The biggest addition comes in the form of new modes: League Battles and Salmon Run. The former is a limited time event where players can team up in groups of two or four and frantically fight through as many matches as possible, competing live for the highest scores. It sounds great, though I haven’t had a chance to try it myself yet. Salmon Run is a co-op mode that pits four players against waves on oncoming enemies, and I can say first hand its an absolute blast! This co-op challenge is a game changer for Splatoon 2 and rounds out the package nicely, plumping an already generous online suite of things to do with something completely different. Strangely, however, it’s also victim to limited time slots (worryingly compared to the somewhat rare Splatfests), and whilst this makes sense for League Battles I can’t understand why Salmon Run isn’t available at all times. Should you have enough players for a local game you can enjoy it at any time, but if you’re looking to hop online with buds or strangers to take down enemies together, you’re restricted. It’s a strange and irritating move, considering how much fun the mode is.
Presentation:
If I could describe Splatoon 2’s presentation in one word, it would be ‘charming’. The cute, colourful avatars that populate the plaza and fight with and against you during online matches, the beautifully designed stages and the instantly endearing music, Splatoon 2’s audiovisual experience all works in tandem to create a punky, poppy – hell, I’ll say it – FRESH look and feel. Also, I absolutely love Pearl and Marina, our two new hosts. Marie and Callie were always going to be impossible to replace, but Nintendo may have just done the impossible. Only time will truly tell.
Much like the first game it’s the OST that instantly stole my heart, with an upbeat, punk-lite pulse that isn’t afraid to experiment with other genres of music. If you, like me, think Jet Set Radio was the pinnacle of videogame music, prepare to fall in love with Splatoon 2’s score.
Conclusion:
Splatoon 1 seemed to arrive fully formed and begging for iteration. Splatoon 2 delivers that, re-introducing a game many players might have missed out on the first time round whilst also giving returning fans loads of new content to sink their teeth into. It’s occasionally bogged down with questionable design choices, but for the most part Splatoon 2 continues the series’ trend of wild innovation within a tired genre.
If you have a Switch and any interest in online play, you’re going to be hard pressed to find a game that comes close to Splatoon 2’s offerings.
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