Generally, tactical shooters are not my thing. I prefer to feel fluid movement, and like I’m making a quick attack on the enemy team. For me, run-and-gun is always the way. That’s one reason why I love games like Overwatch. That being said, I came away from Spectre Divide feeling pretty good about what this game had to offer, even though it doesn’t appeal to me on a larger scale.
The uniting principle of Spectre Divide
The best way I can think of describing Spectre Divide is it’s like Valorant, but instead of a roster of heroes, this game stands out by its duality mechanic. In fact, it goes all in on that idea. Every match is technically a 3-on-3 affair, but everyone has two bodies, which you can seamlessly switch between. So everyone has two lives in a round, and they can toss their other body around the map. Want to get up to a ledge that’s out of reach? Throw your spectre up there and take control of it. Every map is designed with the idea of using your spectre in creative ways.
There are other uses for spectres outside of teleportation and being a second life. If an enemy should walk into the vicinity of your spectre, you will get an alert, allowing you to jump back and defend yourself. If you have the bomb, you can also set them to plant while you defend them. I was also able to use mine to get behind the enemy a few times, which felt really good when I pulled it off. The duality mechanic is the beating heart of Spectre Divide and its key to standing out in your mind.
But what about the rest?
While I really love the idea of the two bodies in Spectre Divide, I can’t help but feel that’s the only thing this game has going for it. This game is yet another free-to-play shooter that is trying to compete directly with mammoth competition in games like Valorant and Counter-Strike. There is a very devoted and passionate crowd for these games, but will Spectre Divide pull enough away from those two staples to co-exist? It’s too early to say, but that is a tall order for the first title coming from Mountaintop Studios.
For someone like me trying this game out, it feels like Search and Destroy matches that are far too long. Having up to 15 rounds in a game has just never been appealing to me. I’m always waiting for the game to end much sooner than it actually does. I will say that I like the feel of shooting better in this game than in Valorant, but you get a lot more charm and can connect with the heroes in that game. If you want to get completely absorbed in Spectre Divide and shell out money for various cosmetics, you have to really love its duality gimmick. Whether that is enough, we will see.
