Splatoon 2 Review Compilation

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Developer: Nintendo EPD

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: July 21, 2017

One of big Switch releases of the season, Splatoon 2 is the sequel to the new multiplayer “shooter” Nintendo has found success with.

I did not play much of the original, so I am looking forward to getting into this, especially because I’ve wanted another strong title for my Switch.  What I am not excited about is the consistently poor implementation of multiplayer by Nintendo.

Seriously?

Despite the online shortcomings, Splatoon’s bright palette and style set it apart from the grim shooter of other consoles.  The initial reviews below suggest this one could be a valuable addition to the Switch library.

Reviews available in full here.

Polygon – 8.0/10

What the first Splatoon did well is still built into the sequel’s barnacle-encrusted DNA, and now it’s on a system that you can stuff in your bag or play on the couch. It’s baffling that Splatoon 2’s best feature is held back by a frustrating lack of proper online support, and in many ways, it’s the same game with some new tricks. But there are still enough imaginative additions for anyone who played the first game to death, especially via its strange, captivating supporting cast. It may be much more of the same, but the same is still pretty fresh.

IGN – 8.3/10

Like its predecessor, Splatoon 2’s emphasis on using vibrant, ink-based weapons to splatter both enemies and the ground alike in your team color to control territory makes it a distinctive kind of visually rewarding fun.

Destructoid – 8.5/10

If you’re the type of person who tried Splatoon for a little while and gave up, Nintendo hasn’t done a whole lot to change your mind outside of adding a horde mode. But with more concessions for higher-level play and a deeper meta, veterans will be jumping ship from Wii U to Switch in an instant. Here’s hoping that Splatoon 2 gets even more long-term support and Salmon Run is free of the shackles of a “once in a while” event for those of you who don’t have multiple Switches at your disposal.

GameSpot – 8/10

Splatoon 2 is a fresh, vibrant sequel that introduces smart updates to the original’s unique formula.

Game Informer – 8.3/10

With an great competitive multiplayer suite, a fun take on the wave-based survival formula, and an imaginative single-player mode, Splatoon 2 is an excellent evolution.

Nintendo Life – 10/10

Splatoon 2 is just about everything you could ask for from a sequel. It builds on everything the original set up and then some; almost every single major issue people had with the first game has been resolved, showing that Nintendo is genuinely listening and wants to deliver the absolute best experience possible. It maintains the freshness you’d expect and throws in countless big and small changes and additions, every one of them for the better. Anyone who says Nintendo can’t do online should be eating their words right now; Splatoon 2 is simply inkredible and continues Nintendo’s trailblazing first year of Switch stunners.

Attack of the Fanboy – 4.5/5

Giving players more of the same isn’t always a bad thing, and Splatoon 2 gives Switch owners another fantastic game to add to their lineup. Taking the formula from the Wii U original and tweaking it here and there, the game might not surprise all that much, but it will deliver a fantastic and unique shooter experience from start to finish.

Have you played Splatoon (original or 2)?  How has the online environment been?  I’m waiting until I’m done with Zelda as to not get distracted.