Fortnite Season 7 ‘Invasion’ review – OP UFOs cast shadow over best weapon pool ever

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 7 brings a highly-teased ‘Invasion’ to the Island, but flyable UFOs and alien-themed map changes can’t hide the fact that this season is mostly more of the same.

Every few months, Epic Games bring a new seasonal update to their hit battle royale in an attempt to keep things fresh and exciting. With the promise of map changes, new weapons, and a fresh Battle Pass, it’s always a highlight for Fortnite fans. Now, after weeks of teasing, Epic have finally unleashed their alien-themed Season 7 upon the world. On the surface, it seems like one of the most exciting updates yet, but the handful of new features on offer might not be enough to keep players gripped.

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Fortnite Invasion – Key details

• Price: Free
• Developer: Epic Games
• Release Date: June 8, 2021
• Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Android

Fortnite Invasion trailer

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UFOs are fun but overpowered

Let’s get the big update out of the way first: UFOs are here, and they’re causing chaos. If you’re flying them, they’re a whole lot of ‘Destroy All Humans’-style fun, but if you’re getting abducted and launched across the Island, then frustrating is an understatement. For now, it’s simply a case of taking the good with the bad until Epic finds a way to nerf them. You can’t deny they’ve shaken things up, though. As far as the alien-themed Battle Pass goes, well… it does the job. There’s nothing to match the highs of The Mandalorian or Lara Croft here – Superman as a Secret Skin feels more like a ‘finally!’ moment than a real surprise considering how many DC crossovers there have been – and the original characters aren’t particularly memorable. Props must be given to the highly customizable Kymera skin, though, as it offers an extra layer of unlockables for players to get stuck into. Meanwhile, the face of the season, Doctor Slone, could be an interesting character if Epic weave her into the wider Fortnite lore going forward. Fingers crossed.

The best Fortnite weapon pool yet

In Season 7, Epic have finally nailed the weapon pool. Old favorites like the Pump Shotgun, the SCAR, and the Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle are all here. They’re joined by new IO Tech weapons that are worth the extra effort to find, but not so OP that they break the game. The Rail Gun, for example, is an absolute highlight, requiring high precision with a deadly payoff. Fortunately, weapon crafting plays a much smaller part this season. Unlike the previous Primal season, where the majority of loot was makeshift and crafting was almost a necessity to get decent weapons, there are now just a few craftable weapons, and only one material to be found. It’s made the process a lot simpler, but also easier to ignore for those who prefer to get straight into the action. Epic have struck a perfect balance between classic and fresh with this season’s weapon pool, and it’s hard to see how anyone could be disappointed. Our only slight criticism right now is that upgrades at weapon benches are far too expensive – but there’s time for that to be fixed in a mid-season update.

Fortnite’s map needs a major overhaul

At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Epic simply forgot to update the map this season. Previous updates have featured sand-drenched landscapes and snow-covered biomes, but right now it’s a sea of green. There are no significant new POIs, either. Instead, a few existing locations have been (slightly) redesigned, with Sweaty Sands becoming Believer Beach and Colossal Crops now known as Corny Complex. It feels as though Epic have poured all of their time and resources into UFOs and new weapons, which may suit some players. But nothing compares to the excitement of jumping out of the Battle Bus and landing on fresh terf, which is a feeling that, sadly, this update is missing. The new IO Bases scattered around the map are great, but they’re no main event, and it’s becoming harder to understand why locations like Coral Castle and Catty Corner still remain when more exciting POIs have been wiped out in recent seasons. This isn’t entirely a new problem, though. As it stands, the current map looks almost identical to how it did all the way back in Chapter 2 Season 1 – which launched almost two years ago. That’s a long time for so little change. With fellow battle royale titles like Apex Legends and Warzone bringing entirely new maps into the fold, why can’t Epic do the same? Here’s hoping the map at least evolves throughout the season.

Rating: 7/10

As far as Fortnite’s Chapter 2 seasonal updates go, Invasion is definitely one of the better ones. UFOs are an exciting addition, IO Bases help switch things up, and the weapon pool is the best it’s ever been. But unless Epic keeps Season 7 fresh with meaningful updates, it’s unlikely to cure your Fortnite fatigue.