Splatoon fans now have a fun single-player ink gun game to enjoy. While it won’t blow gamers away, it does a good job delivering a quirky take on the third-person shooter.
A Treasure Hunting Adventure
Splatoon Raiders is effectively one big treasure hunting game. It takes the multiplayer mayhem core engine of the hit 2015 Switch title Splatoon and repurposes it into a single-player campaign. The result is a mix of shooter chaos and exploration as you hunt down treasures and take on waves of Salmonid baddies in a colourful splatter of cartoony goodness.
You play as a mechanic working with members of the swashbuckling musical trio Deep Cut. Together, you raid the Spirhalite Islands for undiscovered spoils and fend off hordes of malicious Salmonids. One member of Deep Cut can join you on each quest, piloting a powerful bot and lending their unique Showstopper attack as huge amounts of baddies track you down.
Ink-Based Combat
As in previous Splatoon games, there are no bullets. Instead, Nintendo goes for a cutesy factor by equipping your mechanic hero with an ink firing gun that splatters colour on the floor and slowly wears out bullet-sponge baddies by sapping their health. When your paint tank is empty, you must switch quickly to squid form to wade through the inky splatters to reload. This mix of reload and fire, dodge and attack is at the heart of the game and feels brilliant when it pays off. Fail, and you restart, so the threat feels real and the challenge jumps quickly as you progress through distinct island backdrops.
Controls and Performance
The motion control move-the-Switch-around-to-aim system alongside thumbstick movement can be tricky to grasp, but it works well enough not to be a complete nuisance. When the gaming gets frantic, the Switch 2 handles tons of visible chaos on-screen without stutter or hindrance to gameplay.
Customisation and Multiplayer
Nearly everything you collect can make you stronger. You level up your character and power up weapons and gadgets with trinkets and treasures found during island excursions. Gadgets depend on your choice of tank: Speed, Power or Tactical. Pick according to your playstyle and customise gadgets for more personalisation. You can also join up to three other players online or via local wireless to conquer raids and gather riches. Even solo, you can call for help from other players online or offer help and receive rewards if stuck.
Overall, this is a fun side-step in the Splatoon universe that moves away from complete online multiplayer to deliver a single-player treasure hunt that's colourful to watch and enjoyable to play. Verdict: 3/5.
