Fortnite's new game mode, Ballistic, is available to play in early access. Ballistic is a welcome change of pace to Fortnite's traditional game mode, and features two teams of five players facing off in search-and-destroy gameplay. The teams split into attackers and defenders, alternating at the halfway mark, and the winner is the first team to score seven points. Like other search-and-destroy games, players have access to a market at the beginning of each round to purchase upgraded weapons and items with the credits they earn throughout the match. Given so many familiar game mechanics, learning the game is easy and fun, but it comes with a few caveats, especially concerning the teammate experience.
Playing through a match is a quick affair that lasts about 20 minutes from start to finish, but it could go on for longer if teams are taking their time. In the first round, players load in with a pistol but quickly gain access to all nine weapons and four consumables, including shields, after the first few rounds. If a player dies during a round, they lose their purchased weapon, but it is easy to earn enough credits to repurchase it in the next round. Furthermore, players who die do not respawn until the next round.
Currently, there is only one map. Thankfully, the A and B bomb sites are far enough apart and have enough varied terrain between them that matches do not feel too monotonous. The terrain also lends itself to easy flanking and cross-fire positions that work to the advantage of both teams and help keep players on their toes. This type of positioning is especially important considering the gunplay and time to kill in the Ballistic game mode.
Regarding gunplay, Ballistic takes the same approach as games like Counter-Strike 2 and heavily reduces aiming capabilities when moving. This mechanic means that counter-strafing, peaking, and headshots are crucial in reducing the player's time to kill or TTK. In testing, the average TTK came out to around one to three seconds, and again, it is significantly reduced if players utilize the mentioned strategies. Consumables also play a major role in lowering the TTK, with the flashbang being popular among players. Another major factor is weapon choice. In the current build, the "Nemesis AR" and "Reaper Sniper Rifle" are popular choices as the "Nemesis AR" offers easy recoil control, and the "Reaper Sniper Rifle" can take opponents down in a single shot. Overall, the weapon mechanics and performance felt solid and enjoyable to play. However, while load-outs and TTK optimization strategies are essential, teamwork is vital to winning.
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While finding teammates in Ballistic is quick, keeping teammates is another story. During testing, opposing teams and the player's team constantly lose participants, making matches heavily one-sided. On occasion, a replacement player may join the game, but that is not always the case, and if they do, it is often after a considerable number of points have been scored. Sadly, every other match played in Ballistic suffered this fate, making the overall experience feel less than ideal. Hopefully, as the Ballistic game mode matures, Fortnite devs will incorporate features to encourage players to stay. Until then, casual matchmaking and gameplay will remain enjoyable, albeit with a mixed bag of teammates.
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