Fortnite’s Zero Build mode finally pulled me in, and now I can’t escape

polygon.com:

It’s 2022, and Epic Games has dared to ask the deepest philosophical question a development team could ever ponder: What is Fortnite without forts?

Is it just “Nite”?

Stupid joke aside, the image of Fortnite without its trademark building mechanic may seem surprising for the popular battle royale game. Harvesting materials and building elaborate structures to help protect against enemies or create the perfect vantage point from which to snipe a target forms such a fundamental part of the game, it’s even in the title.

But in March, developer Epic Games axed building mechanics, and then eventually added a separate “Zero Build” mode where you could play without any of the construction elements. The introduction of the new mode shocked some longtime fans, but also brought new life to the scene. As it turns out, building the improvised structures could be intimidating for anyone who hadn’t gotten tons of practice. And now with Zero Build, I’m ready to say: I get the hype. And yes, Fortnite is one of the best games you can play right now.

In Fortnite, you can play solo or in teams of up to four and compete in an arena of 100 players in a battle royale scenario where the last combatant (or giant banana) standing wins. Without the building mechanic, Fortnite just becomes a “regular” shooter. I use quotes because the game is as cartoony as ever, and it doesn’t feel generic at all. The game is garish and absolutely delirious, and it presents an unrelenting fever dream of playful scenarios.

Let me just set one of many possible Zero Build scenes. You hop into a car that appears to be modeled on a Toyota Prius. You’re next to a giant shirtless banana (whose shirtlessness is represented by a peeled top) wearing swim trunks, pop icon