Spectre Divide preview: A dual-wielding tactical FPS like no other

Spectre Divide is a new tactical shooter by Mountaintop Studios, and most details about the game have been kept under the rugs. It's almost like a hush-hush secret mission that needed special access, and I was elated to get a chance to play the game and preview it. Simply put, it's not your average first-person shooter, and is set to disrupt the genre with its unique 3v3 format and a groundbreaking new mechanic.

Spectre Divide is one of those games that managed to entice me right from its launch screen. It's like, I knew I would like it and I fit in there. A few matches and some hours later, my opinion did not change. I knew I loved it, and I knew I would play this for a long time when it finally releases.

As I played, I understood why I liked this game. Any game that has immense outplay potential and a strategic skill-ceiling, I automatically find myself attracted to it. And Spectre Divide's unique mechanics with the Spectres are going to turn heads every now and then with the amount of outplays you can pull off. It's going to be a game that does not see a lot of "big-brain" plays. Rather it will straight lean towards "giga-brain" plays!

If you're looking for a unique twist on the populated tactical FPS genre, Spectre Divide is going to be the game for you. It has everything you could ask for and then adds some more on top of that. Read on to find out more about this wonderful game.

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Spectre Divide gives you two lives, but how will you use them?

The homescreen and lobby (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

At its core, Spectre Divide is a fast-paced tactical shooter that demands proactive plays, quick thinking, and precise aim. It does away from the traditional 5v5 formula and narrows it down to a 3v3 action that focuses a lot more on individual skills and proper strategy. While it is definitely an FPS title, it leans heavily towards making ADS (aiming down sights) a core mechanic that will influence much of the gameplay.

Does that seem very similar to Apex Legends? It might, but that is only because I have not revealed the one mechanic that makes Spectre Divide stand out as a dark horse.

Spectre: Not just your average clone

Spectres are always at your spawn by default (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

What truly sets Spectre Divide apart is the Spectre system. These are clones that are deployed via "pucks" can be placed anywhere on the map. Although, during the preparation phase, you can only place them in your half. Spectres are not just your clones, they are vassals for your active body.

Imagine this, your soul is wandering through the world and there are two bodies that you can enter. You can enter either, and you can also leave and enter the other body in an instant. It's like a soul swap between two bodies. And these bodies are exactly what the Spectres are. Call them teleportation modules, clones, or an unholy combination of both of these - Spectres are your staple in this game.

The ability to swap your active body with your Spectre adds a layer of strategic depth, allowing for aggressive pushes, clever flanks, and information gathering. While Specters can't fire, they act as valuable recon units, providing vital intel on enemy positions. However, they are vulnerable to destruction and count as an individual kill even when you are not controlling them, adding another dynamic element to the gameplay.

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The loadout duality

Loadout screen in Spectre Divide (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

You thought the Spectres were the only unique aspect? You were wrong. It's the loadout system this time! Since you have two bodies per se, you need a dual loadout system to cater to both of them - one for your active body and one for your Spectre. This forces players to think strategically about their loadouts and how they synergize with each other.

A sniper and SMG or shotgun combination, for instance, can offer a powerful long-range and close-quarters capability. While this might seem daunting for players accustomed to mastering a single weapon, it undoubtedly adds a new layer of complexity and rewards versatility.

This also adds more scope for outplay. For example, if you have your Spectre in close proximity to your active body, you can bait an opponent with your sniper and when they rush in to frag you, a shotgun awaits to blast them into oblivion. The gunplay is smooth and satisfying, with a strong focus on ADS accuracy.

While games like Counter-Strike or Valorant do not have a strong focus on ADS, Spectre Divide will change that outlook since mobility and accuracy do not take a major hit and play to your advantage in most scenarios.

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Sponsors: Choose your playstyle

Each Sponsor offers a unique kit (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

Mountaintop Studios decided to cook and they did not stop. Sponsors introduce abilities and utilities to the game in a rather unique format. Each Sponsor offers a distinct set of skills in a complete package format. You will be able to choose from a list and decide which set fits you the best - whether it is smokes and mollies for aggressive pushes or self-healing and recon abilities.

Unlike character-based ability systems found in other games, Spectre Divide's Sponsor system ensures that every player has access to powerful tools without being restricted by character selection. For example, in games like Valorant or Overwatch 2, each unique ability is directly tied to a particular character, and there can be only one instance of a character in a team.

Spectre Divide has separated these two modules, and while there are different characters, they can all have the same abilities if needed by simply opting for the same Sponsor. You can have a team based entirely on control with a lot of smokes and other utilities, or go for the information game with recon abilities everywhere.

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Spectre Divide: Gameplay and performance

Gunplay in Spectre Divide (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

Gameplay-wise, Spectre Divide has a solid foundation. Maps are designed to encourage aggressive play, but they also reward carefully planned strategic plays. I swapped between both and it just feels like your opponent's skill greatly dictates how you should play the game. In many cases, pushing as a defender got me severely punished while I still managed a 1:1 trade play in many cases.

The core aspect of the game is to plant the Zeus as an attacker or defuse it as a defender. Naturally, killing the entire opponent team before planting or defusing is also an obvious round-win condition.

The timed barrier (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

Let's talk about barriers. The preparation phase has obvious barriers for both sides, however, there are a different kind of timed barriers that remain active for a certain duration after a round starts. If you cross these while their timer is still active, your position and silhouette will be marked on the map for your opponents to see. This feature got me many kills during my matches since it's not usually prevalent in FPS titles and most were unaware of its functionality.

When it comes to performance, Spectre Divide leaves no room for complaints. It runs smoothly without any noticeable hitches and ensures an immersive experience. With my 13-th generation i5 processor and 3060Ti, I faced no problems at all. To top that, the game servers are all 128-tick, which increases the overall satisfaction for everyone playing the game.

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Audio and visual

Using the sniper in Spectre Divide (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

Spectre Divide features a rather funky and unique 2.5D-ish aesthetic that sets it apart from the rest, and in a good way. The visuals are not exactly unrealistic or cartoonish, but they feature an element of funk that gives it a retro yet futuristic vibe. This is reflected in the guns and their sounds as well.

When I play a game and use a gun, a huge part of my preference is driven by the shape and sound of it. If I dislike either of these, I somehow cannot perform well in that game no matter how hard I try. Call it a placebo effect if you want, but this is just how it stands for me.

With that in mind, I can thoroughly say I found myself dropping 20+ frags just after my second match, once I eased into the game. The sounds are oddly satisfying with a gun design that has the perfect amount of realism yet a fantastical, futuristic feel to it.

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The one slight hitch

Smokes from Morrgen Sponsor in Spectre Divide (Image via Mountaintop Studios)

This might be a hugely personal opinion and might not be prominent to others, but the utility mechanic is slightly clunky in my opinion. Notably, the smoke and molly mechanics. The jump-throw for both has been a prevalent concept in most FPS games, and Spectre Divide has it too. However, it's a bit slow according to me.

For instance, when I equip a smoke grenade and jump-throw, it actually leaves my character's hands after I have landed on the ground. This has also been the case for several mollies, and I, unfortunately, mollied myself quite a few times owing to this. Now, this might also have happened because I was playing on EU servers while being situated in Asia, and the high latency might have been the reason behind this.

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In conclusion

Spectre Divide is undoubtedly a special concept brought to life in the FPS genre. With its distinctive mechanics and unique gameplay elements, it has the potential to capture the hearts of both casual and hardcore competitive players. I will eagerly await for the game's final version, which will surely surprise me with its more refined gameplay.