FragPunk

Fragpunk's bold decision to break almost every rule in the book leads to a captivating shooter.

What do you picture when you hear the word “punk?” Is it someone wearing bright and outlandish clothing, or could it be someone being loud and challenging the status quo? However you interpret the word, that’s what NetEase’s latest tactical shooter, Fragpunk, is in many ways.

FragPunk takes the tactical squad FPS in some strange and fun new directions, anchored by its fascinating and frequently chaos-inducing Shard Cards, but it's hurt by an overly complex web of in-game currencies and unremarkable cosmetics.

If you want a break from Valorant, Bad Guitar Studio's FragPunk is an entertaining distraction. Just don't count on the same level of tactical depth.

FragPunk is the video game equivalent of a picture you put on the wall that looks nice at a glance, but never quite seems to balance right. The latest multiplayer game from NetEase following Marvel Rivals' launch in December 2024 works hard to give itself a strong identity, with a punk attitude it pulls off more effectively than Ubisoft's XDefiant ever did, a striking visual direction, and a unique card-based power-up system that adds a welcome layer of strategy to each match. Or, it would do, if FragPunk didn't undermine itself.

Fragpunk isn’t perfect, but it’s still a lot of fun. The game-changing Shard Cards and unbalanced Lancer abilities are a blast in a casual setting, but its poor side modes and lack of competitive appeal mean that it might be a short-lived thrill.