Splitgate 2 is an upcoming free-to-play multiplayer shooter with a twist.

In addition to classic guns and melee weapons, players will be able to create portals in order to traverse maps and get the jump on opponents.

Fans looking to check out Splitgate 2 ahead of launch will be pleased to hear that developer 1047 Games is holding an Open Alpha test this weekend.

The Splitgate 2 Open Alpha has a February 27 release date on , |S and . The servers go live at 5pm GMT UK time, which is 9am PT/12pm ET for fans living in the US.

At the time of writing, there's no way to pre-load the Splitgate 2 Open Alpha, so keep an eye out on the PlayStation, Xbox and Steam stores for access.

According to the Splitgate 2 website, the upcoming Open Alpha will contain a new 8v8v8 multi-team experience. Supported multi-team modes include Team Deathmatch and Hotzone.

There's also a huge new map for fans to check out, as Glacier joins the multi-team game modes.

Then there are the more traditional 4v4 arena modes, including Firecracker and Splitball, as well as core modes such as Hotzone and Team Deathmatch.

Fans can also expect five arena maps, including Ozone, Frontier, Zenith, Bypass and Eden, not to mention three factions, each with their own unique abilities.

Factions will have five unique weapons each (for a total of 15 in the Alpha), in addition to three secondary weapons per faction.

Finally, players will be able to test out four power weapons and three equipment options.

The game itself is a mix between first-person shooters like Call of Duty, and puzzle games like Portal.

You can create portals to navigate the map, whether that's to eliminate opponents or reach the goal.

Developer 1047 Games explains more: "Portal into the action as an elite Ace in Splitgate 2, the only free-to-play shooter where you can teleport across the map to outsmart your opponents.

"Team up, customise weapons, and master portaling skills as you compete for glory in epic showdowns."

According to the Alpha website, the test will feature controller support, and there are no streaming restrictions for content creators.