The original Splitgate was an underrated peach of an arena shooter, blending cerebral, portal-based action with watertight gunplay redolent of Halo’s. It did exactly what it said on the can – a simple, robust FPS that separated the wheat from the chaff through mastery over those two core pillars. Despite the relative lack of flash compared to other triple-A dons, Splitgate still enjoyed its time in the sun until active development unexpectedly ended in late 2022. Now, 1047 Games is back with Splitgate 2, and while zipping through portals is still very much part and parcel of the experience, it’s also brought some more modern FPS sensibilities like factions and sliding. There’s a chance these technical spices may spoil the broth, but after spending several hours with the game for our Splitgate 2 preview, I’m convinced the sequel will still honor the family recipe.
Splitgate 2 is a different beast from its predecessor, but it’s also very much the same. The FPS game‘s movement is still breakneck, the time-to-kill lightning quick, and hip-fire remains king due to firing behavior remaining consistent between ADS and unscoped – brush up on your tracking before diving into the alpha. There are still plenty of power weapons to blow the stuffing out of your enemies with, vibrant maps to dart around, and, of course, a host of spots to open up a portal or two. In many ways it’s still the same ol’ enjoyable Splitgate, gussied up with the latest Unreal Engine 5 standard, but that’s not entirely accurate.
Prior to our session, 1047 CEO Ian Proulx told us that the studio had experimented with making Splitgate 2 a direct graphical upgrade to its 2019 hit. But Proulx’s vision for ‘the game of his dreams’ – a vision shared throughout the studio – wasn’t parochial to the point that a rehash of the first game would suffice.
As a result, Splitgate 2 has slowly pulled away from the classic influences that inspired Proulx when he first conceived the original as a university student. It’s not just Halo and Portal anymore; there’s a dash of Apex Legends and a pinch of XDefiant in there, too. This is thanks to the headline introductions of a smooth sliding mechanic and three distinct class-based factions – Aeros, Sabrask, and Meridian – that can you swap between rounds, quasi-hero shooter style. Each faction has a set selection of weapons, attachments, equipment, and perks, offering constrained creativity with loadouts, but there’s enough to let you adapt to the map and mode.
“Aeros is for the mechanically gifted players,” Proulx explains in a post-playtest interview. “It’s for the people who love portalling – it’s for the Splitgate OGs. It’s for the Fortnite players who love building, the people who want that extra layer of depth.” Armed with abilities that amplify mobility and weapons like SMGs that are perfect for the classic run ‘n’ gun playstyle, Aeros is purpose-built for the cracked movement players.
Then there’s the smart-wall-spawning Sabrask, designed for those who “aren’t necessarily as aggressive and fast [as Aeros demands] and want to be defensive.” It’s a solid middle ground for CoD vets who aren’t as fussed about portals but still want to make an impact by controlling spaces. Finally, there’s the support-oriented Meridian with its focus on abilities. As Proulx suggests, Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex players will feel most at home with the faction’s wall-scanning Hypersight and time-warping Time Dome abilities.
While at first glance it seems that portals are taking a back seat to these new factions – at least from how people gravitated towards the latter in the playtest – I don’t think this is an accurate indication of the post-launch experience. While mastering abilities and loadouts are transferable skills from many other shooters, Splitgate 2’s skill ceiling initially feels as tied to portal mastery as it was in its predecessor. I’d wager that the way the game is played will change dramatically once players grow familiar with portalling around – think building in Fortnite.
If anything, factions can be considered a point of approachability for players coming from other shooters. There’s a learning curve here for both camps, but in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, portals are rocket launchers. It’s perhaps for this reason Proulx remains confident that, despite the clear influences from modern triple-A shooters, Splitgate 2 is still unlike anything else out there.
The new PC game’s portal system has also had a tune-up to get it showroom-ready. Rather than dedicating a key to opening and closing portals respectively like in the original, Splitgate 2’s innovative new smart triple portal system will open and close rifts with a single keystroke. The EMP grenade you’d previously used to close enemy portals has been given the boot – you can now overwrite an enemy portal with your own after a short delay.
Map geometry has also been standardized, meaning portals will now sit neatly within their designated areas – no more having to jump spam over a lip. Considering how many keys are now required to handle abilities and other binds, the simplification of portalling is a welcomed one (you can still opt for two-button portalling if you’re resistant to change, though).
1047 has added some extra texture to its weapons and modes. Controlling power weapon spawns has long been a crucial tactic when it comes to winning Splitgate games, and the same is true here, though there are trade-offs for their power. The rocket launcher can now triple-fire when aimed, guaranteeing a kill at the cost of expunging half of its ammo capacity. Then there’s my favorite weapon in the alpha, the Slipstream, which is a powerful rifle that you can split into akimbo SMGs for maximum bullets. You won’t be able to use utility in this form, though, so find a friendly face to zip you into the action.
The team has also folded some extra strategic layers into the game’s permanent modes. For example, during the playtest, I got dropped into Hotzone – a king-of-the-hill-adjacent mode with a few tricks up its sleeve. To keep things interesting, the second point will always spawn near the losing team, while capture progress can be flipped between teams. This means you could get the point all the way to 99%, only to lose it altogether after the enemy team steals it. Timing and coordination are key.
While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of Splitgate 2’s gameplay-altering additions as a series vet, I’m optimistic that 1047 is on the right track to bring about the next stage in its evolution. From the hours I’ve clocked up so far I can tell the flame of its predecessor is still burning bright, even if portal power has been obfuscated by the new toys in the box. 1047 is walking a narrow tightrope, and one small slip could see Splitgate 2 tumble into the pile of forgettable, formulaic shooters that have popped up in recent years. Hopefully it can remain faithful to its central pillars because right now Splitgate 2 has the frenetic fun factor I am chomping at the bit to get more of.