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Shatterline Guide: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide

A comprehensive guide on How to Play Shatterline with all the tips you need before getting started.

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Shatterline

Shatterline, the newest release from FragLab, has officially launched on Epic Games! Dive into this action-packed adventure, explore dangerous maps, fight off waves of enemies, and take on thrilling missions with your squad. This guide has everything you need to get started in Shatterline and step up as a hero in the fight against the Crystalline invasion.

Before diving into the guide, let’s have a quick overview of the game. Shatterline combines the thrill of roguelike co-op PvE with fast-paced multiplayer action, offering a fresh experience for fans of games like Call of Duty and Deep Rock Galactic. Whether you're battling waves of enemies in Expedition Mode, gathering resources, upgrading gear, and racing against time to extract, or testing your skills in intense PvP matches, the game keeps you on your toes. With customizable weapons, unique operatives, and dynamic progression, every match feels fresh and rewarding. 

Getting Started

To get started with Shatterline, you’ll first need an Epic Games account. Once signed in, you can purchase the game directly or try snagging a free one by joining guilds or communities that share redeemable game codes. You can also keep an eye on the official Shatterline Discord server, where free codes are occasionally shared. After redeeming the game, simply download it and jump in. Once inside, start with the tutorial to get familiar with the controls and objectives in Expedition Mode, it’s the perfect way to prepare for the action ahead!

Understanding the Basics

Before jumping into the action in Shatterline, it’s important to get a solid understanding of the game’s core mechanics—movement, combat, and abilities. Take some time to get comfortable with the controls and adjust your settings for the smoothest experience and quickest reactions.

One of the key features of Shatterline is the ability to choose and upgrade your Operatives based on your playstyle. Your choice of Operative can significantly impact your gameplay, so pick wisely. Upgrading their skills as you progress will be a major asset in tackling tougher challenges and moving forward in the game.

PvE: Expedition

During an Expedition, players are dropped into an Impact Zone, a large, open map where they’ll take on randomly generated objectives. As they complete each one, the difficulty ramps up, but so do the rewards, with better gear becoming available. Players can choose to extract after any objective, or they can keep going for even bigger rewards by tackling more challenges.

Game Objectives

The primary objective of the Expedition are:

1. Gather Salts

Salts are scattered throughout the map, especially in Salt Mines and deposits, and they’re pretty easy to grab. You’ll need these for a lot of key activities in the world, whether it’s requesting in a supply box, refilling ammo, accessing dungeons, or activating a decontaminator.

2. Clear the In-Game World Activities

Most of the quests you’ll find around the map are World Activities, and they’re some of the most important objectives in the game. Completing them rewards you with supply boxes that can contain better weapons, buffs, or valuable resources that you can use to enhance your Operative’s skills. But don’t be fooled—these tasks aren’t easy as you think. The more you take on, the harder they get, so make sure you’re stocked up on ammo before diving in.

3. Survive and Reach the Extraction Point

The toughest part of Shatterline is surviving long enough to successfully extract. In Expedition, time is your enemy. The longer you stay on the map, the more dangerous it becomes due to rising contamination levels.

However, you can extend your time by activating a Decontaminator, but be prepared to defend it against enemy waves. Once you’ve held off the attackers, the contamination level will drop, giving you more time to gather loot and resources. You can only use the Decontaminator twice per run, so make sure to use it wisely when you really need that extra time.

If you’ve cleared all the World Activities or feel like there’s not enough time left to gather more loot, you can extract at any time. Simply find a Mule Communicator (there are plenty scattered across the map) and use it to request extraction. However, the extraction can only proceed if your team of three votes in favor of it. Once the vote is passed, an extraction point will appear on the map, and your mission will be to survive long enough to reach it.

PvP Competitive

PvP is the ultimate test of your skills, where you can compete against other players and rise through the ranks. Whether you’re into the fast-paced, tactical action of Team Deathmatch (TDM), the strategic gameplay of Conquest, or the high-stakes, explosive battles of Plant the Bomb, there’s a mode that fits your style.

Success in Shatterline’s PvP isn’t just about sharp shooting, it’s about outsmarting your opponents, picking the right Operative for the job, and collaborating with your team. Whether you’re flying solo or playing with friends, it’s all about using your unique skills and strategies to outmaneuver the competition and secure victory.

Operatives

Operatives are the characters you'll be using in every match, and there are plenty to choose from. To progress quickly and stay competitive, you’ll need to focus on upgrading their skills. Enhancing an Operative’s abilities makes them stronger, tougher, and more effective in the field. However, upgrading doesn’t come easy—it requires resources that you can only earn through successful extractions in Expedition. While it might take time to fully upgrade an Operative, the payoff is definitely worth it, giving you a serious edge in future missions.

Armory

It’s not just your Operatives that need leveling up, your weapons do too. Leveling up your weapons unlocks powerful attachments that make them more effective and deadly in combat. The key to upgrading a weapon is using it in-game, so focus on the weapons that match your playstyle to unlock all their potential attachments faster. Once you've leveled up your weapon, you can freely customize it with the available attachments to suit your needs and playstyle.

Tips and Tricks for New Players

To get the most out of Shatterline, it’s important to understand each Operative's unique skills and choose one that matches your playstyle. If you’re into sniping, Brisa is a great pick, while Orbit excels with close range. One of the fastest ways to level up your Operatives is by diving into Expedition Mode and gradually increasing the difficulty. This will help you gather more resources, which you can use to upgrade your Operatives skills. Don’t forget to constantly tweak and modify your weapon attachments to maximize their potential. Finally, team up with other players—or even better, your friends—for smoother coordination and communication during missions.

And that wraps up our Shatterline guide! We hope this gave you a solid foundation to get started in the game. Keep in mind, this guide only covers the basics—stay tuned for the next guide, where we’ll dive into advanced tips and tricks to help you master the game. Don’t forget, you can also compete in the Shatterline Pre-season and Season 1 leaderboards for a chance to earn massive prizes. Keep playing, stay sharp, and we’ll see you in the next one!

Updated:

January 9th 2025

Posted:

January 9th 2025

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