Most gamers have given Fornite a try at some point, myself included. Way back in now what feels to be eighty-four years ago, I, too, was a casual player of the Battle Royale, grinding for V-Bucks so I could buy each Season’s Battle Pass. However, my interest eventually dwindled and as time went on, I abandoned Fortnite for a handful of other games.
The last thing I truly remember was unlocking TNTina and going up against the Midas boss, and then exploring as Jules across a now flooded map – yup, it’s been that long! I know, shocking, right? I’m sure all you true-blue Fortnite players are looking down on me in disgust.
Throughout 2023, Fortnite has undergone some major developments, as I’m sure you’re all aware. I’ve been watching loosely from the sideline here or there, from the release of Unreal Editor for Fortnite to the unique and eye-catching skin designs showcased across the last few months, I have stopped here or there to give a nod or approval, or a simple thought of ‘oh, wow, that looks interesting.’
However, most recently, Fortnite has added several more games in addition to the classic Battle Royale, Save the World and Zero Builds, plus all the shenanigans of Creative Mode. LEGO Fortnite and Rocket Racing have proven to be successful alternatives for players to thoroughly enjoy. However, it was neither of these titles that managed to sway me back into the Fortnite abyss. The culprit of my return just so happens to be none other than Fortnite Festival, a replica of the classic Guitar Hero and Rock Band games that many of us grew up on through the PS2 / Xbox 360 era.
You see, throughout my youth I was an absolute Guitar Hero gremlin, striving to get my hands on any of the various titles available. I spent an absurd amount of time playing that plastic guitar and drum kit and was even convinced that I needed the DJ Hero turntables at one point… I’m just thankful that if anything, it did eventually lead me to pick up a real guitar and teach myself the basics – so thanks, Guitar Hero, I guess!
Anyways, for me, Fortnite Festival is the perfect blend of nostalgia and modern elements that I’d ever want from a rhythm game like this, and it all works straight from your keyboard or controller, saving the need for those bulky plastic instruments taking up far too much space (even though apparently, guitar controllers do work!). To be honest, Fortnite probably could have done a total cash grab by restricting this mode to such physical add-ons, so the game earned some serious respect from me by not going down this path.
I knew right from the get-go that I’d be able to have a bunch of fun in this game mode from time to time when I wanted something chill to play. I simply jumped right in, switched that dial right up to expert mode, and selected one of the songs in rotation. What I had not anticipated, was for myself to spend the next six hours straight playing this game, mostly going after a 100% accuracy in MGK’s ‘Emo Girl’.
While at the end of these six hours, I had not been successful in my bold endeavor (curse you, 98%…), I had certainly gained a new appreciation for Fortnite since the last time I had played. Upon further reflection, I found myself fascinated with the choice to implement these new game modes under the Fortnite name, which in my opinion has made Fortnite feel like less of a standalone title and more of a hub for various games – similar to Roblox, but dare I say significantly better?
This is a really interesting approach taken by Epic Games and one that makes me quite excited for what the future of the Fortnite title may hold – even as just a very casual fan who has made a slight return for the current season.
While the addition of these titles may have seemed strange, or out of place for some gamers at first, it must’ve done wonders for roping more players into the game, and even bringing people back to try out Battle Royale again. Hell, I’ll admit, since spending an absurd amount of time in Fortnite Festival and permanently embedding the small selection of songs within my brain, I’ve also returned to play quite a bit of Zero Builds with some friends, and been pleasantly surprised at just how much fun I’ve had in the process.
Who would have thought that of all things, a Fortnite Guitar Hero clone would have caught my attention and sent me jumping back into the game? I certainly didn’t see it coming, but do I regret a single moment? Absolutely not. I have embraced my inner Guitar Hero gremlin once again, and become one with the rhythm game chaos. I can only look ahead with excitement for what is to come not only for Fortnite Festival but for the entire game; so truly, I owe Fortnite one hell of a thanks for going above and beyond recently. Here’s hoping things continue to go up from here!
Published: Dec 21, 2023 09:13 pm