Highlights
- Fortnite has remained one of the best multiplayer games due to consistent updates and pop-culture crossovers, but some fans are looking for something new.
- Hawked provides a PvPvE multiplayer shooter experience with a cartoony aesthetic similar to Fortnite, but also introduces unique features such as dodge rolling and a faster combat pace.
- Hawked offers a blend of familiar Fortnite-style gameplay with a new adventure-focused gameplay loop, allowing players to solve puzzles, take down AI, find treasure, and customize their character. The open beta for Hawked begins on August 3.
As far as free-to-play multiplayer games go, Fortnite is definitely one of the best around, and it has been since its launch all the way back in 2017. For almost six years now, Fortnite has managed to not only retain its initial playerbase but continue to build upon it, becoming more and more popular with every Season. Thanks to a consistent stream of updates, exciting pop-culture crossovers, and constant balancing patches, Fortnite remains one of the best multiplayer games out right now, but some fans are still longing for something new.
While Epic Games has continued to bring heaps of new content to Fortnite over the years, including new game modes, it's still largely the same game it was all the way back in 2017, offering fans a refined, free battle royale experience. While this core gameplay hook is enough to keep many fans playing, it's starting to wear thin for some. That's where games like Hawked get their chance to shine. A PvPvE multiplayer shooter, Hawked takes the general aesthetic and vibes of Fortnite and gives them an interesting spin, and any fans currently a bit bored with Fortnite's usual battle royale mode should definitely check out Hawked's upcoming beta.
Why Fortnite Fans Need to Check Out Hawked's Beta
For those unaware, Hawked is an upcoming free-to-play online multiplayer game that takes Fortnite's cartoony aesthetic and gives it a PvPvE extraction shooter gameplay overhaul. The extraction shooter genre is gradually becoming more and more popular, with Escape from Tarkov and The Division really kicking off the trend a few years ago, and Call of Duty: Warzone's DMZ mode bringing it to the masses more recently. Though it doesn't quite have the same fervent and immediate fanbase as the battle royale genre, the extraction shooter is certainly seeing some of the same levels of popularity, and Hawked seems like a great first entry point for newcomers.
Just by watching its most recent trailer, it's clear that Hawked is taking some heavy inspiration from Fortnite, especially when it comes to the overall art style. Cartoon-y character models, bright colors, and an island setting are all present in Hawked. Hawked's moment-to-moment gameplay also looks quite similar to Fortnite's, with players dropping onto an island and facing off against each other using simplistic third-person shooting mechanics.
However, Hawked is offering plenty of its own unique features as well, making it a must-try for Fortnite fans. Though its third-person shooting mechanics look similar to Fortnite's, Hawked lets players dodge roll, and the general pace of combat seems to be a little faster. And while Hawked does put players against one another, the general gameplay loop puts more of an emphasis on adventuring, solving puzzles, taking down AI, finding treasure, and extracting the loot. Hawked will also let players customize their character, which has both cosmetic and practical effects, with the player being able to tweak their character's skin and loadout.
Though it might be a little too early to judge, Hawked does seem like the perfect blend of Fortnite and something new, giving fans the same cartoon-y, family-friendly style that they're used to, but in a brand-new gameplay setting. To make things even better, players can give Hawked a go for themselves very soon, with the game's open beta launching on August 3, and running until August 17. To join, all players need to do is head to Steam, request access to the open beta, and preload the game ready to get stuck in on August 3.
Fortnite is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and mobile devices.