Splatoon 2 Testfire Impressions

More of the Same

Splatoon was a ringing success on the Wii U. The game was a bold new idea; a gamble that paid off very well, and Splatoon has built itself into a well loved franchise. Needless to say, I am very excited for its sequel; Splatoon 2. When the testfire rolled around this weekend, I eagerly jumped into the game. Unfortunately, I am a bit underwhelmed.

What’s odd about Splatoon 2 is that the game is a big improvement over the original. The motion controls have been preserved in this release, and feel even better without the clunky gamepad. In both TV mode (with the Joy-Con grip) and handheld mode, the motion controls are comfortable and allow for precision aiming. Though, when lying in bed, I couldn’t find a comfortable angle to hold the tablet and use motion controls. However, that issue is easily remedied by sitting upright, but it is worth pointing out regardless. Speaking on handheld mode, the game looks absolutely great on the small screen, and on the TV it looks even better. While the game doesn’t look that much better than the original overall, the models are sharper and there is more detail in the environment.

The customization
is greatly expanded

Customization is also vastly improved in this game. While the Wii U title did have Inkling customization, it never really went far enough. In this game though, there is a lot more varied gear. I really like the hair customization as I felt this was a big oversight in the original. Already I see great diversity in the options, and I am excited to collect them all.

The Duelies are a lot
of fun, but feel a bit
gimmicky

I also really enjoyed all the weapons on display, as well as their sub-weapons. The Splattershot was my favorite, and I like its redesign from the Wii U title. Also of note was the Splat Roller. I don’t like this weapon type, but I appreciate that it was given an extra layer of depth. Now, by jumping and pressing ZR you fire a vertical wave of ink opposed to a horizontal one when attacking from the ground. The Splat Duelies also have their own ability in the dodge roll. While I personally did not find use in this technique, many others I played with did. The dodge added another layer of skill into the game, and that begs the question of why all weapons don’t have this feature. It seems like a questionable choice at best.

The weapons in the game are much more nuanced 

The gameplay on the whole though is just as fun and frenetic as the original. Swimming around as a squid, then jumping out for a sneak attack is a bunch of fun. Turf Control can come down to the last few seconds as a good Special usage can turn the tide of the battle. As far as twitch shooters go, this game is unrivaled in my opinion. Though, if you’ve played Splatoon 1, you can confirm that yourself, and that is my big issue with the game.

At its best, the gameplay is rad, but at its worst, it feels
much to familiar to the original

Splatoon 2, from what I can see from the Testfire, feels more like an expansion on the original compared to an actual sequel. When I think of a truly good sequel, I think of a game that both builds upon its predecessor, but also differentiates itself. When comparing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, the games are remarkably different. While they both used the same tried and true Zelda formula coupled with the same assets, they are truly different experiences. The dark tone and  three day cycle of Majora’s mask feels nothing like Ocarina of Time, but it retains the charm and gameplay of its older sibling. Though, to make a good sequel it doesn’t have to have such a drastic identity shift.

U4 smartly differentiates itself
without reinventing the wheel

Take Uncharted 4; the gameplay is refined and it feels much different than Uncharted 3. The gunplay is tighter, the graphics are better, and the controls are more refined. These are the expected, bare minimum enhancements expected from a sequel. A more polished version of its successor. But, Uncharted 4 also has its own identity. The tone of the adventure and the non-linear style of the gameplay help set this game apart. These changes do not reinvent the wheel, they simply riff on the pre-established formula and save the game from being just ‘another’ Uncharted. To me, Splatoon 2 just seems like a bare minimum sequel. Nothing about the gameplay “new”, I just feel like I’m playing more Splatoon.

I hope that everything that surrounds the multiplayer suite in Splatoon 2 really sells me on the game. Perhaps the single-player campaign and local multiplayer have been fleshed out, and those features could be the true selling points. I would love to see the single-player especially expanded on; the developers have rich lore to pull from. It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility that the single-player will be much longer and feature rich. With cinematics, a true open-world hub, and more mission variety, I could easily see this game justifying its existence. This was only a two map testfire so there is great possibility that I could be completely wrong; as of now though I’m just not convinced. Based on my love of the first installment, I’ll be picking this title up, I am just not sure it will hold my interest as long.