A Whole New World
Things Fortnite Got Right in Chapter 2
If there was one thing that really started to feel a little tired in Fortnite’s first 10 seasons, it was the general layout of the map. Over the course of ‘Chapter 1’ as we’ll now dub the first 10 seasons, the map changed significantly, but large parts of it remained the same. Step in Fortnite Chapter 2.
In Chapter 1, new named locations such as Pressure Plant, and the removal of less interesting locations like Moisty Mire, ensured that the map never felt too stale before the next season’s changes rolled around. After 10 seasons, though, we were certainly ready to do battle on an entirely new island.
Fortnite Chapter 2’s map is almost entirely new. The occasional named location from the first 10 seasons have managed to stick around — we’re looking at you Pleasant Park and Retail Row — but the shape, emphasis on water, and vast majority of brand-new named locations certainly helped to breathe new life into Fortnite as it moved into its 11th season.
Boring Battle Pass Cosmetics
Things Fortnite Needs to Change in Chapter 2 Season 2
We won’t lie, the cosmetics on offer in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 1’s Battle Pass are pretty lackluster. They all feel rather basic, and even the Tier 100 ‘Fusion’ skin with its various styles is just a little… bland. Where are the skins that dramatically transformed with each style that you unlocked?
The real standout, personally, is the Rippley vs Sludge skin unlocked around Tier 30. This big, blue, bubbly… thing is one of the more unique skins on the Battle Pass, but looking back at it as a whole, I expected a lot more.
Harvesters, gliders, back blings and the like are similarly disappointing. They’re merely cosmetics from the same sets as the skins we unlocked.
Obviously, this is one that comes down to personal taste. Maybe you disagree with me and think the cosmetics in the Battle Pass are great. Either way, let’s hope there’s a bit of something for everyone in seasons moving forward.
Battle Pass & Leveling Changes
Things Fortnite Got Right in Chapter 2
While the cosmetics on offer in the new battle pass weren’t all that for me, the changes to the leveling system were much appreciated.
Epic Games took some time to refine how XP was earned, and generally made things that little bit easier for player to reach Tier 100 and get every item on offer.
Medals offered another opportunity for players to get large chunks of XP, Battle Stars were dropped for a single XP system that leveled up your Battle Pass, and more XP was given for completing each challenge than Battle Stars offered in the past.
It probably also helped that Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 1 has been dragging on for over three months now. That’s way longer than the usual 10 week duration seasons tend to last for. Even without this, I was able to reach Tier 100 and I only fully completed one week’s worth of challenges this season.
Considering players are shelling out their hard-earned V-Bucks (and in some cases, real-life money) to just buy the Battle Pass at the beginning of the season, ensuring a larger percentage of players gets everything it offers before it expires is a pro-consumer move, and one we can get behind.
Now, let’s just get some more interesting cosmetics thrown in there for Chapter 2 Season 2 and we’ll be happy to sink another 10 weeks into the king of Battle Royale titles.
Lack of Support Throughout
Things Fortnite Needs to Change in Chapter 2 Season 2
What has baffled me most about Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 1 is Epic Games’ seemingly lackluster approach to supporting the game throughout the season. So much so, I wrote an entire separate post about it.
In Chapter 1, Epic Games was dropping at least one set of patch notes a week. These detailed changes to weapon damage or accuracy, introduced players to new gameplay features or items, and generally kept us in the loop as to what was going on behind-the-scenes.
In Chapter 2, it’s been almost the polar opposite. Patch notes have been sparse, and when they have dropped, they’ve seldom brought anything anywhere near as exciting as the new content we were getting back in Chapter 1.
While this may partly come down to the game reaching its final state (remember, it’s still technically in Early Access), Chapter 2 was supposed to be ushering in a new, exciting era for the Battle Royale title.
Instead, what should have been one of the most exciting seasons in Fortnite’s history thus far fell to the ground with a resounding splat. The kind of resounding splat that comes with dropping your ice cream on the floor. You know the one.
While the changes introduced at the beginning of the season were enough to keep Fortnite fresh for the first few weeks, it didn’t take long for players to feel the monotony set in again.
Combine this lack of patch notes and new content with Chapter 2 Season 1 being the longest season in Fortnite’s history and the problem was compounded ten-fold.
Introducing Bots
Things Fortnite Got Right in Chapter 2
For most of Chapter 1, Fortnite players were all thrown into lobbies at random. There was no skill rating system at play, and matchmaking started to struggle to fill games with 100 players as the install base began to fall from its dizzying heights around the Season 5-era.
Introducing bots was a risky move on the part of Epic Games. In theory, its argument was sound. By implementing a skill-based matchmaking system, those at the top of the skill curve could face-off against one another and bots would seldom be seen. Newcomers and those of a low skill level would be thrown into a game together and bots would populate any empty spots.
If Epic failed with the execution, however, it could be a disaster. Particularly if bots felt very ‘dumb.’
Well, they kinda do, but not to the extent that it’s game-breaking or not enjoyable to fight against them. There’s still some way to go to make them act more like human players, but at least they drop evenly around the map and prevent players from spending minutes at a time not coming across anyone else as they move in towards the circle.
As a training tool, bots are great, and we can’t wait to see them develop in intelligence as time goes by. For now, though, we’re happy to say Epic’s implementation has been solid, and nothing you need to worry about.
Limited-Time Events
Things Fortnite Needs to Change in Chapter 2 Season 2
There’s not a whole lot to say around this one, so we’ll keep it brief. Limited-Time Events are game modes that introduce new gameplay mechanics into the core Battle Royale gameplay. It may be that the floor is lava, or every weapon you pick up is legendary (Solid Gold LTM).
Others in Season 1 introduced jetpacks, divided players into two massive teams and let them duke it out over or through a massive wall dividing them. Simply put, LTMs offered variation and an opportunity for Epic to flex its creative muscles, and fans, for the most part, loved them.
Also, having them feature alongside the core modes means you can just completely ignore them if you’re not a fan.
Alas, Season 2’s felt very lackluster for Limited-Time Modes, with only the recent Love and War mode being the one new to the game this Season.
While Epic may have had its hands full with moving the game onto a new physics engine entirely, LTMs are the kind of content that can make patches feel that little bit more significant. Heck, we wouldn’t even complain if old LTMs had shown up a little more frequently.
With Chapter 2 Season 2 offering Epic a fresh start, we’re hoping they get back on the LTM wagon. A new one or two being thrown into the playlist each week would certainly go a long way in keeping players coming back.
Weapon Changes & New Gameplay Features
Things Fortnite Got Right in Chapter 2
Honestly, we didn’t really know what to expect at the end of Fortnite Season X, outside of a new map. Nothing else had really been shared and the ominous black hole event didn’t really tell us a whole lot about where the game was going.
It wasn’t just the new Chapter 2 Season 2 map that made such a significant impact on Fortnite’s lasting appeal. New features like the ability to swim — especially combined with the new water-laden map — and go fishing for weapons and new healing items helped to offer players a handful of new strategic plays to try out.
Throw in the weapon upgrade benches and hideouts, and you had a Battle Royale game that started to feel far more thought-out. Its world feels more interactive than it did back in Chapter 1, and that’s the direction Epic should continue to move in going forward.
Let’s Talk About Overtime
Things Fortnite Needs to Change in Chapter 2 Season 2
We mentioned it a little bit earlier, but for the love of all that is Fortnite, Epic, please don’t give us an insane amount of overtime like this again.
We get it, sometimes things don’t go to plan. The end of season event — that seems like it’s going to be a flood — may have taken longer than anticipated. Perhaps the design team needed a little longer polishing up those cosmetic items for the Battle Pass. It’s all completely understandable.
That’s what makes the duration of Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 1 feel so painful though. The development team behind Battle Royale have worked tirelessly for 11 seasons.
It’s implemented bots, a skill-based matchmaking system, and moved the game to a new physics engine this season alone. It’s all things that will benefit the game in the long-term.
But Overtime needed a real freshening up if it was going to last this long. Leaving us with rather bland sets of challenges that offered a new style for each of the lackluster Battle Pass skins isn’t enough, especially when there’s not been any significant changes to the map to hint at the end of season event for players to get excited about.
It’s been more of the same for an extra four weeks, but without the goal of reaching Tier 100 for a lot of players. Most had already reached this ahead of the week 10 Mission dropping, let alone after four weeks of Overtime.
Overtime appears to have been a necessity this season, and while Epic Games doesn’t always extend a season beyond the usual 10-week duration, it’s something that certainly felt tired this time around. Here’s hoping we don’t ever have to endure a period of Overtime quite as long and dull as this one again.
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