Splatoon Raiders bursts onto the scene like a paint-splattered firework on July 23rd, launching on the Nintendo Switch 2 with all the fanfare of its beloved predecessors. But does this spin-off live up to the hype? Unfortunately, initial reviews suggest that it's more of a damp squib, struggling to splatter its mark on an already crowded market.
While touted as a solo affair, Splatoon Raiders is at its most thrilling when played with mates – and we mean proper mates, not just random online players. The game's structure, which involves upgrading your gear and tweaking play styles in between missions, is tailor-made for team-based play. This cooperative emphasis lets you build your squid-kid avatar together, fostering a sense of shared progression that's all too rare when playing alone.
Go solo, and the experience is more akin to trudging through a muddy puddle than a joyous paint-splattered romp. Levels are designed to keep groups together, and much of the 'puzzly rush' that makes Splatoon so addictive is MIA. Instead, it's all about assembling and upgrading your goofy arsenal, which, while fun in its own right, takes an age to get interesting.
The narrative, which sees you playing as a stranded mechanic with Deep Cut, has been described as a bit of a snooze-fest. We're talking minimal plot, folks – the kind that's there solely to pad out the game's length rather than genuinely advance the story. It's a shame, given the series' penchant for quirky world-building and offbeat revelations about its post-apocalyptic setting.
In short, Splatoon Raiders feels like a more conventional take on the franchise, one that's perhaps aiming for wider appeal outside of Japan, where the main series has seen massive success. Reviewers have noted its pedestrian nature, suggesting that fans of modern co-op action games will find little new here. Despite its ink-fuelled weaponry and charming DIY design sensibilities, the game's core loop – upgrade gear, compare stats, face hordes – feels all too familiar, struggling to elevate the experience beyond the ordinary.