Get Your Zombie on with Fortnite Save the World

Have you ever had a stressful job? Maybe you worked in fast food and people just didn’t understand you couldn’t help that the ice cream machine was broken. Maybe you were a lifeguard and that one kid wouldn’t quit jumping into the shallow end despite your very clear directions to knock it off. Regardless, most people have had some frustrating job experience throughout their life… but have you ever had to save the world from an apocalypse? No? Well, sit right down and let me tell you about Fortnite Save the World and I’ll give you the nitty-gritty about the zombie game!

What’s the big deal about Fortnite Save the World?

It’s a zombie survival game where cooperation, strategy, and silliness abound. It’s got the same basic premise as many of the others in its genre with a slight twist. There’s no deadly virus. Instead, a storm came and 98 percent of the population vanished… only to show back up as beasts! You and a small group represent the only people left and, you guessed it, every zombie wants you dead.

So what? So there’s a new zombie game… and? There are tons of them already out and off the top of my head, I can name four or five more that are coming out in a month or two with better graphics. So why would you spend any money on Fortnite? Of course, soon enough it’ll be free, so let me clarify that: why should you spend your time with it instead of the endless competitors?

Because it’s fun.

“Fun” and “zombie game” don’t really go together. As an avid gamer, I’ve played a number of zombie games and not once have I finished and been like “gee, that was funny!” No siree. I spent half the time wildly shooting at hoards of shuffling creepies and the other half of the time scared out of my mind, because that’s what they’re designed to do. But this one throws off those common tropes and says, “it’s the zombie apocalypse? Let’s have ourselves a grand ole’ time!”

Somehow, it pulls off a remarkably light-hearted feel, making it one of the only zombie games I might play with any of my family members. It shares a lot of similarities with Plants Vs. Zombies and comes off as a silly way to enjoy yourself more than a nerve-wracking fight for survival, even as you battle for your life and protect helpless survivors.

Are you mechanically inclined?

Regardless if you’ve built a fleet of houses in real life or if you don’t know the difference between a hammer and a nail, you’ll enjoy the building aspect of Fortnite. That’s a guarantee. Some people don’t like having to do it in the Battle Royale mode because it can be very stressful, but in the Save the World mode, the pressure is much lower. Again, we focus here on teamwork and goofing around. For heaven’s sake, in the trailer, there’s a giant lama fort!

Building is intuitive and smooth. I’ve played some building games where I wanted to strangle the developers because the stupid wall wouldn’t snap in place, but if Fortnite has any bugs like that, I haven’t found them yet or even heard of them. You get to pick from a variety of materials and structures which, combined with a glorious editing system, literally makes the only limit your imagination. Want to build a giant lama like the trailer? You get out there and make yourself a four-hundred-foot beast! Feeling like making a Superman logo the size of a skyscraper? I mean, it’s a terrible base, but do it!

Some people have called Fortnite a boiling pot, where the developers took pieces from all kinds of games and tossed everything into one delightful mixture. The cartoonish graphics resemble Overwatch, the building mirrors Minecraft, the fun could be something out of the Plants Vs. Zombies line and the fighting could come out of Halo. It’s clear that a lot of effort has been put out to make it an enjoyable experience for you. It’s like they picked out the best parts of many games and created a mega-game with them.

How about fighting?

Yeah, yeah, building sounds great and all, but how’s the game when you get down to the thick and dirty?

Fortnite’s battle system is lovely despite being not terribly realistic. I never thought I’d say that about a game, but here we are. As with the rest of the game, it’s immensely smooth and you somehow feel good about yourself no matter what you’re doing.

Weapons

Another big perk is that you can craft weapons. What kinds? Everything. Snipe from afar! Take out baddies up close with shotguns! Mow down enemies with a minigun! It caters to every possible fighting style and mixed with the immense looting, you’re bound to find something you love.

Traps

One thing that I should mention: prepare for traps, everywhere. One trademark thing about the game is its building, sure, but I think traps belong more in the battle discussion so here we are. Kill zombies with all manner of traps, from classic Indiana Jones spike traps to bounce pads that launch anyone who touches them like they’ve been flung out of a catapult! This is where some of the absurdity comes in. It’s hard to take a game seriously when you see a bunch of zombies sailing wildly through the air like they have important places to be and can’t stop to talk.

Who should I play with?

Let’s say you’re sold. You’ve read this and you already were thinking about trying it, so you take the plunge.

Hold your horses, because there’s something else you need to know: get some friends to play with. Trust me, it’ll pay off. I’ve tried playing with buddies and it’s a delight because everyone’s on the same page. I’ve also tried playing with randoms, and at least ninety percent of the time, I’ve regretted it. Sure, there have been a few golden teammates in there, but an amazingly large portion of them will do their best to troll you. For every loyal person doing their best, regardless of if they’re good or not, there are half a dozen jerks running around sabotaging you for fun.

There are enormous communities out there full of people like you and who you might enjoy playing with, whether it’s your neighbor or some people halfway across the planet. I’d recommend finding them and trying to connect with some of them. I’m talking from experience here when I say you will probably have a much better time with a squad of buddies.

Summary

Try it.

Shoot, I don’t have a lot more than that. It’s coming out for free soon (though nobody is entirely sure when) if you don’t want to pay, never to fear, your time will come. It’s engaging, entertaining, and fresh. It’s like getting a breath of fresh air. There is something for everyone in it, and even casual players will appreciate some part of it.

Squad up. Loot. Craft. Survive.

And, as always, have fun!

For more Fortnite, check this out: Make Some Noise for New Skins in Fortnite Season 5