The inspiration behind Fragpunk is an incident many of us are all too familiar with: the dreaded shattered phone screen. The jagged fragments of neon colors spreading across the broken glass not only embodied the rebellious vibe and dystopian essence that Fragpunk sought to portray but also acted as a symbol for a much deeper metaphor. Our entire daily lives revolve around that single device, so a fractured screen evokes a broken world, offering us varying and often parallel perspectives of reality.
Enter the Shardverse, the realm where Fragpunk unfolds. This world has been torn apart by a mysterious element known as Glunite, endowing ordinary folks from alternate realities with extraordinary abilities, yet shackling them to this supernatural substance for survival. These individuals, now known as mercenaries or “Lancers,” battle across various Shards, in pursuit of this precious Glunite.
With each round in Fragpunk, players receive Shard Cards, allowing Lancers to manipulate the battlefield for their gain or their opponents’ disadvantage. These cards range from whimsical, like turning on a big head mode for opponents, to game-altering, such as creating portals to an alternate map version, effectively doubling the playing space. In this way, Fragpunk’s multiverse isn’t merely an aesthetic, but a crucial chunk of the gameplay.
Narrative director Fu Wenhe from Bad Guitar Studio captures the unique allure of Fragpunk, stating, “Our game thrives on the notion that no two rounds are ever the same. We achieve this through our adherence to bending rules and challenging norms through our art, narrative, and gameplay.”
The global inspiration behind Fragpunk cannot be overstated. As Fu mentions, “Our vision was to craft a game that resonates with players worldwide, drawing heavily from global mainstream media.” The mixed 2D and 3D art style owes its inspiration to the Spider-Verse movies, yet it’s more than just an artistic nod.
Despite each character coming from contrasting universes, the Spider-Verse concept hinges on the harmony they share with their world and fellow cast. Fragpunk aspires to create a world that feels both novel and instantly understandable through a narrative-focused approach to each character’s inclusion.
Li Yiming, the game’s art director, elaborates: “Our aim is a uniformity across characters, respecting their individuality while maintaining a consistent artistic identity.” Fragpunk began with a set lore, but as Fu notes, this lore is ever-evolving, enhancing the world-building and character development in collaboration between narrative and art teams.
The maps and environments in Fragpunk play a pivotal role, serving not only as backdrops but as tangible manifestations of the game’s parallel realities. Fu describes their collaborative process: “We set thematic backdrops and lore, providing the map designers with creative freedom. Once the design is ready, we ensure it syncs with the lore and players can navigate it easily.”
Huang Jingsi, a narrative designer, adds, “It was crucial to not just align with our lore but also create intuitive map callouts for players.”
In the landscape of hero shooters and live services, where fresh characters, maps, and seasonal events are essentials, Fragpunk’s multiverse offers a practical edge. Fu explains that the Shardverse allows for diverse in-game experiences like featuring elements from a character’s story, whether it be their past or future, thereby adding depth.
Skin diversity reflects this too, as Li clarifies how lower ranked skins might tweak colors while higher ranked ones would present surprising transformations highlighting key narrative moments.
Bad Guitar’s roadmap for Fragpunk is ambitious. They aim to enrich and diversify the lore through various media, including digital graphic novels and animations. “We’re open to exploring all media types to weave our game’s story,” Fu affirms. This multifaceted storytelling approach promises to enhance player engagement, both in and out of the game.
For those keen on gameplay details and insights into Fragpunk’s all-encompassing shooter experience, our preview and discussion with Bad Guitar’s creative director, Xin Chang, is worth a read.
Fragpunk is slated to launch on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store on March 6th. Console versions for PlayStation and Xbox are on the horizon, though their release will follow at a later date.
