Splatoon 2 Quick First Impressions

Once again, Nintendo releases another high profile title for the Switch. Splatoon 2 launched July 21st, and I spent a good chunk of the weekend splatting other fellow inklings in many turf wars. Now, I have not played the original so I cannot comment on how it has changed from the original, so coming from a player fresh to the franchise, I can say it’s one of the most entertaining shooters I’ve ever played.

The gameplay is absolutely excellent. There is a wide array of usable weapons, spanning from a paint roller to cover the most turf possible, to the new dualies to attack as fast as possible. Each weapon handles differently from the next and learning each weapon properly will take some time to perfect. The Turf War game mode is even more entertaining. This mode does not emphasize kill count like other shooters. Instead in Turf War, your overall goal is to cover as much ground in your team’s ink color, the higher percentage of coverage is the team that wins.

Splatoon 2 also has a single player platform/puzzle mode. I have only cleared the first zone of this mode but it’s an enjoyable adventure for those that want a break from the arenas. The enemies and boss encounter all add interesting mechanics to the single player experience. There is also a new mode called Salmon Run which is basically a wave based game type that pits players against wave after wave of AI. This game type encourages a lot of teamwork and careful planning of what role each weapon plays. I admit I have not touched this game mode outside of the tutorial, but my friends who have played it have enjoyed it even with randoms.

Overall, Splatoon 2 is a welcomed addition to my growing Switch library. While I may not be the most knowledgeable about the game and its universe as a whole, I can safely say it is an easy game for anyone to pick up and try. Do you have it? Let me know what you think about Splatoon 2 in the comments.