TechRadar Verdict
Fragpunk isnt perfect, but its still a lot of fun.
In the crowded competitive shooter market,Fragpunkis a breath of fresh air.
Sides swap at half time, with the first team to win four rounds crowned the victor.
So far nothing special, but developer Bad Guitar Studiomixes things up through its marquee addition: Shard Cards.
These are powerful buffs that can fundamentally change how each game plays out.
In the standard Shard Clash mode, both teams are offered a selection of three random cards between rounds.
The effects of each shard card vary massively, opening the door to loads of exciting gameplay possibilities.
Is this the kind of randomness that you would want to decide a tight competitive match?
Absolutely not, but its a blast if youre not taking things seriously.
Who needs balance, anyway?
If the Shard Cards werent enough,Fragpunkalso features thirteen hero-like Lancers with their own special abilities.
The Shard Cards are definitely the best part ofFragpunk.
Unfortunately, the Lancers do bring the games dire monetization to the fore.
Some of the strongest characters are locked behind this paywall, which leaves a bit of a sour taste.
Theres practically no reason not to use them, as they excel at seemingly any range.
Still, this could be easily remedied with a few patches.
Less simple to fix are the arcade modes, which are generally poor.
Should I play Fragpunk?
This makes it a good casual alternative to the likes ofCounter-Strike 2orValorant.
You enjoy silly abilitiesIf you love experimenting with weird and wonderful abilities, thenFragpunkis for you.
There are loads of Lancers to try, plus a huge number of impactful Shard Cards.
Matches can be dictated by cards entirely outside of your control and many Lancers are very unbalanced.
You want to live the side modesThe selection of Arcade modes in Fragpunk is a letdown.
If youre looking for that kind of experience, youre better off with the likes ofOverwatch 2.
Accessibility
There are few accessibility features inFragpunkand no dedicated accessibility menu.
The game can be played with either keyboard and mouse or a controller.
I relied on anAsus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Editionmouse, plus an Endgame Gear KB65HE keyboard.
For display output, I used a Sony Inzone M9 II monitor.
