There’s no slow build in Shardpunk. No gentle introduction, no time to get comfortable. The city has already fallen, the Rat Swarm is everywhere, and your job is simple in theory – get out alive. In practice, it’s anything but.
Now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One for £14.24, as well as PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, Shardpunk blends turn-based tactics with survival pressure, asking you to think carefully, act quickly, and accept that not every decision will end well.
At A Glance
- Game: Shardpunk
- Developer: Clockwork Pile
- Publisher: Retrovibe
- Price: £14.24
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation, Switch
- Game Type: Turn-Based Strategy / Survival
A World Already Lost
Shardpunk doesn’t waste time setting the tone. The Capitol has fallen, overrun by a relentless swarm of rats, and whatever order once existed has long since disappeared.
You’re not trying to save the world here. You’re trying to survive it.
That shift in focus changes everything. Every mission feels like a retreat rather than a victory, every success a small step closer to safety rather than a grand triumph. At its core, Shardpunk is a turn-based strategy game, but it rarely feels calm or methodical.
Every Move Matters
Combat plays out on grid-based maps, where positioning, cover, and ability usage are key. But unlike traditional tactics games, there’s always a sense of urgency. The Rat Swarm isn’t something you can fully control or outlast.
You’re often fighting while thinking about your next escape route, balancing offence with the need to keep moving.
Survival Isn’t Just About The Battlefield
What happens between encounters is just as important as what happens during them. Back at your shelter, resources are limited and decisions carry weight. Who gets the last medpack? Do you spend supplies on upgrades, or save them for the next push forward?
These quieter moments add tension in a different way, forcing you to think about the long game rather than just the next fight.
You won’t be surviving alone, either. Shardpunk lets you build a team from a group of varied characters, each bringing their own strengths and weaknesses.
Some are better in combat, others offer support or utility, but none are perfect. Managing those differences, and keeping everyone alive, becomes part of the challenge.
Lose someone, and it’s not just a setback – it changes how you approach everything that follows.
A Fight You Might Not Win
Shardpunk isn’t interested in making you feel comfortable. It’s a game about scraping through, making tough calls, and dealing with the consequences.
There will be moments where things go wrong, where plans fall apart, and where survival feels like a long shot.
But that’s exactly where its strength lies. When you do make it through, when your team holds together just long enough to reach safety, it feels earned. And sometimes, that’s all you can ask for.
Sold? The Xbox Store page for Shardpunk awaits if you’re playing on Xbox. Nintendo Switch and PlayStation pages are also available. And it’s on Steam too.
