Hit the Road was a welcome addition to the summer. It is a very laid back and chill mode, that really fits in well with that relaxed summer vibe. I was a big fan of similar game modes in other games such as Extraction in Star Wars Battlefront I. Where the former is PVE, the latter was PVP. It was a different style of game but the same concept of game mode.
Both games have you defend a moving objective against an enemy hell bent on trying to stop or eliminate it, while it traveled on a linear path from one location to the next. In this case, a hover-truck, complete with a mobile storm defense shield. You escort a few different select members of the cast that make pit stops at various places of lore while traveling to the Radio Station as it's final destination.
Each week we were blessed with new musings from members of the Save the World cast of characters, starting with Quinn's Song of the Summer, that allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of their lore. It offered fresh narratives that kept it entertaining.
My only complaint about the dialogue is that while I love the storyline, I wish there were more of it. More lines, longer lines or both. I would also love the ability to replay dialogue at some point after the mission is over just in case I missed it in the heat of the moment.
The mode wasn't the kind of mode I would normally sit and grind all day long in but I found myself coming back to it a few times each week. Which kept it more fresh for me. It was a nice option to have along with the rest of the usual lineup. After a while though it got to be a bit repetitive, seeing the same few random stops over and over. I'd like to see some more added in the future.
One missed aspect of it all was adding new challenges to the content on a weekly basis. Instead of just new dialogue. I loved the weekly challenges that came with other events like Frostnite. That would have given us something new to try each week and helped keep it more appealing for a longer period of time.
It came with it's own specific set of unique challenges and banners as events in the past have done. Including the Spotless Finish banner for beating Hit the Road without the truck taking any damage. Also the Impossibly Spotless Finish banner for beating Hit the Road without the truck taking any damage during a Power Level 140 mission.
We got to learn more about the characters Crackshot and The Cloaked Star. Both very unique characters to the Fortnite universe who I would love to learn more about. We heard from Penny and Quinn on multiple treks. By the last week of Beat Bot's quest, we had the option of earning a limited edition loading screen custom to Hit the Road and Save the World. Giving you a glimpse into some of what they are working on week to week.
Again my only gripe is that we don't get to learn MORE about Crackshot, Quinn, The Cloaked Star, etc. Also what about all the other rich characters in the Fortnite universe? I hope this is only the beginning in terms of the future of character development being added into the game.
All in all I had a lot of fun with the Hit the Road game mode. It was easy and felt rewarding to do with a team of well coordinated individuals. Even more so when you tactically set up your groups into specific roles or jobs to do. Probably not so easy to do with a bunch of randoms but I don't find any coordinated tasks to be easy with a group of randoms in anything in life. Especially co-op video games. Illustrating and highlighting the importance of true social interaction within todays day and age of online gaming.
I hope we continue to get new game modes in the future but also bring back game modes from the past. All at once, if possible. Like an amusement park of sorts, where you get to choose which ride you want to ride, when you want to ride it. Past events like Challenge the Horde & Frostnite are some fan favorites. This mode would compliment those other game modes well.