WHAWAHRTT. With the limitations of digital text, that’s a pretty good reproduction of a record scratch. Of course, it has been a long time since classic records were a staple medium of auditory media. But, the record scratch is nonetheless a clichéd sound effect of manipulating time. Hey, at least it’s different than some guy yelling “Reverse! Reverse!,” although the “Cha Cha Slide” is still phenomenal. “Reverse” doesn’t quite fit what’s going on in Fortnite at the moment, however. While the beloved Chapter 2 has returned for about a month, it has for some reason been “remixed” with collaborations from various hip-hop artists (Get it, because remixed is a music term? Very apt.), giving the record scratch a connotation that represents more “Woah, something’s a little different” rather than “turning back time.”

Last year, for the majority of November, Fortnite held an approximately month-long season that drew record player numbers, with the reason for this being the return of the Chapter 1 map and loot pool, ie. the return of “OG Fortnite.” Following the success of the throwback season, Fortnite is undergoing another nostalgic mini-season, this year resurrecting Chapter 2, but with a twist. Collaborating with Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Eminem, and Juice WRLD, Fortnite has dropped new items and locations to the iconic Chapter 2 map, including “The Doggpound” point of interest, the “RG [rap god] Minigun,” and the Ice Spice skin. Each week of the season features a different artist, with Snoop Dogg’s collaboration beginning November 2, Eminem on November 7, Ice Spice on November 14, and Juice WRLD on November 21 for the final week. To end the season, players who log onto Fortnite any time from 1 AM on November 30 to 1 AM on December 1 will receive a Juice WRLD skin to honor the late rapper and his legacy.

All the not-so-little adjustments to the Chapter 2 experience in this season revive the reoccurring question of whether the season is “good,” and the answer to that, like always, depends on the opinion of the individual player. From the standpoint of bringing back Chapter 2 for nostalgia’s sake, of course this month’s mini-season is going to seem a bit disrespectful to the original content. But, from the perspective of a broader Fortnite history, the answer is a bit more complicated than the degree to which the new season adheres to the old material. Fortnite is undoubtedly used to collaborating with various pop culture icons, real and fictional, ranging from Lady Gaga to Thanos. That makes this season not too out of the ordinary regarding Fortnite’s past, which ultimately allows the season to be perceived, like most seasons, ambiguously.

Putting aside all the caveats of game balance, the “Chapter 2: Remix” season is by no means a dumpster fire, but it can be seen differently depending on the lens of the opinion-giver. As a love letter to Fortnite’s past? No, this season definitely won’t pass a thorough inspection. But, as a novel Fortnite season, “Chapter 2: Remix” is not incompatible with the nature of Fortnite. While it isn’t a perfect reversal of the clock to a better era, the remixed Chapter 2 is nothing short of something worth at least checking out.