Splatoon Review

Splatoon Review Screen 1

I remember last E3, Nintendo were having a barnstormer, regardless of having a live presentation or not. Smash Bros hype, new Intellectual Property (Or IP) reveals, really big surprises, Nintendo got it right this time, about time too. Microsoft and Sony did alright themselves, but Nintendo did something different and done it well. Writing this is just making me super hyped for this E3, which is just weeks away now. Wow, what surprises await us right now? I might write up my hopes and predictions, but that is a different article!

Splatoon was the biggest surprise of Nintendo’s E3 from last year, no doubt about it. It was a completely new IP, not just that it was a third person shooter, something Nintendo has ever touched. What’s more, it starred squid-children who painted the battle arena in whatever colour they are. They could change into squids to swim in their ink to go fast, up wall and such, conversely, the opponents ink makes you slow and even kills you when you are shot directly. Was my mind blown, yes, very much so, but that is what Nintendo at E3 does nowadays!

Splatoon Review Screen 2

Not only that, it was up and running, wow, this game looks great, it turns the third person shooter game on it’s head and it’s playable! I thought, should be out soon! But no, this is nearly a year later and we are just getting it. Main question for me is, does it live up to the hype? Yes, it is a very fun addictive game, but yet in some ways no, the content in the multiplayer part of the game is five arenas and two modes, compare it to other online shooters and yes it can be seen to be lacking. However Nintendo are bringing more content through the summer as free DLC, hopefully it makes it up.

The game play is fun, but very different from your typical third person shooters, you win when you have the most paint on the arena floor, kills don’t count really, it just slows the other team down. There are lots of weapons to use, all quite different, each with their secondary weapons and specials, there is a lot of variety here for sure! I myself am still probably a newb, but I like the paint roller, there is a scale for weapons up to splatter gun and even a type of sniper for different gaming styles. From there is a wide variety of clothes that you can wear, hats, shoes and shirts can be customised, all bringing gaming benefits themselves, like faster respawn time or longer special timing and the like.

Splatoon Review Screen 3

As mentioned before the game looks great, it is bright, well made and definite in its style, the music it rocky and suits the game, yes, the world built around these characters is a deep and interesting one. It can be further explored in the one player story mode in which you fight Octolings (Tentacles with eyes) as commanded by a skinny crab like creature, yes it is all strange but it is quite fun too. What I have played so far is fun, a little awkward in places, but easy enough, I think it will scale, but it has been fine so far.

The multiplayer is where it’s at and the online mode is quite stable overall, the matchmaking is quite good, but I can see how some people would be put off with the style and theme of the game. I myself have found myself addicted to the online multiplayer, the levelling system is easy and compulsive, when I find myself playing one last game five times, I know I like a game! While a little disappointed with the multiplayer content myself I will hold my belief that more good stuff will come. I would give this one a solid buy to any Wii U owner, it’s fun, unique and won’t be matched on this platform!

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Nintendo Wii U code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get the latest game reviews, news, features, and more straight to your inbox