FragPunk preview: Cards, chaos, and gunplay
FragPunk is yet another addition to the 5v5 hero shooter genre, and previewing this was interesting at the very least. The game is an embodiment of chaos, gunplay, and abilities. Too many abilities, at some points, and I am not sure if that is an aspect that I absolutely enjoy or completely detest. To put it in simpler terms, FragPunk feels like Apex Legends and Valorant had a child that Counter-Strike raised.
Does that intrigue (or perhaps repel) you? A "cyberpunk" themed FPS was the last thing I had imagined this year. Now that I think about it, the idea is not too farfetched. While I can attest that the cyberpunk theme does add up here, I was somewhat skeptical to see how the gunplay feels. The answer to this needs some discussion, which I will cover in later parts of this article.
If you are looking for a fun and chaotic hero shooter with a competitive FPS flair, FragPunk will not disappoint you. Keep reading this preview to learn more about what my initial thoughts are about this game.
FragPunk's unique approach is a fresh take that is genuinely fun to explore
Shard Cards are here to punk you
The most unique thing about FragPunk is its very fun card-selection system. A card-selection system in a hero-shooter game? I had the same question and I warmed up rather quickly to the feature owing to how hilarious they can be. These Shard Cards are like buffs that you can apply to your team or debuffs you can impose on the enemy team. In short, they can potentially change how an entire round is played.
Want to make your opponent's heads bigger? There's a card for that. Want to increase your firepower or magazine size? Easy, done. Want to cancel out an entire plant site? Yeah, doable! It's pure insanity, with how fun and unique these cards are. The cards you get are randomly selected, but some form of hilarious encounter awaits you every round.
Also read: When does FragPunk Closed Beta end?
A fast-paced game with plenty of chaos
FragPunk is a fast-paced game. Running around feels smooth, even while carrying weapons. Pair this with the plethora of abilities, and you have the recipe for utter chaos. When you contest a site for either attacking or retakes, your screen is nothing short of a color-burst. Abilities (and often players) flying everywhere, trying to dump every ounce of their kit at you.
The sites are generally small, and some crucial chokepoints see a lot of action. Added to the verticality of the maps, there are a lot of strategic plays that can be made. You can play for post-plant angles or even hold off with abilities. Synergizing with other players makes it a lot more fun, although you can also just run around doing crazy solo antics with Zephyr.
Gunplay is smooth, responsive, and feels just right
This is my favorite part, FragPunk has beautiful gunplay mechanics. You can buy each weapon exactly once throughout the entire match. If you buy a sniper on round 2 (yes it's doable, I did it and it was fun) and then you die, you will not be able to buy that weapon yourself for the entirety of the match.
However, there's a lotto system that gacha enthusiasts will enjoy. Every round, you can spin the lotto wheel to get a random gun. This can be anything, from a pistol to the revered sniper. Your teammates can also buy the weapons for you, although the same one-time buy restriction applies to them.
ADS (aim down sight) mechanic is heavily favored here, and the guns have a decent accuracy. There's recoil, obviously, but you can manage it in most cases. Damages for some weapons can be changed up a bit, like the sniper which needs a damage falloff, and the vector which needs to deal out lesser damage. However, these are minor issues that will probably be taken care of with more data.
Read more: FragPunk Jack O Lantern event: All rewards and how to unlock
FragPunk takes up considerable resources
As I already mentioned, the game is colorful, vibrant, and chaotic with abilities popping up everywhere. As such, the game can get laggy and face stutters if your device is not at least mid-tier. On my 3060Ti and 12th generation i5, I faced no stutters, but my friend who was playing on lower specifications (Ryzen 5 3550H paired with GTX 1650) faced stutters at some points.
The game's audio is fun, and the interactions and voice lines are quirky. These reflect the overall feel of the game extremely well, and I have no major complaints about any of these aspects.
In conclusion
FragPunk is a refreshing addition to the overpopulated hero-shooter genre. With the unique card system, the element of unpredictability is what truly sets the game apart. Even if you are a strategic mastermind, this mechanic can make or break an entire match, if not rounds.
While the game is resource-intensive, its smooth gunplay and overall design are visually appealing enough to compensate for it. If you are looking for a fun and competitive FPS with that cyberpunk flair, FragPunk and its fresh take on this genre is worth checking out.
For more news on this game, keep an eye out on Sportskeeda's FragPunk hub.