The Improved Map Design
Now we arrive at the big one: Fortnite’s redesigned map. The overhaul it received back in January has been the most substantial alteration to the game since launch. For the most part, it’s been a big success, bringing new areas that have catered for all new gameplay strategies. The close confines of indoor and underground areas, such as Shift Shafts, for example, have worked brilliantly in tandem with newly added close range weapons like the silenced pistol. And there are new loot hotspots that have given players a reason to venture into populated areas in the mid and late game. The risk/reward stakes have been heightened, and the pace of gameplay has been dialed up, too.
In terms of aesthetic, the map is now much more interesting to traverse than it used to be. The different “biomes” that have segregated it more clearly into different zones, such as the swamplands of the Moisty Mire or grassy plains of Anarchy Acres have helped to give the map more defined themes. And there are stacks of different outposts, clusters of vegetation, and strange structures that have been added to the mix to improved the overall density of the environment. Yet none of this has come at the cost of performance. In fact, the enhancements to its graphical engine shortly after have combined with the new aesthetic to make Fortnite one seriously good looking game, even if its visuals aren’t quite as “advanced” as other games that strive for realism.
