Epic Games' New PvE Title Fuses Lego, Helldivers

Long before Fortnite dominated as a battle royale title, Epic Games' shooter debuted as a player-versus-environment experience, originally known as Save the World. In this mode, teams collaborated to fend off relentless zombie hordes.

Now, Fortnite revisits its origins with Lego Fortnite Expeditions, a new mission-driven PvE mode for up to four players that blends the existing Lego sandbox with the cooperative chaos of PlayStation's hit Helldivers.

In Expeditions, players depart from the Academy hub, selecting from a variety of combat missions across three distinct locations. Completing missions advances global Team Projects, unlocking buffs for all participants and new mission types. Players can also relax at the Academy and accept Assignments from various Fortnite characters.

Expeditions launches with three map biomes and three upgradeable hero classes. The Shadow Caller can fly and unleash ranged explosive attacks or shift into Shadow Form to evade danger. The Hunter wields the Bull's-eye Blade, a mark that amplifies damage and improves attack accuracy for the entire squad. Meanwhile, the Rift Ripper can teleport across the battlefield, fire rift crystals, and empower other classes.

Epic Games intends Expeditions to become a permanent fixture in Fortnite, marking the third major Lego experience following the survival-based Lego Odyssey and the life-simulation Lego Brick Life. Unlike these standalone modes, Expeditions integrates the central theme and primary antagonist from Fortnite's ongoing Battle Royale storyline.

At launch, players will confront Mask Maker Daigo and his minions while allying with heroes from the Battle Royale narrative, including fan-favorites like Jonesy and Hope. The mode's trailer also features the current season's "Super" branding and its headline crossover character, Superman. This suggests Expeditions may evolve to reflect future Battle Royale season themes.

Fortnite is currently deep into its new superhero season, which launched after the dramatic destruction of the Star Wars Death Star. This week is packed with updates, including the new 32-player Blitz Royale mode, designed for fast-paced matches on mobile devices. Both Blitz Royale and Lego Fortnite Expeditions release on June 18.