Is FragPunk Better Than Valorant?

When Fragpunk was first made available for gamers during the alpha and beta, many wondered whether it was a Valorant clone. Fortunately, the game has a unique gameplay twist that makes it different from all other games of the genre.

The basic premise is similar to other FPS shooters, but Fragpunk stands out thanks to some creative gameplay decisions. The Shard Cards system resembles a roguelike, making every game feel fresh and different, though it’s very different from the more straightforward approach Riot’s Valorant takes.

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Gameplay

Fragpunk

Valorant is a typical shooter game where you use your agent’s abilities and knowledge of maps to defeat opponents. While the game is great and fun, some parts can get a bit monotonous. Riot tries to overcome that by releasing new agents that bring new abilities and variety to the game. This is no way to knock on Valorant, as the game has a successful formula that works for fans. However, there isn’t much to discover once you’ve tried every map and agent in the game.

Fragpunk has a significantly different outlook on gameplay. The game has a unique set of items called Shard Cards. These cards are unpredictable and add a mysterious element to the gameplay. A Shard Card is selected at the beginning of each round, and it decides how you’ll proceed. You can pull a card that reduces the overall round’s timer by 30 seconds in one round, then pull another that adds two combat bots to your team in the next one. The cards require you and your teammates to adjust your strategy on the fly, keeping things more dynamic.

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Performance

Valorant

Fragpunk is the newer game, so certain issues like crashes and black screens are to be expected. Fortunately, the alpha and beta periods helped the developer spot and fix most problems, thanks to which the game performs decently. Those that made it through the cracks will likely be ironed out with subsequent patches and updates. The only cause for concern is the ping-related issue, where players reportedly have higher ping than they should, which delays hit registration.

On the other hand, Valorant’s overall performance and optimization are excellent. The game has been around for a while, and Riot ensures any occasional issues are quickly dealt with. The game’s reputation as a leading esports game demands that the game is free of any exploitable glitches or performance issues, and the studio’s goal to make the game more accessible ensures the minimum requirements aren’t too high.

7

Characters

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Fragpunk’s lancers and Valorant’s agents both have unique abilities and gameplay styles you can use in your mission to win. While Valorant’s agents have been called out multiple times for being overpowered and have subsequently been nerfed to make the gameplay more balanced, Fragpunk’s lancers haven’t gotten the time to settle in yet. Remember, agents like Jett and Neon were considered broken when they came out before getting nerfed, and the same may happen here.

As for abilities, both games are fairly similar. You have characters who specialize in healing, recon, dealing damage, and more. Their usefulness depends on how you use their abilities or utility, and while Fragpunk’s lancers are flashy and fashionable, some may prefer Valorant’s more tactical and low-key character designs. Of course, some agents like Clove, Reyna, and Phoenix are exceptions to this.

6

Price

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Both shooter games are free to play, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any costs associated with them. Fragpunk and Valorant offer in-game cosmetics that can be purchased with real money. Lancers and agents can be earned using in-game currency or by completing tasks, but other things like premium battle passes will require you to spend money.

While Fragpunk’s multiple types of currencies may be a cause for concern when you launch the game, most are used for events or buying cosmetics. The primary exception to this is Gold, which is used to unlock Relics, which are buffs similar to Shard Cards. Although some may argue this adds a pay-to-win mechanic, the currency is also acquirable through completing in-game activities.

5

Accessibility

Valorant

Valorant is known for being considerably accessible for gamers who are hard of hearing. The game relies more on visual cues and less on auditory cues. Additionally, the game’s minimum requirements are on the lower side, thanks to which more players can play it without facing many FPS drops. While it likely won’t give the same experience as consoles or PC, Valorant’s upcoming mobile version will make the game much more accessible.

Fragpunk offers a more dynamic playing style, which can be attractive to some gamers. However, the game’s minimum requirements are comparatively higher, which can be because of the more flashy gameplay and colors. Those who want to play Fragpunk without performance issues may require a decent PC.

4

Platforms

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Fragpunk and Valorant both work on most of the same platforms. Both games are available for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5, making the game easily playable as long as you have a PC or current-gen console. In addition, both games offer crossplay and cross-progression, so you can play with players who own different platforms, and your progress will sync across all platforms you own.

One significant advantage Fragpunk offers is that it works on Linux out of the box. While Valorant can work on Linux, the game doesn’t offer the support natively. You would need to use alternative means to get it to work. Valorant makes up for this by Riot’s effort to release the game on mobile devices.

3

Maps

Fragpunk

The map locations in both of the games offer different advantages and disadvantages. However, Fragpunk’s Shard Cards can make the maps more unpredictable. You can pull a card that changes the map’s weather or makes the ground icy. The possibilities are endless. This is why it’s harder for you to adjust to a map in Fragpunk and win easily.

Valorant prides itself on being a top esports game that’s played competitively worldwide. Thanks to this, factors like RNG and unpredictability can cause issues, requiring the game to have static and predictable maps. While this is good from a competitive standpoint, maps can quickly get boring since the only changes come in the form of patches.

2

Customization

Fragpunk

Both games allow you to customize the crosshair’s shape, size, and color. Although Riot’s heavy emphasis on skins ensures players have extremely attractive cosmetics they can purchase and equip, Fragpunk has the competitive hero-shooter beat when it comes to cosmetics.

Although both games have weapon skins, the simple fact that Fragpunk’s lancers also have a range of creative skins you can buy makes it win on the customization front. Fragpunk takes a page out of Call of Duty’s book by letting you unlock and use a range of skins for every playable character in the game. Valorant, however, refrains from this, likely to ensure there isn’t any confusion in competitive play. Imagine trying to 1v1 someone without being sure of what agent they’re using.

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The Verdict

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It’s difficult to pick the best from Fragpunk and Valorant. The games have many similarities. This isn’t a surprise, as Fragpunk uses other shooter games as inspiration and borrows elements from them. However, it has unique things that set it apart from the competition.

Simply put, Valorant is a better choice if you prefer the competitiveness the game offers. On the other hand, Fragpunk should be the one you choose if you want to play as a casual gamer and don’t want to get too serious.