The Triple A (An Average Amateur) Review: Splatoon 2

Hey Steemit! Chrispy99 back here again with another review for you! This time I have Splatoon 2 for the Nintendo Switch. I’m going to be covering my first impressions from my perspective and what type of gamer I would recommend this game for. Remember that this is a personal review and I am not an expert in game reviews so take this review with a grain of salt before making your purchase. I won’t focus on specs and graphics details and aim really for things that an average consumer like price point and playability. With that said, here we go!

Splatoon 2 is a multiplayer third person shooter style game revolving around the concept of painting and claiming territory as a squid human hybrid. Although there is a single player aspect with a storyline to follow, the biggest draw for the game is the multiplayer. Most of the gameplay focuses on painting a multiplayer map in your team’s color and having the most territory by the end of the timer. It is a fluid and fast paced concept that constantly changes the flow of battle with different focus points changing every minute in every match. Each map is structured well enough to allow a variety of different tactics (including a variety of different weapon options) to be used from sneaking into enemy lines to forcefully pushing your way to victory. Taking out your opponent is a rewarding endeavor for players but the satisfaction is short lived since it does not directly contribute to the main objective.

My personal thoughts on this game is that this is definitely a game that should be in any Nintendo Switch library. My best comparison of this game to understanding its appeal would be relating this game to the Call of Duty franchise. It is a shooter style game with a different spin on it that changes the objective from directly having to beat down the opponent to win to an objective that is constantly changing with each player’s action. Although you do not completely need teamwork in order to be successful in each match, it is helpful but still possible to carry a team to victory similar to Call of Duty. It is both kid and adult friendly with kids drawn in by its light atmosphere and cartoonish characters while adult gamers can enjoy the depth of strategy and customization of skills, perks, and clothing available.

The drawbacks I would have with the game are significant considering the standards set by other major titles with similar gameplay styles and setups. Having the ability to customize your character during queue is one significant drawback because it does not allow for players to communicate and plan prior to a match. Many games implement this feature so it is very strange how that was not a standard for this game. Another drawback is the ability to talk to your teammates live during a match. Nintendo attempted to mitigate this concern with a phone app to allow audio communication but in reality, users would not want a second device or have to download a separate app just to communicate to their teammates. At best, they would already use the programs they have at their disposal such as teamspeak, discord, or skype. The final drawback which is probably the most baffling would be the inability to create parties or teams going into matchmaking. I recently played the game with my girlfriend and found that we could not create a party together and had to just join each other’s game. Each match, we just prayed we could be on the same team but it was always a gamble. Although you can create teams in more competitive modes like ranked and league battles, it is shocking to me that Nintendo would not do this since their main focus on their games is social interaction and enjoying experiences with friends and family together. Being able to play together with people you are familiar with than with random strangers really makes an experience better.

At a $60 dollar price point, the game is worth it for casual and hardcore gamers and definitely adds value to the Nintendo Switch. It continues to push the potential even with the significant drawbacks in its core multiplayer kit. Originally, I would play it as a Breath of the Wilds Machine and occasionally Mario Kart but this definitely has brought more life into the system and I look forward towards more refined games like this.

What do you guys think about Splatoon 2? I would love to continue the conversation in the comments. Let me know what you think and thanks for checking out my post!

All images used were taken from Google Images