Game Review: Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2 is a game where you, an Inkling, shoots as much ink as possible to win a match.
On paper, Splatoon 2 is a shooter game, but with a small twist. Players are rewarded for covering the map with as much as ink as possible, rather than killing as many Inklings as possible. And trust me, the “shoot as much ink everywhere as possible” objective is really, really addicting. I just couldn’t put it down. It just feels so good pouring ink everywhere, that even if I lose a match, I couldn’t stop playing for hours.
It’s not only about covering the map with as much ink as possible. Inklings, the race of humanoid characters that appear in the game, have the ability of transforming into squid to swim and hide inside ink. The ability to transform adds a layer of strategy to the game, something which I’ve been taking advantage of to stealthy finish off unaware Inklings. Something which I really like a lot.
In Splatoon 2, Inklings will usually play online to compete with strangers in Turf War. Maps are rotated every couple of hours, and all you do everyday is try to win as many battles as possible to earn as much coins as possible. Coins are used for purchasing new weapons, clothes, and other fancy stuff in the shop.
There’s lots of weapons to test your skills on. From standard shooters such as the Splattershot, to over ridiculous weapons like an umbrella. Yes, an umbrella that shoots ink and explodes in someone else’s face. Personally I’d recommend everyone to try out every single weapon out there possible, so you get to know the best play style that works for you. I did so, and found out I sucked at being a long range sniper. Really love the Dualies though!
Splatoon 2 features a new co-op mode called Salmon Run. Team up with 3 other Inklings to kill the onslaughter of Salmon enemies and grab the required number of Salmon eggs before the timer stops. Despite the best of my abilities I’ve never rose to a high enough level on Salmon Run, either one guy gets disconnected or the team sucks. I’ll keep trying.
As for single player, there’s a story campaign called Hero Mode. It’s essentially a tutorial teaching you how to use various weapons, and you get to learn a bit about the Splatoon lore along the way. And also find out what the hell happened to Callie. There are 25 levels in total, and 5 boss fights. Honestly speaking even though I’m new to the Splatoon franchise these levels all felt pretty easy to me, except for the last boss which I got the hang of it after a couple of tries.
If you’re a completionist freak which I thankfully don’t consider myself as one, you can try to collect all of the lore pieces and grey color fishes (not sure what they’re called in English as I’m playing the Japanese version of the game).
Although I’ve been singing tons of praises for Splatoon 2, there’s something I really dislike about the game. Nintendo, can you please fix the disconnection problem? I feel cheated when a member from the other team gets disconnected, making it become an unfair and uneven match. At least give them a way to return to the game!
Splatoon 2 is a very fresh online multiplayer game. Pay USD59.99, spend a couple of hours at Hero Mode, and start playing online matches forever. Although the game is lacking in a few areas such as the number of maps (I believe there are only 8), it’s all made up from the countless hours of addictive and intense matches.
That’s the sole reason why this review came so late – it’s too freaking hard to put down.
Pros:
- Amazing online multiplayer experience
- Colorful and vibrant art style which is pleasing to the eyes
- Too addictive and hard to put down
- There’s no other shooter in the world which allows you to paint the map with ink and transform into a squid
Cons:
- The disconnection problem
Verdict: Squid soup is best soup
Purchase Splatoon 2 from the following retailers (international shipping):
