Shatterline an intriguing blend of PvP and PvE modes, memorable characters, and solid gunplay, Shatterline is carving out its niche in the crowded FPS landscape.
Shatterline came out in September as a free-to-play shooter developed by Frag Lab. The studio may not be well-known yet, but it’s clear that they put a lot of love and work into their first big project. Shatterline attempted to strike a balance between competitive 6v6 PvP and cooperative PvE modes. This is a style of gameplay that many shooters use but not many master.
Shatterline is slowly building a loyal fan base with regular updates and a battle pass system that changes over time. Shatterline looks good and plays well. Shatterline takes place in a dark, post-apocalyptic world that has been covered in a glass-like substance by alien bioweapons. You play as “immune” agents who are fighting infected enemies called Glassheads or Wyomingites.
The story is told through comic-style cutscenes and briefing videos that explain the purpose of each mission, but the overall narrative feels somewhat disjointed. It’s a bit of a challenge to piece together the plot because many of the story’s elements are scattered across external sources or optional media, and the main bad guys don’t appear until late in the campaign.
Even so, the idea behind the world-building is interesting: an Earth that has been destroyed by alien bio-glass, and only a few agents have the immunity and special skills to stop the threat. From the explosive expert Mongoose to the healer Malva and the speedster Strix, each character has their own style and story that makes Shatterline more interesting.
At its core, Shatterline has two game modes: “Versus” for PvP and “Roguelike Co-op” for PvE. In the PvP mode, which is a classic 6v6 shooter, each team chooses an agent from a list of characters, each with their own abilities, ultimate moves, and set weapons. You can play standard game modes like Team Deathmatch and the popular Hardpoint-like mode Conquest, which focuses on teamwork and objective control.
When you play the PvE mode, you take part in three-player co-op runs with randomly assigned tasks and waves of enemies that get harder. Supply drops between objectives give you new weapons or skills, but staying too long makes enemies stronger through a tension meter, so it’s important to manage your time well.
Shatterline‘s combat is fast-paced and fun, combining standard shooter elements with abilities that are unique to each character. Each agent has a unique ultimate skill that can change the course of the battle.
For instance, the Mongoose excels at dealing large-scale damage with grenades and a grenade launcher, while the Kite is adept at setting up strategic traps with its remote proximity mines. In objective-based modes, Malva’s healing bubble shines brightly, which helps the team work together.
The PvP gunplay is mostly fair, but matchmaking issues can pair new players with veterans using more powerful, heavily customized weapons, which can feel unfair. Glassheads, who attack with melee, and Strafers, who attack from a distance, are the two types of PvE enemies, so players have to change how they play and what they bring with them.
But while the campaign’s boss fights look great, they aren’t very difficult. Scary enemies usually die in a matter of seconds, which makes the missions’ climaxes feel flat. Repeated mission goals, such as “standing on points” or “running and gunning,” also tend to make people less interested in the mission in the long term.
Shatterline‘s combat is strong because it features a diverse range of agents whose skills complement standard gunplay effectively. Characters that focus on healing, mobility, explosions, and stealth keep the game fresh and tactical. The roguelike element in PvE makes things less predictable and forces you to think strategically about how long to wait for gear versus how quickly you can move forward.
On the other hand, a tiered progression system that limits the number of weapons you can use in PvP can sometimes make things unfair. The fact that each character can only use a few predetermined and locked weapons makes it harder to customize your character. Also, there is no difference between new players and high-level veterans in the PvP mode, which can make matches frustrating.
The progression in Shatterline is similar to that in many modern shooters. Both characters and guns can get new weapons, attachments, and perks as you play more. However, early-game access to the whole arsenal is limited by weapon tiers. This means that new players have to spend a lot of time grinding Tier 1 gear before they can get to higher-tier weapons that often work better.
This system changes the way games are played by separating new players from experienced ones based on skill and power levels, which can prevent new players from trying new things without supervision. The XP grind makes you want to play the game over and over to get the best gear, but the experience could be better overall if Shatterline had better matchmaking or tier separation.
Shatterline looks great with environments that are both beautiful and dynamic, with lots of different details. Scenes with storms and lightning towers, as well as animated movie cutscenes, make Shatterline more realistic and polished. Some assets are used more than once due to the setup of the missions, but this is understandable and doesn’t detract from the overall experience.
Sharp and colorful character models and effects help each agent stand out, and the designs of the environments strike a good balance between post-apocalyptic grime and sci-fi style. The graphics work well on a variety of hardware, and even mid-range GPUs can handle high settings thanks to good optimization.
One of their other strengths is sound design. The voice acting is some of the best in single-player campaigns, and the fact that each agent has their own voice adds to the immersion. The sounds for abilities, gunfire, and explosions are clear and satisfying, which helps you stay aware of your surroundings.
The tense and sometimes creepy atmosphere is complemented by music and background noises that don’t interfere with the gameplay. The sound effects that accompany ultimate abilities and enemy attacks enhance the impact and feedback during fights.
Shatterline appears to be a fun, free-to-play shooter that effectively combines PvP and PvE gameplay. It also has a cool sci-fi setting and a great group of characters. It’s fun and interesting to play, especially in co-op mode, thanks to its changing environments, solid gunplay, and tactical skills. The progression system and weapon tiering could use some work to make them fairer for both new and experienced players.
However, the story and boss fights in the campaign could also use some work. Still, Shatterline is a lot of fun for both casual and competitive shooter fans, as it receives regular updates and boasts a lively community. And since it’s free, you should definitely try it if you’re looking for a new multiplayer shooter with unique characters and game modes.
