FragPunk First Look: A Hero Shooter Where Chaos Meets Strategy

Going into FragPunk , I’ll admit I had almost no experience in the Hero Shooter genre. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I think games in the genre are bad or that I’m somehow above them. I just never got around to playing Overwatch when it was at its peak, and the whole genre just kind of slipped by me.

CGM participated in the closed alpha for FragPunk and might’ve been a better place to start than any, not only because it applies the basic concepts of a 5v5 Hero Shooter well enough for even newbies like myself to understand but also because it implements a unique form of gameplay that shakes up the genre’s formula in a way few games have.

I’ll cut straight to the chase with FragPunk because its main selling feature is really the thing worth talking about. FragPunk’s main gimmick is the “Shard Cards,” special cards you get in between games that will alter the “rules” of each match. These can range from starting a match with more ammo or having an AI companion added to your team to full arena-altering effects like covering the entire battlefield in ice.

Between matches, players can vote for which cards they want to bring into the next match; however, their ability to vote is based on how well they performed in the previous match. The better you perform, the more votes you get to put on a card. Therefore, there’s an incentive to think carefully not only about which card you might want to bring into battle but also how you manoeuvre through each battle to give yourself a competitive edge.

“FragPunk’s fast-paced matches, combined with the random nature of the Shard Cards, really create an atmosphere of variety and replayability.”

FragPunk’s fast-paced matches, combined with the random nature of the Shard Cards, really create an atmosphere of variety and replayability since, depending on what cards you or your opponents pull, no two games will ever be the same. Players will constantly have to adapt to every situation, which can result in some really unique games and some really impressive wins.

Even after getting just a small taste of it, the system proved incredibly interesting. While the theme of bending the rules exists within FragPunk on a macro level, the sense of experimentation and adaptability extends throughout the entire game. One way FragPunk incentivizes players to perform well during rounds is through its… intriguing weapon system.

Players can choose their loadout at the start of matches; however, weapons have limited uses and losses with a weapon can result in players being restricted from using it until the round is over. While it may seem somewhat counterintuitive, it adds a certain depth to the game’s chaotic, punk aesthetic. However, this system is counterbalanced by FragPunk’s Lancers, who, while functionally similar, all have unique traits and abilities that separate them from each other.

“FragPunk looks to be shaping up to be one of the more interesting Hero Shooters to be released.”

I found myself really enjoying the character Hollowpoint. She positions herself as a more technical, long-range character able to create smokescreens to track opponents and set traps that also mark them on the screen. Her special was a high-powered electric sniper rifle that, while charging, would reveal enemies, making them easy targets.

Even after losing a match and, subsequently, the ability to use the only sniper rifle available as a main weapon, being forced to use short- to mid-range weapons didn’t feel like a significant disadvantage. This was because the character’s special abilities still provided long-range capabilities. However, since the game promotes experimentation, losing access to a certain weapon incentivizes players to try different Lancers and utilize their unique abilities.

Even aesthetically, FragPunk manages to capture the feeling of frenetic, chaotic energy with interesting arenas that are both beautifully detailed and catastrophically fractured. It utilizes a semi-cel-shaded aesthetic with bright neon particle effects to give the whole thing a comic-book vibe that really adds to the feel of the game.

It’s still early, but FragPunk looks to be shaping up to be one of the more interesting Hero Shooters to be released. It cuts out some of the more intensive elements of games like Team Fortress 2 or even Overwatch , like character roles and team balance, and creates a shooter that is fast-paced, hectic and fun. While approachable, it maintains a certain degree of technicality that team-based shooter fans will love.
While no exact release date has been given to FragPunk players can look forward to playing it sometime in 2025.