“Fortnite” took over the battle royale scene in late 2017 and has been on top of the gaming world ever since. Its longevity is unlike any game in its distinct realm or category. While the “Call of Duty” franchise produces one game per year at a $70 fee, “Fortnite” has been free to play ever since the release of its battle royale game mode. Players are refreshed with new seasons every two to three months, which revamps the scenery, weapons and mechanics of the game. The revival of the “Fortnite” community was sparked by the “OG” season, which saw millions of concurrent players log onto “Fortnite” in a shortened revision of Chapter 1.  

The newest edition, Chapter 5, Season 1, follows one of the greatest chapters of the game in a disappointing fashion. Many fans were underwhelmed by the change of direction that Epic Games took. In opposition to the “OG” season, the current installation of “Fortnite” includes many confusing mechanics for casual players, such as the bounty and medallion coin system, the indestructible train that roams the island and the weapon modification systems, to name a few. Three new game modes were also introduced: Fortnite Festival, Lego Fortnite and Rocket Racing.  

The indispensable regime that “Fortnite” has in the battle royale category has allowed them to be more lackluster with content. While it is true that many pop culture characters have been added to the item shop over the years, this content only serves to let creators, movie producers and celebrities promote their brands through in-game transactions. This season’s major highlight is the addition of the “Family Guy” protagonist, Peter Griffin, in the Battle Pass. Many intrigued friends of mine have logged into Fortnite for the first time in years just to unlock Peter at level 70.  

In the main game, the island is remarkably diverse, with winter themes and Mediterranean-style vineyards. Each of the five medallions has unique buildings and vaults in their respective named locations. These bosses come with other bots that will spawn while you try to grab the medallion. Unfortunately, this makes the game a lot harder for those who care a lot more about eliminating other players rather than focusing on collecting medallions and exploring the depths of vaults. Although the location of the players with the medallions is shown on the map with a thin gold ring, the advantage of having these coins becomes apparent in the end game. When the final circle is approaching, the rings that reveal the location of the medallions cover the circle, thus making this balancing feature entirely useless. On top of this, less skilled players may find themselves being eliminated by the bots on the most popular drop spots on the map. From my perspective, bots in “Fortnite” make the game a lot less enjoyable. The concept of online battle royale comes with the expectation of a human element. Adding bots and AI players makes these intense moments much less complex and rewarding.  

To conclude, Chapter 5 revealed to “Fortnite” fans the explicit direction that Epic Games is taking. Many people loved the OG Season because of how simple and nostalgic it was. Yet, after the current chapter’s release, many fans wished the game would retain a simple narrative. To this statement, I have one counterargument: “Fortnite” has been defined as a game that can and will change over time. After many years of seasonal changes to the game, Epic Games still strives each season to add new game modes, support creative maps, and completely reinvent the classic game mode is what has allowed this game to remain relevant.