FragPunk Review (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, & PC)

The hero shooter gaming genre has been hard to penetrate. Even with new games launching into the space, they struggle to compete with the OGs. 2016’s Overwatch still holds the top-spot among the best hero shooters. Meanwhile, 2019’s Apex Legends and 2020’s Valorant have tried to carve out a niche path for themselves. Yet across the board, the gameplay remains largely the same. Hardly any new changes have destabilized the genre enough to usher in a new dominant force in the market. Well, except 2024’s Marvel Rivals that knocked it out of the park. 

Enter FragPunk, the newest hero shooter in town, bold enough to make a play for the best hero shooter game of today. While its core gameplay can be a lot similar to Valorant, and perhaps tactical FPS Counter-Strike, there’s a new change that’s pretty hard to miss. It’s a gameplay system called Shard cards, which you choose before every match. Depending on your chosen Shard cards, you can modify the match in your favor. 

From completely silly moves like enlarging your opponents’ heads to make perfect headshots to tactical ones like reviving teammates, Shard cards can become significant game changers on the battlefield. But just how impactful are Shard cards in setting FragPunk apart from the competition? Does the relatively unique way of playing hero shooters propel the game high enough to topple over the competition? Let’s find out in our FragPunk review below. 

Housekeeping

Although FragPunk is primed to launch on the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, the console versions have been delayed for unknown reasons. So, for now, you have to access the game on PC with a controller or mouse and keyboard. Do note, though, that there is no aim-assist. So, controller players may struggle a bit to get used to the controls.

Mouse and keyboard players, though, should have it easier as it’s usually the norm to play shooters without aim assist. I’m unsure if the lack of aim-assist is because of the delayed console release. Either way, the issue has been raised, and the developers are likely working on rebalancing it.

Also, FragPunk is free-to-play. So, there’s nothing barring you from booting up a new match right now. But just be prepared to be persuaded to buy stuff with real money. In fact, it’s the source of many negative complaints FragPunk has received post-launch. Gamers are frustrated by the intense monetization.

There are nine different currencies for starters. Even more so are two different Battle Passes and two memberships. Were all these necessary to sustain the game? I understand free-to-play games still need to make money. Yet the monetization scheme is quite heavy handed.   

Upon booting up the game, you’re bombarded with lots of transaction screens. There’s information overload that can easily put you off. Not to mention that the ads are relayed to you even before you’ve had a chance to play the game. Unfortunately, it gets worse.

While you can access 13 Lancers (heroes) in FragPunk, the rest of the cast is locked away behind a paywall. You can grind your way to unlocking a new character. However, it apparently takes over 100 matches or 35 hours to unlock just one character, according to gamers.

At First Glance

Anyway, if you can get past the monetization hurdles, there’s a great game to be had in FragPunk. The main game mode is Shard Clash. It’s your typical offense versus defense match. Two teams of five players compete in neck-to-neck matches. The offense team plants a bomb and defends it until it explodes.

They can also kill every member of the opposing team to win. The defense team, on the other hand, well, defend themselves against attack while attempting to diffuse the bomb. It’s all straightforward, though there’s a practice mode if it all seems difficult to grasp. 

While characters have access to the same weapon loadout, each character has their unique perks and abilities. You have Lancers who thrive in Healer roles, others in Tank, Offense, Defense, and more. Each Lancer has a unique personality drawing you to them. You truly feel like you’re controlling a unique hero who you can match to your taste and style.

The weapons, too, are pretty “punk.” Plus, you can slap silly stickers on any part of the weapon to truly make them your own. 

But, perhaps the most notable aspects are the graphics and sound. FragPunk doubles down on vibrant color, ensuring every map is oozing with charm and personality. Environments stand out instantly, with a sense of delight. Even the visual effects are bright, including kill effects that explode characters into fireworks.

Despite the often chaotic explosions, levels remain defined. You can spot enemies easily and maneuver around corners to sneak up on them. Meanwhile, FragPunk uses a thumping soundtrack that electrifies the matches and keeps the adrenaline flowing.

Steal the Show

It’s the Shard cards that have sparked the most chatter in the gaming community. So, let’s get to it. They are your usual cards. However, you have to unlock them gradually by winning Shard points in Ranked matches. There are hundreds of Shard cards available. So, pretty long way to go before you unlock them all. And trust me, you’ll have the incentive to track all of them down. 

See, the Shard Cards are drawn randomly from your team’s decks. Only three Shard cards are drawn before each match. Based on your Shard points, you vote on the cards you would like to take to battle. Every Shard card is unique, and their effects are not to be ignored.

So, you have to consider them wisely. Their powers are wide-ranging, from situational card picks to tipping the scales drastically in your favor. 

Some of the high-tier Shard cards to keep an eye out on include Alert for sensing nearby enemies, Superhuman for increasing healing, speed, and damage reduction, Foot Dragging for reducing enemy movement speed, Swift Support for teleporting to a teammate’s side, among many more. Some are comical like enlarging enemies’ heads. Others are devious like instigating heavy rain or enveloping the map in fog. 

Many Ways to Skin a Cat

As you can imagine, the Shard cards give you near-limitless ways of turning the tide in your favor. Since you can choose the cards at the beginning of every match, you constantly alter the rules of the game. It means every match is different, whether it’s gaining an advantage over the opponent or having to change your tactical plan to accommodate the enemy’s Shard cards. 

It’s quite the game changing feature that propels FragPunk to the top. Barring the microtransactions issue, FragPunk could have really taken the hero shooter market space by storm. Ultimately, the gameplay, having followed the core of giants like Valorant, feels snappy and fun. Matches are quick, giving you less than three minutes to prove your worth. 

If some players get their hands on more powerful characters, though, it could be game over for struggling players. Not to mention the Shard points are attached to winning matches. Still, there are ten maps and other game modes, including Team Deathmatch and arcade-style matches. With the weekly rotations of the casual matches, the gameplay remains fresh and exciting. 

Unfortunately, there’s no telling whether FragPunk will be engaging enough to continue dominating the charts. The developers are keen to listen to community feedback. And since it’s only been a few days post-launch, it’s fair to give them time to fix the issues gamers have raised.

Verdict

FragPunk may have gotten off to a rocky start. However, it’s still managed to capture the attention of many. The Shard cards system, in particular, is game-changing. It drastically changes the rules of every match, whether to the offense or defense team’s advantage. 

There’s a lot of tactical play involved in choosing the best cards that will give you the upper hand. However, you cannot anticipate what ammunition the opposing team will bring. As a result, you’re always on high alert, anticipating the worst–in a good way. 

For this reason, every new match in FragPunk feels fresh and exciting. No longer does the seventh match in a row need to feel the same and repetitive. And with hundreds of Shard cards available, each with a unique game-altering ability, there’ll be limitless ways to outsmart the competition. 

Meanwhile, the core gameplay works seamlessly. The controls are tight and snappy. So is the movement between the vibrant and colorful maps. Some gamers have had issues with the movement speed, claiming it to be slower than the Beta. There’s also been a massive uproar concerning the heavy monetization. 

Despite being free-to-play, FragPunk bombards players with nine different currencies, two different Battle Passes, two memberships, and more. It’s all a bit too much, even though it seems to be the norm these days. Yet it’s still too early to completely write off FragPunk. At its core, there’s a fun game to be had here. If the developers can deliver content updates on the issues raised, FragPunk can redeem itself in the eyes of hero shooter fans.