I occasionally mention the extremely popular free-to-play video game Fortnite, and it is usually never a better time to speak of it than during its annual Fortnitemares event. Typically this time of year I will spend a shed load of money on the latest Halloween themed skins to be added to the game, and get to see the map with a horror theme added to it. I spoke last year about how the 2022 Fortnitemares event was a bit underwhelming, it had good skins (such as Ash Williams from The Evil Dead!), but it didn't really have too much to the event. If only I knew, this year's event is pure laziness, with it barely even obvious that an event is even occurring.
I happen to also be playing a lot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II this year, and that has its own event, named The Haunting. I decided to compare the two events in order to decide which one I believe to be the better one. Ignore the fact that Fortnite is free to play and Call of Duty isn't, as this is focussed primarily on the Halloween changes, not how much the base game costs to get there.
Halloween Map Changes
Fortnite:
The map changes this year are so slight that you could be forgiven for not realising they are even there. Where previously you had buildings decked out in Halloween decorations, jump-scare zombies, mist, and new locations to visit, this time around for some reason there is none of that. A blood red moon has appeared in the sky at night, while I knew that was there, it was several weeks before I saw it for myself, you don't typically look up in the sky while playing. There are no jump-scare zombies, no mist and no new locations, instead the sole addition outside of that moon, is a new boss fight against Chapter 4, Season 4 antagonist Kado Thorne, this time in his vampire form. With a vampire being the main bad guy, I had expected the whole season to be horror themed. I do think his design is cool, but there isn't much use of him outside of the boss fight. Other than the Battle Royale mode you have Horde Rush back. This sees you travelling across the map while fighting hordes of zombies. The mode is good, but it is an exact repeat of the Horde Rush mode from last year, with nothing new to it apart from being set in the chapter 4 map. The broomstick, candy, and pumpkin rocket launcher are back, joined with one new weapon, a shotgun that fires stakes rather than shells. Oh yes, and there are ghost pirates (a reused skin) dotted around the map who point to hidden 'ghost' chests, though these chests contain nothing exciting in the slightest.
Call of Duty:
There are several changes across the various multiplayer modes to give more of a Halloween vibe. Hardpoint and Domination now have scarecrows on the capture points, while dog tags have changed to skull icons instead. The great Infected mode now has you turning into an actual zombie when you die, rather than soldiers in suits. As for map changes, there is a focus on two different ones that have had a horror transformation. Embassy now takes place at night and has a zombie apocalypse type change, with boarded up windows, corpses and blood everywhere. Much better is the second map, can't recall the name, but the map has a really cool Mexican Day of the Dead type look to it, lots of decorated skulls and orange flowers around the map.
For those who play Warzone (it has never clicked with me), the main map is now set at night, and there is a zombie type game mode that has you returning as a ghoul upon death.
Outside of actually playing the game, there are jump scares added to the lobby screen, occasionally clicking on a option will result in an image of a ghost flying at you alongside a loud scream.
For those who play Warzone (it has never clicked with me), the main map is now set at night, and there is a zombie type game mode that has you returning as a ghoul upon death.
Outside of actually playing the game, there are jump scares added to the lobby screen, occasionally clicking on a option will result in an image of a ghost flying at you alongside a loud scream.
Winner: Call of Duty
Halloween Event Challenges and Rewards
Fortnite:
On the surface you would assume this was a decent selection of free unlockables to earn. There are eleven items to unlock, pretty much one from each of the different types. There is an emoticon, graffiti, gun camo, contrails, music, loading screen image, emote, pickaxe, backpack and more. Rather than be Halloween themed, these are mainly based around the character of Kado Thorne, lots of purples and bat symbols. The lobby music isn't bad, I like the bat-wing pickaxe and bat head backpack, but elsewhere they do suck a bit. The glider is a generic one, albeit with Thorne's signature hypnotic pattern showing on it. To get these rewards there are special Fortnitemare challenges to do. The issue with these is how darn many there are, there has to be around thirty to forty of them to complete, but you only need a fraction of them complete to unlock the rewards, the majority of them just giving XP, something I don't need this late into the season. I wish that either more had to be done to unlock the rewards, or that there were more rewards provided.
Call of Duty:
There are eighteen rewards to be unlocked here, and in general I thought these were a lot more interesting. You have calling cards, emblems, tier skips, stickers, charms and a loading screen image, all look pretty cool. The charms are a highlight, including one that has a zombie arm bursting out the ground, a candy corn, and a black cat. There is also gun camo, helicopter camo, and two exclusive gun types to get. The big rewards come from collecting ten and fifteen items, these give you two alternate Halloween themed skins for two characters to use. Rather than a multitude of challenges, these are all purchased using souls that are collected from enemies killed in any game mode. It is basic, but it makes for a simple way to build up currency. It would have been nice to be able to get more per match (currently, you can earn up to eighteen souls a match), and being lazy, it would have been nice to have the option to just quit out, rather than having to finish the match for them to count.
In addition to the eighteen rewards, there are also ten additional ones, one awarded for each day you log in during the event.
In addition to the eighteen rewards, there are also ten additional ones, one awarded for each day you log in during the event.
Winner: Call of Duty
Halloween Skins
Fortnite:
This is one area that Fortnite always gets right, as can be attested to by the stupid amount of money I spend on new skins, too much for me to actually state!. This year is another great collection of both original skins and tie-ins. In addition to most the skins from previous years coming back, there are four original skins, three of which are cool, one not so much. Dullest is Seth, a teenage mummy, then you have the funky Phantom Meowscles that has a nice black and purple motif. His pack includes the best pickaxe of the event, a fishbone that also has a black and purple motif. Bogstick is a fantastic skin, a swampy merman whose backpack glows in the dark, and best of all surprisingly is Festival Phaedra, a goth looking woman, but she has big boots with teeth and a tongue on them that move around, and she comes with a similarly themed backpack, pickaxe and weapon camo.
Even better are the tie-ins, starting with Alan Wake, sporting an older look, in line with Alan Wake 2 that released recently. Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas is also here, surprised Disney gave the ok for him to be using guns. He has two styles, normal and Christmas, has his dog Zero as his backbling, a Christmas umbrella as the pickaxe, and a skeletal reindeer as the glider. There is also a cool travelling emote that has you sat in a bathtub with legs as a bit of the 'This Is Halloween' song plays. Saving the best for last is Michael Myers from the Halloween films! There is an emote that has you playing the classic theme tune on a keyboard, a pumpkin backbling that glows in the dark, a knife that makes the screeching noise from Psycho when stabbing players with it, and of course the skin itself that is endlessly amusing to use dances with.
Even better are the tie-ins, starting with Alan Wake, sporting an older look, in line with Alan Wake 2 that released recently. Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas is also here, surprised Disney gave the ok for him to be using guns. He has two styles, normal and Christmas, has his dog Zero as his backbling, a Christmas umbrella as the pickaxe, and a skeletal reindeer as the glider. There is also a cool travelling emote that has you sat in a bathtub with legs as a bit of the 'This Is Halloween' song plays. Saving the best for last is Michael Myers from the Halloween films! There is an emote that has you playing the classic theme tune on a keyboard, a pumpkin backbling that glows in the dark, a knife that makes the screeching noise from Psycho when stabbing players with it, and of course the skin itself that is endlessly amusing to use dances with.
Call of Duty:
Surprisingly this also had a bunch of cool skins, some I assume to be returning ones, and some new. While these skins are more expensive (roughly £17 each!), they are detailed and come with some decent extras. Copying Fortnitemares from last year, Ash Williams finds himself in the shooter. He comes with a loading screen, pro-weapon type shotgun, a chainsaw charm, sticker and more. What I like most about him is how vocal he is, commenting on things you do in a match, often quite profane, even dropping the F-bomb. There are two skins of characters from the Diablo series, a cool pumpkin headed skin that comes with a bunch of COD points, a skin from the Hellsing anime, and an amazing looking Skeletor from He-Man! Most useful is a paranormal investigator that comes with a gun attachment that automatically sucks in souls, rather than having to go and collect them from people you kill.
Winner: Fortnite
Overall Winner: Call of Duty
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