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FragPunk is a new fast-paced 5v5 hero shooter from Bad Guitar Studios, a subsidiary of NetEase Games, with a unique shard card mechanic that aims to bend the rules of combat and offer something fresh on the shooter market.
Recently, I had the opportunity to play FragPunk's Alpha and can honestly say that this new visually stunning FPS title has left quite an impression on me.
FragPunk started to imprint on me from the moment I started playing the game, with its vivid colour scheme and art direction. The game is a unique amalgamation of Call of Duty and Valorant. While hero shooters usually start off with a higher learning curve, FragPunk is quite easy to grasp if you invest some time into the game.
After playing FragPunk's recent playtest, I was left stunned at how much the game managed to improve its initial state. The developers have managed to further improve the game's performance. Almost everything in the game, starting from the lancers to movement felt a lot smoother than the initial phase. Here's a detailed look of everything great about FragPunk:
FragPunk's Shard Card System
Let me begin with FragPunk's Shard Card system. This unique card system really looks like a great concept that could truly differentiate FragPunk from other shooters. To begin with, the Shard Cards make each round in FragPunk play differently. The game allows both teams to select their own set of Shard Cards before the round starts.
Shard cards come in three rarities: Rare (Blue), Epic (Purple), and Legendary (Gold). At the beginning of the round, the game draws three cards for players to choose from, with the rarer ones being drawn less often. The Shard Card draw probability is completely random, and it is not affected by player actions or the outcome of the previous round.
A few shard cards tweaked my interest. The first shard card I loved using was the Big Head shard card, which is very self-explanatory, it made the enemy heads big like we generally see on bobblehead figurines, allowing you to hit those headshots much easier.
The other one I liked was the Clear Path shard card. Coming from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Clear Path relieved my disgust towards doors at important chokepoints of the map. The Clear Path shard card got rid of all doors on the map, making movement during the round so much smoother and faster.
FragPunk's valiant Lancers
Moving on to FragPunk's most crucial gameplay factor, the Lancers. Lancers are the heroes in FragPunk endowed with unique abilities. The initial pool of Lancers caught our eye from the very beginning, thanks to their garish designs.
FragPunk's Lancers remain in their lane when compared to Valorant and Overwatch's heroes. From Healers to Tanks, FragPunk's Lancers match the tone of the game, making each gameplay session unique. I liked the direction Bad Guitar Studios has taken with the Lancers, making them stand out on their own in different gameplay situations.
The standout Lancer for me in FragPunk is Zephyr, who is hands down one of the most fun heroes to play in the game. If you're a fan of fast-paced action, Zephyr will compliment your playstyle more than the other Lancers. Zephyr's design is quite similar to Apex Legend's Wraith, and her abilities are comparable to Valorant's Reyna and Overwatch's Sombra.
I also liked Serket, a Lancer very much similar to Overwatch's Symmetra. Serket's ability allows players to place beacons at different points and quickly teleport at the press of a button. This ability also reminded me of Valorant's agent Chamber before his ability was nerfed to a single teleport beacon. Her abilities are suited for smart plays, so I think Serket will become an important part of the competitive Lancer composition.
FragPunk's Weapon Pool
FragPunk's weapon pool is quite good, with most weapons serving their purpose. There are three categories of weapons- primary, secondary, and Melee weapons.
The Primary Weapons in FragPunk are efficient, with minimal recoil patterns. There are 10 primary weapons in total, with six classes. The Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, and Shotguns were excellent in combat, especially Clampdown and Mad Dog SMGs, which were extremely efficient for mid to close range gunfights.
However, the Nevermind Assault Rifle is the best weapon to use for all situations in FragPunk with a manageable recoil pattern, best-in-class fire rate, and damage output.
During my gameplay sessions, I did find the LMGs to be a little weak compared to other weapons. However, considering the game is in the Closed Alpha phase, Bad Guitar Studios will surely make more adjustments to the game as it approaches its release date.
FragPunk's Map Design
FragPunk's map design is phenomenal, however, some maps featured too narrow chokepoints. While the narrow chokepoints force players to make smarter gameplay decisions, it also encourages camping. This is a negligible issue that is more or less present in most FPS titles out there. The art style of the maps in FragPunk can be described simply as Eye Candy as all of them are set in gorgeous locations with vibrant art style.
Conclusion
Bad Guitar Studios' decision to make FragPunk filled with colours is a major reason why this game felt different from other shooter titles out there.
FragPunk's art style reminded me of one of the major reasons why Valorant is as popular as it is. The gameplay reminded me of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and XDefiant, which is a major upside on its own.
The game's success will depend on a fair matchmaking system and a state-of-the-art net code structure. While I played FragPunk with a higher ping, the game felt smooth with no visible issues aside from the late hit registration.
The net code and hit registration felt miles better than Ubisoft's recent release, XDefiant. Hopefully, with the addition of more regional servers, FragPunk will feel much better.
While gimmicky shooters like Sony's Concord end up failing, FragPunk manages to excel for linear and unadulterated game design. However, the servers and the gameplay mechanics still need a little work, especially the movement speed needs a slight buff to make the game more lively.
If Bad Guitar Studios plans out proper changes with the seasonal updates, I see a future where FragPunk becomes a staple hero shooter, gaining its place beside mammoth titles such as Valorant and Overwatch.
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