First Impressions
Spectre Divide Preview
Pros
- Duality system opens up layers you never knew existed
- Gunplay is satisfying
- Sponsors are an interesting take on the Class system
- Unique art style
Cons
- Takes time to get used to having access to two bodies
- Lack of overtime when planting
As a big fan of tactical shooters, I was excited to get invited to an exclusive hands-on with a new IP that styled itself as a love letter to those specific shooters. Having poured countless hours into titles such as Rainbow Six Siege, I’m ready for something more strategic vs the deluge of hero shooters that are dominating the scene at the moment. Even giants such as Call of Duty are more focused on the quick, run-and-gun, arcade-style.
Sporting a comic book sci-fi art style inspired by the 90s, the game has an unmistakable charm that already pulls you in, and the setting of Breakwater is an interesting one for a shooter: set in the year 2100, this sprawling metropolis gives developers Mountaintop plenty of room for inspiration when it comes to map design and gadgets. So, what makes Spectre Divide interesting among all of the other shooters? There are two large factors at play, but by far the most important is the unique Duality system that the game is built around.
Your Spectre will warn you when it detects danger, allowing you to switch over quickly.
Twin Snakes
As you may glean from the name, the Duality system gives you two bodies to control in each match of Spectre Divide. For those of you who have played many tactical shooters in the past, you’ll know that you can often spend a lot of time spectating the round, as after you’re down, you’re out until the next round. Having a second body flips that issue on its head, because if your other body is still alive, you’ll automatically switch over to it once that pesky sniper has taken you out across the map.
Controlling the second body is incredibly simple: pressing the “X” key will instantly switch you over to where your other body is (which you place at the start of a given round) and the body you’re not controlling will conveniently let you know if it detects danger nearby, giving you a chance to switch back and take care of business. This is only the beginning though, as you can use a puck that you can throw, and your other body will automatically make its way over to the location; just beware that they are vulnerable while it makes its way there, so perhaps having it cross the main bomb site during a firefight isn’t a wise idea!
Perhaps you want to cover a bomb site by having one body near the midpoint of the map while the other sits on the site itself; these are just the tip of the iceberg of what this system gives you.
What this does open up, though, is plenty of tactical situations where you can use both bodies to take out your opponents. Perhaps there’s a walkway above that you can’t normally reach? No problem! Toss a puck up there and wait for your body to reach it, then switch over and you now have a nice elevation from which to snipe someone. Perhaps you want to cover a bomb site by having one body near the midpoint of the map while the other sits on the site itself; these are just the tip of the iceberg of what this system gives you.
(1 of 2) The Duality system allows you to reach new areas by tossing your Puck to direct it.
The Duality system allows you to reach new areas by tossing your Puck to direct it. (left), Each round you’ll be able to purchase weapons with the money on hand. (right)
The entire game is built around this system, and the second main factor of Spectre Divide plays nicely into this. Unlike most recent shooters, Spectre Divide is 3v3 (which adds up to six if you take into account each player has two bodies). This makes battles far more tactical by nature and less chaotic, as you would perhaps see in competitors such as Valorant. As the only game mode at launch, attacking/defending the bomb site works perfectly with the smaller team size and the duality system. The excellently designed maps that I had access to gave me plenty of room to create in-depth strategies.
Sponsoring the Stars of Tomorrow
At the start of a match, you’ll be instructed to choose a Sponsor for the match: Consider this your class, and where the available abilities you have access to come from. In the build we had access to, there were four unlocked from the start, covering the typical archetypes of Assault, Disruptor, Healer, and Recon. Targeting a free-to-play model, there is an additional Sponsor for each of the archetypes you can either unlock immediately or after you level up.
Each of the eight total archetypes is designed with Duality in mind, and they open up really interesting playstyles once you get more used to the system. For example, Morrgen, a Disruptor Sponsor, can throw a smoke grenade that leaves a cloud of smoke obscuring your attacker’s view. Use the alt fire though, and you’ll throw your puck at the same time, instructing your other body to head into that cloud of smoke. This lets you set up plays such as making sure your other body has the bomb (known as the ZEUS), tossing the grenade in with that body, then swapping over and planting. This is just a surface-level play, and I’m really excited to see what the top players can come up with as they get more time with the game.
Another favorite strategy from my time with the hands-on preview was with the Ghostlink Collective Sponsor, another Disruptor. This gave me access to a Dupe, a holographic double of myself, that I could send out in one direction and, once shot by the enemy, would then reveal their location, and I could switch to my other body nearby to deal with the threat. Having access to partition walls to block off lanes was the cherry on top of this Sponsor. I didn’t have time to try out too many of the other Sponsors, but if they follow the same style as the two I did, I’ve got many exciting hours ahead of me.
(1 of 2) Sponsors act as your classes that you choose at the start of every match.
Sponsors act as your classes that you choose at the start of every match. (left), This gives you access to partition walls and other such handy gadgets. (right)
When it comes to the gunplay, Spectre Divide is an ADS (Aim Down Sights) style shooter, with hip-fire only being effective in the event you are very close to your opponent. This is where it varies a bit from titles such as Valorant and CS GO, which you can see are inspirations. Knowing that the majority of the playerbase is using ADS means that you’ll never feel like you’re at a disadvantage when going up against the better players, and I’ve always been a fan of the degree of accuracy ADS gives you. This is also not a fast-paced run-and-gun style shooter, as your run speed is only moderate with no way to dash faster; instead, tactical placing of your body can help you cover vast distances easier.
Of course, using the Duality system, you can turn this to your advantage by baiting from one direction before switching to your other body to make the plant.
Each round also starts in a similar fashion to the two titles mentioned above. There will be a buy phase where you can use the cash earned in the previous round (based on win/loss and other factors) to purchase armor, abilities (based on your chosen Sponsor), and, of course, weapons. There’s a great variety of weapons available, and should you choose to save your money for a few rounds, you’ll be able to purchase weapons that truly can turn the battle around. You’ll also find that purchasing weapons comes in pairs, so your other body gets access to a shiny new weapon too.
Spectre Divide has a stylish art style based on 90’s sci-fi comics.
The sound design is fantastic in Spectre Divide, the guns sound incredibly punchy, and it’s satisfying getting kills from range with some of the heavier weapons, such as the sniper rifles. Paying attention to the sounds around you will also play a big part in your strategy: choosing to clomp around near the bomb site will only let the defenders know where you’re launching your attack from. Of course, using the Duality system, you can turn this to your advantage by baiting from one direction before switching to your other body to make the plant.
After being treated to a presentation about what Spectre Divide is, I was intrigued and after my first match, I was sold on the concept. I was only treated to four hours with it, but the time flew by and I’m already itching to get back onto the streets of Breakwater to continue building my legacy.
Spectre Divide is targeting a launch on PC later in 2024.
This preview is based on a pre-release build of the game provided by the publisher.
Double the Fun!
Spectre Divide‘s Duality system is a game-changer in the tactical shooter scene and it’s shaping up to be a title that will keep you glued to your screens for hours. It has enough strategic depth to have you planning your strategies for days and keep you coming back for more as you build your Breakwater legacy.
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