I loved the early days of shooters with Halo, the original COD, Unreal Tourney, etc. Somedays I just long for those titles again. Splitgate 2 hits the ground running with one of the best arena shooter modes we’ve seen in years. Fast-paced, finely tuned, and featuring that signature portal mechanic that still feels like sci-fi wizardry, the core gameplay is a chaotic delight. Movement is buttery smooth, weapons feel weighty and satisfying, and every map pops with crisp, vibrant visuals that make each firefight a spectacle. The developers clearly understand the DNA of a great FPS and aren’t afraid to let players flex both their aim and spatial creativity in the arena. In this department, Splitgate 2 is undeniably carrying the torch forward.
But then comes the battle royale mode — the kind of "me-too" feature that feels like a forced addition rather than a natural evolution. It’s sluggish and feels a bit forced where the arena is snappy, generic where the core maps are inspired, and far too crowded with mechanics that feel lifted from games Splitgate once proudly set itself apart from. In chasing the current meta, the game loses a chunk of its identity, leaning into trends it once cheekily mocked. For a title that wants to "Make FPS Great Again," it’s a strange choice to copy the very formulas that have watered down the genre in the first place.
Despite this misstep, Splitgate 2 still shines when it leans into its strengths: tight maps, fluid gunplay, and that one-of-a-kind portal tech. The visuals are some of the sharpest in any multiplayer FPS today, and the animations—from reloads to portal effects—are slick and polished.
If 1047 Games can resist the temptation to chase every popular trend and double down on what makes Splitgate unique, they won’t just revive the arena shooter—they’ll redefine it. I am having fun with Splitgate 2 and I think the future is bright if the devs can just refocus.
