These days, it takes a lot to make an online shooter stand out. Just ask Concord. But FragPunk's Shard card system seems to be the twist needed to ensure it stands out above the rest.
The game was revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in June, but is currently slated for release next year on Xbox Series X/S and PC. It actually had an alpha test on Steam in June, and a new beta is planned for October to give more players the chance to try it out.
If anything, FragPunk has the most in common with Valorant. Like Riot's shooter, it's a free-to-play five-on-five shooter where teams take turns attacking and defending – the goal is to plant a bomb on the enemy base or prevent them from doing so.
I had the chance to try out developer Bad Guitar’s game at Gamescom. Players choose from 10 heroes, each with unique abilities. Pathojen, for example, has healing and poison abilities, while assassin Zephyr has invisibility and teleportation skills, Jaguar can deploy electric shock traps, and Axon wields an electric guitar (likely a nod to the developer’s name). Visually, there are some very interesting designs, even if the character roster doesn’t have the same diversity as, say, Apex Legends. It’s unclear what backstory, if any, the heroes will have.
There are also a plethora of weapons to choose from (shotguns, submachine guns, rifles, pistols, and daggers for melee attacks) that are standard for shooters, along with cosmetic options for both characters and weapons.
But it's the card system that brings a much-needed twist. Teams can have up to three active shard cards each round, which are chosen by voting using tokens. Some cards also offer enhanced effects the more tokens are allocated (e.g., stronger health regeneration). Cards are drawn randomly at the start of a round, but can also be drawn again by spending tokens, earned by completing rounds.
So what do the cards do? Most are used to buff your own team – providing extra ammo, health regeneration, or revealing enemies on the map. Some can affect the entire battlefield, whether through long-lasting fog, lower gravity, or altering the length of the match. Others are more fun, like giving your opponents big heads (a la Goldeneye) to make it easier to land headshots on them.
Using these quirky cards can be game-changing. Plus, it’s possible to combine cards with each other and with hero powers. Maybe you add fog to the level, but then pick a card that lights up enemy footprints to easily stalk them, for example. The previous alpha had 70 cards, so there are plenty to choose from, and they’re gradually unlocked as the game progresses. It remains to be seen how balanced the cards are, especially as an extra layer beyond heroes and weapons, but the developer told me there are counters to many effects — at least if players vote smartly.
It's clear that the card system adds strategy and unpredictability to each round. It's a lot of fun, but there's also longevity thanks to its random nature, which is only enhanced by the game's battle pass, which will only include cosmetic items.
What also surprised me is how fast-paced it is. Running, aiming, and shooting were all fluid and snappy, and I quickly found myself headshotting opponents with ease (even if they were AI). Plus, rounds can be completed in under a couple of minutes, and each best-of-seven match, according to the developer’s estimates, will last around 20 minutes at most. So even if players find themselves at the mercy of an odd card loadout, it won’t be long before the tables are turned.
What’s unclear is FragPunk’s intended audience. With its fast pace, bright colours and quirky, over-the-top effects, it will be popular with a more casual audience, but its Valorant-style structure seems primed for esports. Maybe Bad Guitar really is aiming for both – in fact, there’s a standalone casual Deathmatch mode for players looking for a more relaxed experience.
With titles like Overwatch falling in popularity, Sony’s Concord failing to reach an audience, and titans like Apex Legends and Valorant continuing to captivate players, it’s a tricky time for a developer releasing a brand-new online shooter. And FragPunk has its latest competitor in Valve’s recently revealed Deadlock. But its unique card system could be the upgrade players need to wean themselves off their favorites — if Bad Guitar can get the balance right.