This is a great introductory third person shooter for those who have never played a shooter game before. However it would be robbing the game of it's own merits if it were only described as a gateway game to bigger things. While it builds from the tenets of classic third person shooters or even FPS games it quickly diverges and becomes a strategy game of it's own merit. It forces players to multi task during combat in a similar way that fortnight encourages players to be able to build and fight at the same time. In this case you have to be able to create avenues of travel while combatting. But it's not just in-the-moment multitasking which makes the game worthwhile. Pre-planning and utilization of strategies before skirmishes even begin is a big thing and often can ... MoreThis is a great introductory third person shooter for those who have never played a shooter game before. However it would be robbing the game of it's own merits if it were only described as a gateway game to bigger things. While it builds from the tenets of classic third person shooters or even FPS games it quickly diverges and becomes a strategy game of it's own merit. It forces players to multi task during combat in a similar way that fortnight encourages players to be able to build and fight at the same time. In this case you have to be able to create avenues of travel while combatting. But it's not just in-the-moment multitasking which makes the game worthwhile. Pre-planning and utilization of strategies before skirmishes even begin is a big thing and often can decide the fate of a match. I will note that various competitive modes are poorly explained. Instructions are tucked away in such a manner that you would have to know they are there to begin with. Due to this tutorial oversight it can be difficult to progress. If you don't learn well through osmosis you will end up having a bad time and being a burden to others.

So this is one of Nintendo's best games. The campaign is slightly short but it suits younger children in diffuculty. They fixed this with the DLC, Octo Expansion. There is plenty to do including 4 types of online mode being, Turf War, Ranked (which has another 4 modes within it that are Clam Blitz, Splat Zones, Tower Control and Rainmaker), League (which is ranked but you can play with friends) and Salmon run (a mode with 3 waves, 3 teammates and you have to reach 'the quota' and not die). You will for sure find something you like whether it be casual (turf war) or competetive (ranked and league). If you want to play local multiplayer there is a smaller mode that you can play. There is a lot of other stuff such as making gear, perfect for the weapon you like, trying ... MoreSo this is one of Nintendo's best games. The campaign is slightly short but it suits younger children in diffuculty. They fixed this with the DLC, Octo Expansion. There is plenty to do including 4 types of online mode being, Turf War, Ranked (which has another 4 modes within it that are Clam Blitz, Splat Zones, Tower Control and Rainmaker), League (which is ranked but you can play with friends) and Salmon run (a mode with 3 waves, 3 teammates and you have to reach 'the quota' and not die). You will for sure find something you like whether it be casual (turf war) or competetive (ranked and league). If you want to play local multiplayer there is a smaller mode that you can play. There is a lot of other stuff such as making gear, perfect for the weapon you like, trying to 100% complete the story mode (using every weapon on every level) or even just trying to make cool outfits. Overall it's a great game for kids and adults that has a great online community.

I've had this game for about 2 weeks now and i must say that it is a beautiful game. The game pops colour out of every orifice, the animations are slick and i enjoy the games overall aesthetic. However, in saying all of this the game has great downfalls in the story and the total campaign length areas. The campaign is surprisingly short and lacks flow. It does not seem like a continuous progression more so than a mess of levels until you reach the boss of each section. the character development is weak and you spend most of the time wondering about the person you are rescuing and their worth. With that out of the way the actual campaign is enjoyable but very very short, spending $69 on a game you would expect a slightly longer campaign. Where this game really shines ... MoreI've had this game for about 2 weeks now and i must say that it is a beautiful game. The game pops colour out of every orifice, the animations are slick and i enjoy the games overall aesthetic. However, in saying all of this the game has great downfalls in the story and the total campaign length areas. The campaign is surprisingly short and lacks flow. It does not seem like a continuous progression more so than a mess of levels until you reach the boss of each section. the character development is weak and you spend most of the time wondering about the person you are rescuing and their worth. With that out of the way the actual campaign is enjoyable but very very short, spending $69 on a game you would expect a slightly longer campaign. Where this game really shines is in the multiplayer. It is very fun and colourful and versing others on a 'head to head' "ink fest" is quite entertaining. All and all this game is quite the aesthetic masterpiece with a few holes in its overall structure. I would say this game would be more of a justifiable buy if the price tag was a little less hefty.

Great game, lacking in a few areas

I've had this game for about 2 weeks now and i must say that it is a beautiful game. The game pops colour out of every orifice, the animations are slick and i enjoy the games overall aesthetic. However, in saying all of this the game has great downfalls in the story and the total campaign length areas. The campaign is surprisingly short and lacks flow. It does not seem like a continuous progression more so than a mess of levels until you reach the boss of each section. the character development is weak and you spend most of the time wondering about the person you are rescuing and their worth. With that out of the way the actual campaign is enjoyable but very very short, spending $69 on a game you would expect a slightly longer campaign. Where this game really shines ... MoreI've had this game for about 2 weeks now and i must say that it is a beautiful game. The game pops colour out of every orifice, the animations are slick and i enjoy the games overall aesthetic. However, in saying all of this the game has great downfalls in the story and the total campaign length areas. The campaign is surprisingly short and lacks flow. It does not seem like a continuous progression more so than a mess of levels until you reach the boss of each section. the character development is weak and you spend most of the time wondering about the person you are rescuing and their worth. With that out of the way the actual campaign is enjoyable but very very short, spending $69 on a game you would expect a slightly longer campaign. Where this game really shines is in the multiplayer. It is very fun and colourful and versing others on a 'head to head' "ink fest" is quite entertaining. All and all this game is quite the aesthetic masterpiece with a few holes in its overall structure. I would say this game would be more of a justifiable buy if the price tag was a little less hefty.

I recommend Splatoon 2 to everyone who owns a Nintendo Switch. It is a great game with the potential to entertain you for many hours.

Splatoon 2 is a third-person shooter where you do not necessarily have to kill the opposing team and instead cover as much area of the map as possible with your team's ink, protect a moving tower (payload) or obtain and deliver the rainmaker (capture the flag). Killing the opposing team is beneficial however, since killed players have to respawn at their base and thus enable you to complete your objective easier. In squid-form you can submerge in your team's ink and swim around quickly, the opposing team's ink slows you down however. In kid-form you can use your weapons and cover the floor and the walls with ink and fight other players.There are three gamemodes to play, namely the multiplayer I just described, Salmon Run and the single player campaign. In Salmon ... MoreSplatoon 2 is a third-person shooter where you do not necessarily have to kill the opposing team and instead cover as much area of the map as possible with your team's ink, protect a moving tower (payload) or obtain and deliver the rainmaker (capture the flag). Killing the opposing team is beneficial however, since killed players have to respawn at their base and thus enable you to complete your objective easier. In squid-form you can submerge in your team's ink and swim around quickly, the opposing team's ink slows you down however. In kid-form you can use your weapons and cover the floor and the walls with ink and fight other players.There are three gamemodes to play, namely the multiplayer I just described, Salmon Run and the single player campaign. In Salmon Run you team up with three other players to defeat hordes of enemies that come in waves and collect golden eggs. Each wave is tied with a golden egg quota you and your team need to achieve. Golden eggs are only dropped by stronger mini bosses that occasionally appear with the waves and need to be grabbed by the player and brought to a basket on a designated location. While starting off simple, the difficulty of Salmon Run progressively increases as multiple mini bosses spawn simultaneously. The single player campaign consists of a couple of levels which are bundled to platforms or acts. Each platform is concluded by defeating hilariously designed bosses.

No lasting appeal

Played this game quite a bit over the last year since I was stuck at home so much. Sorta wish I had that time back. Parts of this game are ok. Most of it is pretty bad. The developers have no clue on how to accurately grade players. Its even worse in Salmon Run. 95% of the games are completely non-competitive. And for a game thats been out so long, there are a ton if technical issues still. It's hard to go 3 to 4 straight games (on a good day) without losing a teammate cuz of a disconnection issue, causing you to lose points. Also, I would have way more respect for this game if they just automatically dropped your grade down a level or two instead of forcing you to lose every game for 15 in a row. Its aggravating and take a lot of fun out of the game. Having to buy ... MorePlayed this game quite a bit over the last year since I was stuck at home so much. Sorta wish I had that time back. Parts of this game are ok. Most of it is pretty bad. The developers have no clue on how to accurately grade players. Its even worse in Salmon Run. 95% of the games are completely non-competitive. And for a game thats been out so long, there are a ton if technical issues still. It's hard to go 3 to 4 straight games (on a good day) without losing a teammate cuz of a disconnection issue, causing you to lose points. Also, I would have way more respect for this game if they just automatically dropped your grade down a level or two instead of forcing you to lose every game for 15 in a row. Its aggravating and take a lot of fun out of the game. Having to buy Nintendo's online plan is also a drag, this is the only online game i play on switch, so thats also a huge turnoff. Also, I had to upgrade my internet and router to avoid constant connections as mentioned above. When you disconnect too many times per night, you get suspended from the game (which is bogus and not your fault). So keep that in mind if you don't have top of the line internet speeds. Overall, just avoid this game or maybe wait for Splatoon 3 and see if they put in any effort for that one.

Splatoon 2 is still very much worth it

As a collector Im always going to want to buy collectors edition items and for the price Splatoon 2 wouldve been at initial sale I think this is well worth it. Im never usually one to read strategy guides for video games but the one in here is actually a lot more useful than I thought.I bought it solely for the purpose of it being a collectors edition but I actually find myself looking at the guide quite a bit, but maybe its just because Im not very good at Splatoon. I played Splatoon 3 at first release without having played the other 2 games and I wanted to experience what Splatoon 2 was like and Im glad I did. Even though I think all of us Splatoon players agree they made some significant improvements to the game in Splatoon 3, I really believe it to be more like ... MoreAs a collector Im always going to want to buy collectors edition items and for the price Splatoon 2 wouldve been at initial sale I think this is well worth it. Im never usually one to read strategy guides for video games but the one in here is actually a lot more useful than I thought.I bought it solely for the purpose of it being a collectors edition but I actually find myself looking at the guide quite a bit, but maybe its just because Im not very good at Splatoon. I played Splatoon 3 at first release without having played the other 2 games and I wanted to experience what Splatoon 2 was like and Im glad I did. Even though I think all of us Splatoon players agree they made some significant improvements to the game in Splatoon 3, I really believe it to be more like comparing apples to oranges. They both have great things about them and they both have things that could use improvement, but I really think its worth it to have both. I love Splatoon 2 just as much as I love 3, theyre great games I really recommend them to anyone!

[Rewarded Review] A fresh sequel!

First some housekeeping:1. This game has ongoing free updates like Splatoon (1) or Overwatch where you get the core game in the beginning, but the developers will update the game monthly with free new content. Nintendo stated their will be new weapons, gear, and stages down the line. They already announced the new splat brella, and bubble blower weapon. Also Nintendo promised 2 already planned years of Splatfest content2. Playing online with others is free for now, but Nintendo stated they're going to charge an online play service like PS+ or Xbox Live by the end of the year 2017. Updates for single player are probably free, but once the service is live, you may have to pay to play online with others.3. There are enough enhancements in the game that make This ... MoreFirst some housekeeping:1. This game has ongoing free updates like Splatoon (1) or Overwatch where you get the core game in the beginning, but the developers will update the game monthly with free new content. Nintendo stated their will be new weapons, gear, and stages down the line. They already announced the new splat brella, and bubble blower weapon. Also Nintendo promised 2 already planned years of Splatfest content2. Playing online with others is free for now, but Nintendo stated they're going to charge an online play service like PS+ or Xbox Live by the end of the year 2017. Updates for single player are probably free, but once the service is live, you may have to pay to play online with others.3. There are enough enhancements in the game that make This is a full fledged squeal and not a port of the original with extras and minor gameplay tweaks/gameplay balances like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pokken Tourament deluxe, Ultra Street Fighter II, or Disgeaea 5 complete for exampleNow onto the review:1. What's new/general changes:Map rotations are now every 2 hours instead of 4Rank battles: separate rank for each game mode. More individual stats based, unlike Overwatch where you and your team rank up the same; if you perform well in a match you can rank up 2 ranks if you carry your team and dominate the oppositionLeague battles: ranked with friendsSplatnet 2: mobile app where you can keep track of your stats and see what map rotation is coming up. You can also use this for voice chat, but it has a horrible implementation where the screen has to be on at all times, and every time you use your smart phone to do other things, the audio auto-mutes. Best just to use 3+ way calling or skype in my opinion so you don't have to use an extra plug for your phone to keep it charged as having the screen on-all the time drains battery life (hope there's an update to this soon)No miiverse seeing there's none of the Switch. There's an art submissions area where you can enter your drawing for a chance of it showing up in in-game battle arenas or main hub areasNo duel screen. You have to now hit a button instead to open the map screen, instead of quickly looking down like in the original. There are some UI changes to makes things easier, but not as fast as the old method. For example: there's a new special indicator on UI showing who has specials. This omission of a duel screen doesn't break the game, but I'll miss that it's goneNew maps. Aside from some returning ones with some tweaks to them, there are new maps in the game. As mentioned before, Nintendo promised more to comeLAN play. Easy to setup and connect with other SwitchesMini arcade: There's a DDR/Guitar Hero type rhythm game where you press the right button to the beat.2. New customization, gear and characters-In terms of character customization there are new hair styles, and leg wear-Characters and shops:Flow is in charge of the head wear shopJelfonzo, the shirt shopBisk, the shoe shopSheldon (returning character) weapon shop. This time you can fast skip his weapon explanations if you wantCrusty Sean: you can purchase food for temporary exp gains and/or money during matchesMurch: use sea snails to increase weapon slots for weapon abilitiesNew singing idols Marina and Pearl. Their songs are more mellow and lyric based (although they speak squid) than Callie and Marie in the first game. Still an awesome soundtrack3. Single player. Better plot than the original, linking to the last splatfest in the first game. But the ending is predictable. Very good tutorial to the game in general and will help train you to the main modes in the game, multi-player. For the last boss, you spend most of time in big circular arena instead of constantly moving forward to different areas like in first game which is a bit disappointing, but the level designs for the rest of the single player campaign is better than the first in my opinion4. Weapons:-Here are the main weapon types each having advantages and disadvantages :Standard shooter: all around shooter,Rollers steam: use large paint roller to cover areas fastChargers: sniping guns, doesn't cover much area.Splatting cannons: Gatling guns, covers areas fast, but needs to be rechargedSloshers (bucket): covers a lot of area within a short rangeBlasters: basically the shotgun in this game-New function of weapons in splatoon 2Chargers can keep charge while hiding and moving in inkClash baster: very short range, but high damage/fire rate, good for 1v1Rollers can change orientation horizontal or verticalDualies (new standard shooter) lets you dodge rollNew sub-weapons:Autobomb: unlike seekers in first game, it's more accurate at following one enemy but is slowerNew Specials:Baller: puts up in a hamster ball and able to self destruct on an area/enemyBomb launcher: throws a lot of bombs constantly for a set timeInk armor: fortify all allies with temporary armor that makes them invincible, good for special counters, especially the tenta missile and ballerInk Jet: flies into air and shot enemies with high damage gun, this also makes you an easy target so watch outInk storm: basically summons a storm cloud that covers a set area for a set timeSting ray: constant ink sniper weapon that can shoot through wallsSplash down: jump and ground pound from the air making a circular AOE attackTetna missile: auto lock onto enemies, and comes down from up top. Only escape once locked-on by enemy is to hide under buildings and bridges or countered by the ink armor special or baller. More for advance players as it takes time to master the lock onNew weapon abilities:Drop roller: lets you dodge roll when after using launch abilityThermal ink: once you shot an enemy, you can see them through wallsobject shredder: high damage to non-player targets such as ink wallsquick re-spawn: noob friendly ability, if you keep getting splatted constantly you re-spawn faster. Also good for reckless players who rush in without thinking firstre-spawn punisher: increase re-spawn time of enemy once you splat them.5. Game Modes:Turf War: Main mode in the game, cover map with more ink than the enemy for a set time periodRank battle Modes:-Tower control: escort a moving tower to an enemy base by standing on it to make it move-Splat Zone: cover a small area with ink and watch as a timer goes down. first team to have their counter reach 0 is the winner-Rain maker: Basically capture the flag, but the flag can be used as a very slow charge firing weapon for self defense-Salmon Run (new mode): basically horde mode with waves of enemies, but you collect enemy drops (power eggs) and place them in a set location for points. This mode is not available at all times, so best to keep an eye out on the scheduled timed when you can play. Guess they made it this way so players don't get fatigued by playing the same game mode every time.Splatfest: monthly or bi-weekly events where you choose a side and battle in turf war. One with the most points and popularity gets prizes, there's also consolation prizes for the losers. Now you can play with your friends on the same team6. Amiibo:You can save your load outs on a amiibo, and just tap and play those load outs without having to manually customize everytime. Good if you have multiple loadouts and multiple amiiboYou also get specific gear from the amiibo, but they are balanced with the set gear in-game and not OP7. Graphics are way more improved than the original. Colors are more vibrant and fame rate is smooth througoutOverall best multiplayer game on the Nintendo Switch so far. Highly recommended. Stay Fresh!

[Rewarded Review] Casual and Fun

I played the original splatoon on the wii u. It was fun, but this is definitely an approvement. My only gripe with the game is that they don't really explain the power ups or some of the other features in the game that go along with scoring.If you are a really competitive person, this is probably not the best game. It can be irritating when you get paired with teammates that don't do anything or just choose not to play so they don't have to back out and get temporarily banned. So much of whether you win depends on your teammates and because you can't pick them, it can be frustrating.You also have to be at a pretty high level to play different modes of the game. I feel like ranked battles should be available right away because then all the newer and lower level ... MoreI played the original splatoon on the wii u. It was fun, but this is definitely an approvement. My only gripe with the game is that they don't really explain the power ups or some of the other features in the game that go along with scoring.If you are a really competitive person, this is probably not the best game. It can be irritating when you get paired with teammates that don't do anything or just choose not to play so they don't have to back out and get temporarily banned. So much of whether you win depends on your teammates and because you can't pick them, it can be frustrating.You also have to be at a pretty high level to play different modes of the game. I feel like ranked battles should be available right away because then all the newer and lower level players could play together and be at a similar skill level.I do love the concept of the game, I'm not into the shooting and killing games. It's nice to be able to focus on "painting" the field instead of seeking out other players to "splat".

[Rewarded Review] The squids are back in town

The original Splatoon on the Wii U took me by surprise that does their own fresh twist on the FPS genre by featuring Inklings as playable characters and using ink as ammo.2 years later, we get Splatoon 2 for the Nintendo Switch, which takes what we loved about the original and adds a whole lot of fresh features, including brand new weapons and new stages and ranking modes, as well as the new Salmon Run mode where you fight waves of enemies while trying to survive and win bonuses. The single player adventure mode is a blast to play and serves as good practice for veteran players or newcomers. And if you've already beaten it but want more, there's the DLC Octo Expansion campaign that lets you take on many more challenges as one of the Octolings.The guide included ... MoreThe original Splatoon on the Wii U took me by surprise that does their own fresh twist on the FPS genre by featuring Inklings as playable characters and using ink as ammo.2 years later, we get Splatoon 2 for the Nintendo Switch, which takes what we loved about the original and adds a whole lot of fresh features, including brand new weapons and new stages and ranking modes, as well as the new Salmon Run mode where you fight waves of enemies while trying to survive and win bonuses. The single player adventure mode is a blast to play and serves as good practice for veteran players or newcomers. And if you've already beaten it but want more, there's the DLC Octo Expansion campaign that lets you take on many more challenges as one of the Octolings.The guide included in this version is very useful with tips and tricks for each stage.Definitely a must have for multiplayer shooter fans of all ages.