splatoon raiders
basics
It should be absolutely no surprise that I am a Splatoon Fan - Cutethulhoo started life as a Splatoon OC after all. I have the giant vinyl banner from my time working at video game store from the original Wii U launch, a full set of soundtracks, the amiibo, and merch upon merch. When Nintendo launched Splatoon as a new original IP on the Wii U, they had lightening in a bottle, but how does Splatoon Raiders - a single player adventure, compare to its online PvP older siblings?
The idea of solo-play Splatoon shouldn’t shock anyone. There has always been a story mode in the games for when you needed a break from your teammates not inking the home base, and while you could certainly only play Splatoon’s online Turf Wars for your entire playtime, the solo player mode builds an interesting mystery that is covered in bright, glossy paint - and Splatoon Raiders takes the established elements and throws them into a looter shooter that’ll have you saying “one more raid!” for hours on end.
Story-wise, the game takes place after the end of Splatoon 3’s final Splatfest the “Grand Festival” and sees Shiver, Frye, and Big Man, along with your playable character referred to simply as “The Mechanic” setting out for the raid of a lifetime. A storm kicks up, and the crew finds themselves having crashed landed in the mysterious Spirhalite Islands, and the adventure begins. The game eases you into its mechanics, both familiar and new, with a series of tutorial levels. Series staples like sub and special weapons are replaced with “Gadgets”, the selection of which depends on which style of tank you have equipped. Your tanks can be upgraded by levelling up, and Gadgets are powered up by earning, or eventually making Gadget parts. What the game sadly lacks in character customization compared to previous entries, it more than makes up for in the diversity of play styles you can create by customizing your kit.
As I moved through the game on its medium or “Raider” difficulty, I appreciated that there are a few different raid styles. There are straight forward ones where you simply make your way to the end of the level, hitting the Sphiralite reserves as sort of checkpoints along the way, to the Salmon-Run feeling “Den” levels, where you fight wave after wave of Salmonoid as you descend to each sub-level to claim your spoils. You’re not alone on your raids - you can select a “Bot Buddy” in the form of the members of Deep Cut who pilot the Exploration Bot and assist in firing at enemies. When you save up enough Power Eggs, your chosen buddy will be able to unleash their signature Showstopper move, which can also be powered up by building your bond with that member. If the buddy isn’t enough, you are also able to connect locally or via the internet to get help, or help others, with raids they are stuck on. I used this feature when I wanted to make quick work of some of the levels that were perfect for level grinding.
When you return to base with your loot at the end of the raid, you quickly realize there is a lot of loot to gain. Briny Scrolls return, assisting in piecing together lore from not just Raiders, but the entire Splatoon series. There are compasses that can be collected in most levels that unlock “Sampler Dungeons”, mini levels that lock you into a certain kit to navigate. An almost endless weapon catalogue. Knowledge is also loot - the more you face off against the Salmonoids, the more information about each type you unlock. Raid materials can also be used to build up the Hideout Ship to unlock an arcade machine that has outfits locked on the progression of those mini games. True complitionists have lots to strive for, but as a casual completionist, I never once felt overwhelmed and the progression of collection felt comfortable.
Splatoon Raiders itself, felt comfortable. I felt challenged in the right spots, and putting the game down was a task of its own as the game play loop gets you hooked. The story is engaging and builds the world outside of Splatsville and the Splatlands to be even bigger. However, If I have one nitpick, that ultimately make sense as the game takes place on dessert islands, but still leaves a squid shaped hole in my heart is the aforementioned lack of character customization. Outfits are locked as single pieces, meaning there is no mixing and matching your outfits to make your own unique look like there is in the main Splatoon games.
Overall, I had a blast getting through the main story, and I now have hours of post-game content to work through, most likely at a slower pace as I gear up for other summer releases. Splatoon Raiders is a treat, and a great step forward for the Splatoon Franchise.
FINAL SCORE: 9/10
- Developer & Publisher: Nintendo
- Playable on: Nintendo Switch 2
It should be absolutely no surprise that I am a Splatoon Fan - Cutethulhoo started life as a Splatoon OC after all. I have the giant vinyl banner from my time working at video game store from the original Wii U launch, a full set of soundtracks, the amiibo, and merch upon merch. When Nintendo launched Splatoon as a new original IP on the Wii U, they had lightening in a bottle, but how does Splatoon Raiders - a single player adventure, compare to its online PvP older siblings?
The idea of solo-play Splatoon shouldn’t shock anyone. There has always been a story mode in the games for when you needed a break from your teammates not inking the home base, and while you could certainly only play Splatoon’s online Turf Wars for your entire playtime, the solo player mode builds an interesting mystery that is covered in bright, glossy paint - and Splatoon Raiders takes the established elements and throws them into a looter shooter that’ll have you saying “one more raid!” for hours on end.
Story-wise, the game takes place after the end of Splatoon 3’s final Splatfest the “Grand Festival” and sees Shiver, Frye, and Big Man, along with your playable character referred to simply as “The Mechanic” setting out for the raid of a lifetime. A storm kicks up, and the crew finds themselves having crashed landed in the mysterious Spirhalite Islands, and the adventure begins. The game eases you into its mechanics, both familiar and new, with a series of tutorial levels. Series staples like sub and special weapons are replaced with “Gadgets”, the selection of which depends on which style of tank you have equipped. Your tanks can be upgraded by levelling up, and Gadgets are powered up by earning, or eventually making Gadget parts. What the game sadly lacks in character customization compared to previous entries, it more than makes up for in the diversity of play styles you can create by customizing your kit.
As I moved through the game on its medium or “Raider” difficulty, I appreciated that there are a few different raid styles. There are straight forward ones where you simply make your way to the end of the level, hitting the Sphiralite reserves as sort of checkpoints along the way, to the Salmon-Run feeling “Den” levels, where you fight wave after wave of Salmonoid as you descend to each sub-level to claim your spoils. You’re not alone on your raids - you can select a “Bot Buddy” in the form of the members of Deep Cut who pilot the Exploration Bot and assist in firing at enemies. When you save up enough Power Eggs, your chosen buddy will be able to unleash their signature Showstopper move, which can also be powered up by building your bond with that member. If the buddy isn’t enough, you are also able to connect locally or via the internet to get help, or help others, with raids they are stuck on. I used this feature when I wanted to make quick work of some of the levels that were perfect for level grinding.
When you return to base with your loot at the end of the raid, you quickly realize there is a lot of loot to gain. Briny Scrolls return, assisting in piecing together lore from not just Raiders, but the entire Splatoon series. There are compasses that can be collected in most levels that unlock “Sampler Dungeons”, mini levels that lock you into a certain kit to navigate. An almost endless weapon catalogue. Knowledge is also loot - the more you face off against the Salmonoids, the more information about each type you unlock. Raid materials can also be used to build up the Hideout Ship to unlock an arcade machine that has outfits locked on the progression of those mini games. True complitionists have lots to strive for, but as a casual completionist, I never once felt overwhelmed and the progression of collection felt comfortable.
Splatoon Raiders itself, felt comfortable. I felt challenged in the right spots, and putting the game down was a task of its own as the game play loop gets you hooked. The story is engaging and builds the world outside of Splatsville and the Splatlands to be even bigger. However, If I have one nitpick, that ultimately make sense as the game takes place on dessert islands, but still leaves a squid shaped hole in my heart is the aforementioned lack of character customization. Outfits are locked as single pieces, meaning there is no mixing and matching your outfits to make your own unique look like there is in the main Splatoon games.
Overall, I had a blast getting through the main story, and I now have hours of post-game content to work through, most likely at a slower pace as I gear up for other summer releases. Splatoon Raiders is a treat, and a great step forward for the Splatoon Franchise.
FINAL SCORE: 9/10