control a bulwark against the storm. With all the attendant responsibilities.

The game is based on good old tower defense, but with a small deviation: modular construction of fortifications. On top of this layer is a meta-gameplay – development framework, the arsenal, a private group of survivors and the systematic release of each of the four regions of the game from the yoke of purple Storm.

These mechanics work well and complement each other, but there are some flaws. Critical or not – depends on your perception.

When the game starts, we find ourselves on the global map. We looked quests, tested equipment, and forward, to the choice of the mission. You will immediately launch a matchmaking. The lobby can accommodate up to four people to play alone – a very bad idea.

In Fortnite have a story and set of characters of varying degrees of attractiveness, but the narrative is served unobtrusively. If desired, you can skip dialogues on deaf ears, but the story is still there, it can not but rejoice.

Here, at least a dozen types of quests, but in any of them you will first explore the locations and collect resources. And the collection of materials for the lovely castles will take much more time than the construction. Spare parts needed at all for everything.

Forts, traps, ammo, weapons – all spent this or that resource, and often two or five or six at once. Indeed, what kind of a zombie apocalypse, without digging in the trash ?! This activity often fills in on edge “vyzhivalkah ‘but Epic Games really try harder to vary the routine.

Let’s start with the locations. Procedural generation in Fortnite – a miniature work of art. Each biome, especially in towns, maps are full of so many details that can not dream, for example, State of Decay – a game entirely dedicated to collecting.

Here you can go to each building and ransack almost every drawer, chest and toilet (in which, incidentally, can often be found bacon). Developers scattered throughout many parts: children’s drawings, utensils, interior design, ambiance … Apparently, this studio and worked for six years long. In this case, remove the hat – they have really got something special.

In fact, we are all the same boring and monotonous work, but it’s fun to watch and even to absorb the local atmosphere. Both familiar and unique. Detailing and visual style of the output sense from Fortnite at a very high level. And at the same time serve as a proof that good graphics is not required to be photorealistic. Suffice honed to perfection the artistic style.

Alas, the illusion is unlikely to last long. Now, if the game “round” lasted for a maximum of ten minutes … After all, their structure is simple: in the afternoon the players hurry collect everything that is not nailed to the floor (and even here there are exceptions), before sunset knock together this debris fortress, and then protect her.

Here are just in a hurry there is no need. At all.

Time to pack assigned as (in some cases up to twenty minutes), that coordinated efforts can be taken apart brick by brick the whole city, and to score the inventory to the eyeballs. It’s silly, but it is necessary – all that we collect on the missions, remains with us. The contents of the pockets of the player changes from round to round, and on the global map. Therefore, like it or not, and zatarivatsya resources needed in each “check-out” – more still nowhere.

In short, before the siege Mozglyakov pace of the game, to put it mildly, sags. Epic Games is well understood and has successfully mitigated the brutal routine.

Once you nabete pockets building materials, clean the gun and bandoliers take in the mouth, begins the main attraction: the cooperative construction and defense of the fort. And here again is full of variables, subtleties and nuances.

Unlike most tower defense, in Fortnite no predetermined levels and predictable paths. You have to be ready for anything – the game generates the location and the center of defense at random. Team survived only give a rough direction of attack, and how to strengthen the desired boundaries – it’s up.

Since the time of our preliminary review in this respect nothing has changed. In itself, the construction is realized at the same time deep and very accessible. Three types of resources (wood, stone and metal) with the heels of available structures and the ability to edit each of them in a simple 3×3 grid. The landscape is such that there is equally easy to erect and concrete “maynkraftovskie” box, and the medieval fortress.

If you want the complexity and beauty, is the availability of resources and imagination, you can rebuild the whole stronghold with traps, mazes, ornaments and other inventions. But the game does not require architectural wonders in the early stages. You can literally do “box” around the target without any pitfalls.

However, as you progress through the complexity is not that twisted into a curve – more drawn to the sheer wall. Without optimization of buildings and smart division of responsibilities beyond the first region, you will not leave. Gradually growing bestiary Mozglyakov with a bunch of very different properties eliminate the stupid heroic habits and cause to think seriously about the defense.

What are the traps to put with which natural damage, whether to try to banish Mozglyakov in the maze or try to destroy them before the approach to the promotion … promoting the players through the roof. Not to mention the fact that at many locations there are optional quests that bring good rewards.

As if that was not enough, in the defense of the forts can (and should) participate personally. Here, of course, nuances. First, each player controls the hero, which are divided into archetypes: someone better builds, others skillfully handle firearms, others wielded swords, etc. Inside the archetypes they are divided even on classes with various bonuses and active skills.. .

Secondly, in Fortnite indecent lot of weapons, from laser rifles and minigun to the usual survival tools such as pump-action shotguns and baseball bats. With the loot system a la Diablo features and perks of guns vary unpredictably, so pick up and gradually improve their own style of play can be a very long time.

And it’s nice to interact with each other.

Each of the four survivors can find something for everyone: sinegel collect and search for stations that provide a buff to the whole team, to build a fortification, hack and hack monsters in the front row, beating the giant llamas (seriously, this specialization is one of the classes) and more. Weapons cool feeling, despite the cartoon setting. On the locations interesting to wander around. Zombie funny lumps on the fly. Building organizer is surprisingly flexible and convenient, long time to get used to it do not have to.

As a result, the combination of visual style and a good humor to yield a magnificent spectacle. If we were asked to complain though for something that relates directly to the siege, we would note only that the huge colorful card is not used to its fullest. The engine even local grinder stand with occasional anguish. Therefore, you do not get to turn the whole area of ​​the city into a battlefield, with the literal hordes Mozglyakov as in Dead Rising.

But what about those pitfalls we said at the beginning, when in fact, the game has more than good? What we would like to warn you?

We are glad that you asked.

Fortnite sold for money. On the official website of Epic Games (the game does not support Steam) can be purchased for 1199 rubles in the “simple” edition. At the same time in 2018 it will be distributed for free. That is, you pay for the opportunity to play before. Not for all the items available upgrades and content. Just for the chance to start the grind before anyone else.

And yes, there is microtransactions, if anyone is interested.

Some games, in spite of the shareware model, it is not perceived as “free”. Successful implementation of such an approach – one of the highest achievements of any developer. Dota 2 , for example, is free, but its gameplay is almost no effect. To grow and develop in it to invest do not have to. Fortnite, on the contrary, almost screaming that she – f2p. She wants to (and will) by all means pull the rubber, trying to distract the player from this fact, but at midnight, the carriage will inevitably turn into a pumpkin.

Earlier we mentioned in passing that the characters can be pumped. In fact – not only them. Pumped in general all: drawings for each trap and weapons on a par with each survivor in the group. Each object is bound to have a duplicate, a good “roll” with color-coded abruptly. Hundreds of gaming skills, of which there half significantly changes the gameplay almost. Experience for the characters, drawings and survivors – and it’s all different currencies! Which are in addition to skill points, and scientific points premiumnyh “bucks.” Blessed Romero, then even chests (Lamas piñata with the loot, the game thinks it’s funny) four different types!

The entire game – the endless pursuit of the figures more and higher performance, and it rewards the most stubborn … a continuation of the pursuit. Because it is infinite. He knocked out a very cool gun? Sorry, it will break, and no drawing. There is a drawing? Excellent! You can pogrindit still three hours to hold the desired unit in the hands of a couple of hours! And then all on new!

The abundance of areas of pumping, hideous interface (only a stick in the wheel of the local aesthetics) and unwillingness to understand the game itself Fortnite file is converted into a digital purgatory. On the paywall and stop progress will come across at once, but when it inevitably happens … all the secret becomes clear.

The most telling example of how the game plays for time and content – book collections. As in many aRPG, unwanted loot in Fortnite can be taken apart and get some experience for pumping drawings. But instead, you can send a “card” of the object in the collection.

Forever parted from unwanted thing, the player will get some buns. The book has slots for all the objects of the game, and as you fill it is pumped by bringing owner bonuses. But it is necessary to pump and loot … that already is in the book. To further bleed the book to get more bonuses. At the same time, we recall that in the loot, there are different degrees of rarity and the ideal is to put in the book, every object in the game.

And for what all of this? it was so. Swing to swing on.

Fortnite approach to monetization and bleeding – a stumbling block. Thing is so amateur, that the word is difficult to pick up. For fun and a real challenge to the game requires a remarkable investment of time and, in some cases, money.

In this case, the game itself was all right. She is charming, exciting and gives the usual mechanics in a new light. Not every full-fledged AAA game achieves this quality and integrity. Build, explore and fight here is really cool, especially in the company of friends and with the included microphone. But the thought of endless pumping and deadly dull dialogs can completely kill the mood.

The developers are aware of what they are doing, and it is unlikely the game will change in this regard. If you have an acute allergic to grind to Fortnite is better not to touch. All others will receive from playing tons of content, hundreds of hours of gameplay and a lot of exciting evenings in their own sandcastles.