Fortnite is a beast of a game, and with the pandemic, it was nearly the only place you could attend a concert.
If you’re a hardcore Fortnite player, you probably already knew this or maybe have even attended one of these concerts. If this is you, you’re exactly the player we’ve written this article for.
Fortnite has come a long way from where it started as an expanded take on Zombie Horde mode, which was often found as an add-on in such titles as Gears of War and Call of Duty. Epic Games created a battle royale mode built off the original game and released it for free as a beta. Who could have predicted what would happen next? The game is massive and everywhere. Epic Games didn’t invent battle royale, but the creation of Fortnite became a cultural phenomenon all its own.
Since then, a plethora of games have come out with their own take on the battle royale genre, proving that imitation is the highest form of flattery. We’re not calling these suggestions copies per say, but they are definitely in the same battle royale style. Each of the games we’ll highlight here bring their own unique flavor to this burgeoning group of games and we dare say there is a little something for everyone.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
If you’re looking to explore new worlds within the battle royale genre why not give the game that started it all a shot? PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) is the father of the standalone battle royale genre. Similar to Fortnite, you’ll encounter 99-player matches that whittle the players down until the last person or team is standing.
What sets PUBG apart from Fortnite is a more realistic tone as well as the four maps found in the game that are massively bigger than the Fortnite maps. There’s no fort-building of any kind in this game, it’s purely combat and survival. Bullets shot from a sniper rifle over long distances are affected by gravity, making a kill shot that much sweeter.
Call of Duty: Warzone
The Call of Duty franchise released their battle royale contender into the world at full-force. Call of Duty is a well-known series amongst gamers, which made this an easy choice for fans of the battle royale style to flock to.
They also released it as a free-to-play game with optional purchases, which are primarily cosmetic. Anyone who has enjoyed Call of Duty multiplayer will feel right at home in Warzone and the team dynamics will allow you to be revived in the match when you get taken down early.
It also sports a more realistic feel overall than the fanciful graphics of Fortnite, and developers keep the game up to date with tip-top optimization. Like the other games in our suggestions, Warzone continues to evolve with new modes and seasons, keeping the game fresh and relevant.
Apex Legends
Apex Legends was one of the first major post-Fortnite contenders to join the battle royale bandwagon, and they did it well. Gamers were ready for something fresh in the genre and this game delivered. Apex Legends pioneered quite a few features that other games have since added to their own games, namely the capabilities for teams to revive and resurrect their teammates and their revolutionary ping system. The ping system allows players to call out weapons, items and even enemies with a visual mark that your teammates can see. Once they brought this into the genre, it started to appear in similar style games.
Apex Legends also brings more of a strategy element, as each Legend, or playable hero, comes with a unique ability that alters how you play and requires a team effort to compete. This functionality is similar to games like Team Fortress 2 or Overwatch. Teams that don’t work together will most likely fail.
Hyper Scape
Hyper Scape feels a bit like you’ve logged into the movie world of Ready Player One to play battle royale. This game sets itself apart by being a purely urban environment. The taller buildings sprawled across the landscape allow for vertical gameplay that has not been previously seen in this style of games. There’s no fall damage in this game, so you don’t have to worry about launching high in the air or plunging five stories down and splattering onto the street level.
Another unique aspect to the game is the way weapons and pickups work. Hyper Scape is set in a virtual universe, so powerups are called ‘hacks’ and they change abilities you have on the fly. It’s like building out a character class in real time. Additionally, as you find weapons and hacks, you can stack them to make them more powerful.
Let’s say you prefer an assault rifle, you’ll want to find a Ripper. Find a second one, and your weapon becomes more powerful. Stack enough and the gun's power and appearance change allowing you to take out noobs with impudence.
Realm Royale
Perhaps the most unique on this list, Realm Royale brings the world of wizards and warriors to the battle royale fray. Visually, it even kind of looks like Fortnite and controls similarly as well. The difference is character selection becomes more akin to what you would see in a classic RPG, namely Warrior, Mage, Hunter, Assassin, or Engineer. Realm Royale features guns as well, but they are not necessarily the focus or how you will win. Instead, fight your way to victory with weapons that are straight out of a magical medieval period.
There’s no fort building here but there is crafting, as you break down materials to upgrade your gear and attempt to be the last one standing. Definitely check Realm Royale out if you want some DnD flavor sprinkled in your battle royale. Sometimes the smallest change in the look of a game as well as improved or varied mechanics is all it takes to become your new favorite.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our suggestions on what to play if you’re a Fortnite fan. Have you tried any of the games on this list? Are there any we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
