by Adam Playle
The newest game for the Wii U, Splatoon, can be summed up in one word - addictive. I picked it up on release day and put it on the moment I was home, burning away the remaining hours of the evening on this third-person shooter. Nintendo have always put a great deal of effort into their games over the years, and their game series are some of the most famous in video game history. Splatoon is a new franchise with no predecessor titles, but it has all the charm and charisma of other Wii U releases.
The newest game for the Wii U, Splatoon, can be summed up in one word - addictive. I picked it up on release day and put it on the moment I was home, burning away the remaining hours of the evening on this third-person shooter. Nintendo have always put a great deal of effort into their games over the years, and their game series are some of the most famous in video game history. Splatoon is a new franchise with no predecessor titles, but it has all the charm and charisma of other Wii U releases.
The first twenty minutes or so did not entice me. The hub world seemed to be a confusing collection of vague buildings which served purposes that did not make sense straight away. The alternative weapons and clothes and accessories are not available until you play through it a bit more. I was perplexed but just cracked on and played.
The game mechanics are fun, fast and versatile. The whole concept of shooting paint to cover a map and kill enemies is one thing, but then one of the other main features is to travel through this paint in the form of a squid. This may all sound daft, but the shift between squid form and kid form becomes fluid. You'll be diving into one paint puddle and then splattering walls with your paint gun and moving up and around that wall as a squid. Rinse and repeat with an array of obstacles and opponents.
The game mechanics are fun, fast and versatile. The whole concept of shooting paint to cover a map and kill enemies is one thing, but then one of the other main features is to travel through this paint in the form of a squid. This may all sound daft, but the shift between squid form and kid form becomes fluid. You'll be diving into one paint puddle and then splattering walls with your paint gun and moving up and around that wall as a squid. Rinse and repeat with an array of obstacles and opponents.
There is a simple learning curve to Splatoon, with the controls being flexible depending on what is comfortable. I would strongly recommend disabling motion controls as having to rotate and tilt the Wii U gamepad hindered my initial enjoyment. The single player campaign acts as a tutorial as you go through. I played through some levels and got past the first boss. The single player campaign is enjoyable but not riveting. I then wanted to play some split-screen with my housemate but to my disappointment that wasn't possible unless we had a Classic or Pro controller for the Wii U. That was a big flaw,and denied us the ability to play along side one another (for the time being).
Maybe i'm not selling Splatoon to be an all-singing, all-dancing impressive video game. My first experiences were lacklustre, and whilst the mechanics were ace there was nothing that dragged me in. This is because 90% of Splatoon's quality comes from it's team games via the online lobby. This game is nothing grand offline, but playing against thousands around the globe makes it awesome.
Maybe i'm not selling Splatoon to be an all-singing, all-dancing impressive video game. My first experiences were lacklustre, and whilst the mechanics were ace there was nothing that dragged me in. This is because 90% of Splatoon's quality comes from it's team games via the online lobby. This game is nothing grand offline, but playing against thousands around the globe makes it awesome.
Your aim in these team games is to cover the most territory with your team's paint. You can move through your team's paint in squid form to cover ground more quickly, and if you are in the enemy's paint then you move slow and take damage. Splatoon's selection of weapons adds variety to your online experience. You can opt for fast rates of fire with weapons like the Splattershot Jr, or utilize long-ranged weapons such as the Splat Charger to paint at a safe distance. A popular weapon is the Splat Roller, a gargantuan paint roller that offers great area cover and can mow down those directly in your path. Other accessories and clothing allow you to customize your character and change your strengths and weaknesses in these turf wars. Some items allow you to do more damage, reload quicker, move faster and other benefits.
Online matches are quick action-packed rounds which last only three minutes. This sounds like no time at all, but speedily swimming around as a squid means you can move and shoot and support with haste. Super jump's can be done from your location to a team-mate's location to offer swift assistance. Trust me when I say a lot can happen in a three minute match. Victory requires co-ordination, aggression, and territorial domination. This would be easier to organize with voice chat, a feature sorely missing from Splatoon.
Online matches are quick action-packed rounds which last only three minutes. This sounds like no time at all, but speedily swimming around as a squid means you can move and shoot and support with haste. Super jump's can be done from your location to a team-mate's location to offer swift assistance. Trust me when I say a lot can happen in a three minute match. Victory requires co-ordination, aggression, and territorial domination. This would be easier to organize with voice chat, a feature sorely missing from Splatoon.
This game is cheaper than most Wii U titles, and I'm glad of that. Splatoon seems to be a fantastic online game, with a rotation of maps and ultimate character customisation to keep things fresh. The mechanics are great, the graphics and music of Splatoon are stellar, and it's really fun even just in a three minute match. It's offline features are a bit bare and I was upset that splitscreen could not be achieved with a Wiimote and Nunchuk or with the Gamecube Controller adaptor. Still, the online matches are fun enough for me to keep playing this new title. It's still early days for Splatoon and there may be future DLC which is of the same quality as other Wii U game DLC. They have hit the nail on the head with their online lobby, and overall it's a game which lives up to the hype it received.
Splat or be Splatted!
Could this do for shooters what Mario Kart did for racing games? Well perhaps not but it's still nice to see something fresh coming from Nintendo. If you have a Wii U this definitely could be worth the buy.
Got any thoughts or feelings about our review? Let us know in the comments below!
Got any thoughts or feelings about our review? Let us know in the comments below!
RSS Feed
