Is it worth trying Splitgate as a new player in 2022?

Splitgate Beta Season 2 was released on June 2 with loads of content and changes for the arena first-person shooter. The hype of the release and the renewed interest around the Splitgate Pro Series has introduced the game to new audiences. For anyone who’s seen the game and thought about whether it’s worth trying or maybe re-installing, here is what we thought while trying out Splitgate as a new player in 2022.

Portal meets Halo in a free-to-play arena

Splitgate is an arena FPS that draws heavily on the influence of two games — Portal and Halo — to create a frenetic storm of bullets, jetpacks and, obviously, portals. The game is still in a prolonged beta period while the developers, 1047 Games, continue to grow as a studio and add features to Splitgate. It is free-to-play on Steam, meaning there’s at least a low barrier to entry.

The gameplay of Splitgate is fast, especially as you rise through the ranks. If you’re used to the tactical FPS genre with games like VALORANT or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, it can be a bit of a shock. As someone who has played all kinds of FPS games, I found that my aim held up well in Splitgate, but I was consistently getting beat by players who had a mastery of the movement system — specifically, portals. That said, as someone totally new to Splitgate, I found the process of learning the game exceedingly fun even when getting shot in the back of the head by much more experienced players.

If you’ve never played an FPS game in your life, Splitgate may not be the best starting point. As mentioned, the game can become relentlessly fast-paced. If you’re looking to play at a somewhat competitive level, it may benefit you to learn the FPS ropes in any number of other shooters and then take your skills to Splitgate. Of course, if you’re just looking to have some fun messing around with portals then it’s a whole different story.

The biggest issue with Splitgate is the lack of content. It suffers from the same problem as Halo Infinite, which boasts fun core gameplay that eventually dries out unless you’re playing the game at a very high level. Still, the fact that the game is free to play means it won’t cost you anything if the game fails to hold your attention.

My personal approach, and the one I would recommend to players new to Splitgate in 2022, is to download the game — it’s free after all — and mess around for a while. Season 2 is a good time to dip your toes in and see if it’s for you because it will attract some other new players. If 1047 Games does deliver on their promise to transform the indie shooter into an AAA franchise, you’ll also have a head start on all your friends.