The craze of the battle royale genre has certainly slowed down, but that doesn't mean that Apex Legends and Fortnite aren't still entertaining massive player bases. Though Fortnite is still the obvious number one in terms of viewership, revenue, and player base, that doesn't mean Apex Legends doesn't outclass it in several features. That being said, Apex Legends isn't perfect and can also learn a thing or two from the cultural phenomenon.
Let's look at seven reasons why Apex Legends is better than Fortnite and seven why it's not.
Updated April 22nd, 2021 by Russ Boswell: Apex Legends and Fortnite both continue to be dominant forces even in 2021. Although each game is different enough, they're both part of the ever-evolving Battle Royale genre and are constantly drawing comparisons to one another. Apex Legends fans are fervent in their ideal that the Respawn-created title is better than what Epic Games is offering with Fortnite. Because of this, we've taken a closer look at both releases and put them even further under the microscope. Here's an updated look at the state of Apex Legends and Fornite and what each one of them brings to the table.
14 Better Than Fortnite: The Characters Have Unique Abilities And Personalities
Apex Legends helps differ itself from the rest of the Battle Royale crowd by giving players access to characters that showcase unique abilities and designs. The character you pick will have a direct impact on how you play in a particular match and some characters have Ultimate Abilities that can completely change a team fight. You aren't just grabbing a stock skin and slapping some weapons on them, you're taking a rich lore-driven character onto the battlefield and utilizing their unique skills to give you an edge over your enemies.
Apex certainly feels like a more progressive game on this front and gives gamers a lot of playstyle variety past what weapons they may pick up.
13 Worse Than Fortnite: It Lacks Style
Don't get us wrong, Apex Legends is a beautiful game in its own right. The developers have done a fantastic job creating some unique maps and some truly creative characters. Everyone in Apex Legends feels like they have their own identity, but when it comes to skins, things fall a little flat compared to Fortnite. You may not get the same "character identity," but you'll definitely get a lot of parts and pieces to make your character look and feel like a truly customized creation.
A lot of Apex Legends' skins are just recolors and even the Legendary duds feel a bit lackluster on most characters. Compare that to the sharp, colorful, and sometimes downright wacky skin choices on Fortnite and the winner is clear.
12 Better Than Fortnite: It Has Some Serious Movement
Apex Legends has a fantastic pedigree thanks to Respawn, the developer behind the Titanfall series. Even though Titanfall 2 got an unfair shake (arguably due to a lack of marketing and a poorly-timed release), it's an incredible game with some amazing character movements and gameplay mechanics. Wallrunning, bunny hopping, and sliding are all present and encouraged in Titanfall and those movements all carry over to Apex Legends.
The end result is an experience that has its own unique identity but still manages to feel fantastic and ooze gameplay style. Fortnite may offer players more visually (in terms of skins and unlocks) but Apex Legends simply feels better.
11 Worse Than Fortnite: Lack Of Game Modes
Apex Legends is a solid Battle Royale, but that's all it is at its roots, a last-man-standing battle for supremacy. Fortnite is very much the same concept but manages to mix things up from time to time, giving it a looser feel without a decent amount of variety (similar to Call of Duty: Warzone). Players usually find fun and entertaining crossovers and events to keep them busy and sometimes entirely new mechanics are added to keep gameplay fresh and exciting.
And that's just the Battle Royale side of Fortnite. Although many players consider the two communities split, there is a PvE mode under the Fortnite banner by way of "Save The World." Apex might have a great formula but there is no denying that Fortnite offers players more variety and modes.
10 Better Than Fornite: FPS
This is an odd entry because it's likely the most subjective one on this list as it comes down to personal player preference. Apex Legends is a game played in first-person which has been the ideal perspective for shooters over the years.
The reason Fortnite works as a third-person shooter is that the game has a partial emphasis on building which works better in a wider view. If you're a player who loves the gun skill and precision in your shooters, it's hard to make a case for Fortnite when Apex Legends is staring you in the face.
9 Worse Than Fortnite: Less Map Events/Updates
Not only does Fortnite update its in-game store and the mechanics of the game almost weekly, but it also changes the map that players traverse. The Epic Games team will add, remove, or redesign complete areas to keep players on their toes and so they never feel as though the game is becoming repetitive.
Apex Legends recently had their first map event that saw giant creatures walk over King's Canyon and it changes major parts of the map. Hopefully, Respawn Entertainment does more of this in future updates.
8 Better Than Fortnite: No Building
A big theory as to why Fortnite blew up the way it did is because it captured the attention of a generation of kids who grew up playing Minecraft and the building aspect of the game came naturally. For many other people, this is the sole reason why they dislike it.
Apex Legends has a stronger focus on the actual weapons and for most people, the tight first-person shooter controls greatly outweigh the looser third-person shooting and building of Fortnite. Hard to take someone out if they build a house around themselves in two seconds.
7 Worse Than Fortnite: Crossovers
Honestly, it's hard to find any game let alone Apex Legends that do crossovers with other brands and games like Fortnite does. The reason they're able to pull them off is 100% due to the popularity of the brand.
It's the sole reason why there have been John Wick and Marvel Cinematic Universe crossovers and events and why there's an upcoming Borderlands 3 pre-release crossover. Companies understand that nothing touches Fortnite in terms of popularity, which sucks for Apex Legends players.
6 Better Than Fortnite: Gun Skill Matters
Whenever you talk to people who genuinely dislike Fortnite, the biggest complaint leveraged against the cultural phenomenon is that the shooting mechanics aren't greatly refined and that the building often gets in the way of actual gun skill.
Now, building and deconstructing at rapid speeds is a skill in-and-of-itself, but some people just want it to be about their skill with the actual weapons. In Apex Legends the game centers around the guns and abilities which means your shooting skills matter in a firefight.
5 Worse Than Fornite: Battle Pass Issues
Fortnite has been doing the Battle Pass method of content delivery for a while now and has had a handle on how to deliver something worth buying and leveling up. This type of monetization is new for Respawn Entertainment and Apex Legends, and the Season 1 Battle Pass showcased such ignorance.
It took a lot of experience to level up and the rewards weren't enticing enough which led to changes with the introduction of Season 2's Battle Pass which is better but still not as good as Fortnite's offering.