With its release on the Wii U in 2015, Splatoon added the typical Nintendo flair to the existing third-person shooter genre and was a hit game on an underrated console. Now back, bigger and brighter, Splatoon 2 splashes its way onto the Nintendo Switch in style – boasting a better Story Mode, new online features, and more ways to splat your enemies.
Splatoon 2 opens months after the original, in which Inkopolis’ source of power The Great Zapfish had been kidnapped by the evil Octarians, rivals of the Inklings. After the heroes saved the Zapfish, it seemed peace had returned to Inkopolis. The two pop idols Marie and Callie, also known as the Squid Sisters, are involved in a huge Splatfest which sees Marie victorious. But after some time, Callie goes missing, and with her so does The Great Zapfish again! Players are recruited as Agent 4 of the Squidbeak Splatoon, traversing Octo Canyon to fight off the Octarians and save both Callie and the Zapfish.
Newcomers to the series will benefit greatly from beginning with the story mode – it functions as both a campaign for the game, as well as a tutorial for each individual weapon and skill that can be learned throughout the course of the game. Assisting Marie and fighting your way through the Octarian menace is a great way to understand the mechanics of the game, which are beneficial for online play – things such as ground coverage with ink, recharging that ink through swimming, and knowing what weapon suits your playstyle as you proceed through the game. Splatoon 2 doesn’t play like typical third-person shooters – it’s a lot more (if you’ll excuse the pun) fluid, and involves continuous movement and thinking. Being quick is a skill that will benefit players immensely regardless of what weapon becomes their favourite.
The biggest drawback I noticed upon starting the game was the inclusion of motion controls. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure many people are able to play with them, but to start the game off with in the tutorial is quite hamfisted and a real turn-off. Luckily this can be adujusted in the game’s settings further on. Similarly, the fact that after leaving Story Mode or Online Mode your character gets put back right at the start of the Inkopolis Hub is quite annoying and tedious. If I hit the wrong button and leave online, I don’t want to have to walk all the way back again.
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while i completely agree that the forced motion control tutorial is not a pleasant introduction to the game, motion controls are actually quite necessary especially at higher ranks, they allow for a much greater level of precision, i can understand using sticks for things like sloshers, but you cant be playing high level with sticks for chargers etc...
plus re: having to walk back to the lobby, you just need to press X and the menu will come up hahah, no issue there, i just wish they had an option to go to the bonus desk, as that is the only thing i find myself hating having to walk to!