The first-person shooter genre has definitely experienced a lull in recent times, but that’s not to say that players aren’t having fun. The biggest issue is finding something fresh and exciting, and after getting familiar with the new competitive 3v3 tactical shooter that is Spectre Divide, it seems like a new contender is ready to challenge the incumbents.
Developed by Mountaintop Studios, the game is set in the near future city of Breakwater, where the unsanctioned competition of Santai is the pinnacle of achievement and status. There are no set classes or characters, giving players the reins in determining just how they want to climb to the top.
At the heart of Spectre Divide is the concept of Duality. Yes, this might be a team-based competitive shooter that echoes the likes of Valorant and CS:GO, but you haven’t experienced anything quite like switching between two bodies in a match to win a shootout.
This is done using a specialised puck to position your Spectre however you see fit. Ever needed someone to flank, but your teammates aren’t on the same wavelength? You can do it yourself, timing your swaps to outmanoeuvre your opponents, or using the mechanic to get to advantageous locations. Your Spectre can also act as a sentry, dropping alerts when enemies get near and providing more information during a match. Best of all, a vanquished Spectre doesn’t mean your time is up, you still have the other body to try to eke out a victory. As developers, Mountaintop Studios, put it, “one mind, two bodies.”
Another tactical element has been added to the proceedings, as you can essentially customise two builds for any given match. Sponsors provide equipment that brings different abilities and kits to the table, and a cohesive team of three will benefit from covering each other’s weaknesses and amplifying your strengths.
Interestingly, the system of Duality also sees abilities have different effects when a player activates it in the main body as well as the Spectre, creating more unique synergies that can certainly occupy the community for a bit. In fact, Duality affects every aspect of the game, so the maps, equipment, weapons, economy and more are all put in place through this lens.
Matches in Spectre Divide are pretty straightforward otherwise. You get to prepare beforehand, deciding how your team will attack or defend certain sites. Equipment and abilities can be set, and buying weapons grants different firearms to both you and your Spectre.
It is important for players to get used to the various guns, especially if they are trying to be as accurate as possible. That said, the game helps with the ability to aim down sights, and as long as you are doing so, even moving at high speeds won’t affect your crosshair accuracy. Firing from the hip is not necessarily recommended, but spray patterns are something that players can get familiar with as well, making it easier to bring down foes without ADS.
As a competitive, tactical shooter, Spectre Divide is already going above and beyond what many would expect from the genre. It can be overwhelming trying to understand the Duality system and how it affects every aspect of the shooter, but once you jump into it for a few hours, it will start to make sense. More importantly, there is much fun and joy to be had, and that’s something that is always worth pursuing.
For now, Spectre Divide is planned to be a free-to-play game launching on PC, with no plans for console or controller support just yet. It will be released with four maps and the single mode, with more maps to come in the future. A closed beta will begin soon as well, so stay tuned via the game’s Steam page.
