Splitgate’s 2021 relaunch confirmed that classic arena shooters and Valve-style portals are a wonderful combination. Splitgate 2 is off to a strong start because it maintains the same excellent blend of tactical cunning and run-and-gun action that helped the first game establish its reputation in the genre. The only issue is that it never really advances much after that. Some of the other shots Splitgate 2 takes through the looking glass loop around to bite it from behind have made me a little less excited about the time I’ve spent with this free-to-play sequel, even though the addition of character classes and a wider variety of power weapons help push it through a new threshold of promise.
In comparison to the original, there have been significant visual changes. Battlegrounds no longer have the subdued, more industrial appearance; instead, there are many vivid colors and better lighting. All of it makes it appear less unique and more like the other games vying for Fortnite gamers’ attention. Splitgate 2 lacks the more intriguing elements that made the original’s maps captivating and memorable in exchange for the smoother, cleaner surfaces and the soiled metal walls. Every surface you’ll run and shoot across feels identical across the 15 map possibilities, and features like deserts and trees that would be right in the midst of a map (like in one of my favorites, Oasis) are now reduced to background decorations.
I found it difficult to convince strangers to wait in line for some of the more bizarre-looking alternatives, and I frequently sat in lobbies by myself for extended amounts of time, hoping that other interested Splitgaters might happen to walk in. I was frequently let down.
The gameplay changes that significantly affect the rhythm of each match, however, are Splitgate 2’s greatest triumph. The X-factor remains the distinctive portals, which let you quickly construct routes between two locations on the map. They are excellent tools for arranging ambushes, making difficult escapes, and even using physics to launch you across the map once you understand how they operate.
Like I did in 2021, I primarily employ them here to pull off one-man flanks on jerks trying to capture my team’s goals. This time, however, it’s much easier to use because you just need to press one button to construct both ends of your wormhole when shot consecutively. There is a little price to pay because the only method to shut down an enemy’s portal is to open yours on top of theirs, which may compel you to block up your paths. However, after more than a dozen hours of use, I much prefer this small inconvenience over the anti-portal grenades of the past.
The power weapons are amazing, but the standard arsenal lacks creativity.
Splitgate’s restricted jetpacks and fast (but not too fast) sprinting made movement always feel fluid, rapid, and controlled. In Splitgate 2, these two elements work together with a brand-new sliding mechanism to recreate the movement I remember from my finest Titanfall gameplay. With more lift before cooldown, the jetpack appears to be more potent than the original. Longer flight times result in more firefights starting or ending in the air, which adds dynamism and makes every conflict difficult from any aspect.
However, the regular arsenal isn’t too different from the original, which is unfortunate because it lacks creativity. The majority of the weapons have sleek, futuristic curves and color schemes, but they all work exactly like the assault rifles, SMGs, and carbines you’ve used in too many other games to count. This constant feeling of déjà vu deterred me from exploring the options or customizing the loadout presets. All they do is make me want to run as quickly as I can to get power weapons, which spawn with a lot of fanfare on neutral points during games.
The addition of three character classes, which are portrayed as avatars of rival corporations that resolve their problems in this future sport of gun-toting portal sliding, is the largest mechanical modification to Splitgate 2. Each of Sabrask, Meridian, and Aeros has special active abilities. For example, Meridian’s Hypersight briefly reveals foes nearby, while Aeros’ Rush accelerates everyone’s movement, reload, and regeneration. Like a deployable version of Reinhardt’s shield in Overwatch, Sabrask’s Smart Wall is my favorite since it deploys a one-way bullet shield that protects anyone behind it while allowing them to shoot through it at the enemy.
The power weapons are amazing, but the standard arsenal lacks creativity.
Splitgate’s restricted jetpacks and fast (but not too fast) sprinting made movement always feel fluid, rapid, and controlled. In Splitgate 2, these two elements work together with a brand-new sliding mechanism to recreate the movement I remember from my finest Titanfall gameplay. With more lift before cooldown, the jetpack appears to be more potent than the original. Longer flight times result in more firefights starting or ending in the air, which adds dynamism and makes every conflict difficult from any aspect.
However, the regular arsenal isn’t too different from the original, which is unfortunate because it lacks creativity. The majority of the weapons have sleek, futuristic curves and color schemes, but they all work exactly like the assault rifles, SMGs, and carbines you’ve used in too many other games to count. This constant feeling of déjà vu deterred me from exploring the options or customizing the loadout presets. All they do is make me want to run as quickly as I can to get power weapons, which spawn with a lot of fanfare on neutral points during games.
My favorite addition to the array of these returning super guns is a pair of machine pistols that, when aimed down the sights, can be merged to make a longer machine gun. Every time they become accessible, these fantastic, game-changing weapons are worth the effort to obtain.
Verdict
Although it builds upon the original, Splitgate 2 is a capable follow-up that never truly outperforms it. The new class system adds a tactical layer that somewhat compromises the original’s idea of simplicity for the sake of mechanical depth, yet there are still not many shooters available that feel as nice to jump, float, and slide around in as this one does. Except for the few bangers you must battle for throughout matches, weapons are decent, albeit mostly uninspiring. However, both visually and in terms of their apparent inability to encourage frequent usage of the shooter’s characteristic portals, the map selection is a clear step backward. The attempt to make Splitgate 2 more like other well-known shooters has pushed it too far away from what made the first one a cult favorite, even though it contains a lot of modes and content in a fair, free-to-play game.
