Splatoon Raiders, hunting inky treasures – Switch 2 Review

After three highly successful chapters, Splatoon changes its look on Switch 2. Splatoon Raiders completely abandons the competitive multiplayer component that made the saga famous to offer a single-player adventure made of treasure hunts and lots and lots of grinding. It's ideal for appreciating the franchise from a new perspective, especially if you've always preferred cooperative Salmon Run.

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Splatoon Raiders: Story, Gameplay, and Mission Structure

The story takes us to a mysterious archipelago that recently surfaced after an earthquake. A storm crashes our helicopter, and now, as the “Mechanist” (as the nameless protagonist is called), we must explore the Salmonid-infested atolls in search of relics to cash in. Joining us is the Deep Cut trio from Splatoon 3, who will support us both on missions, aboard a small digging mech, and at the floating operational base, where we manage loot and equipment.  

In practice, we find ourselves stranded in a hostile and unknown world, collecting bizarre shiny objects, which we'll give equally random names and functions to, recovered by taking down giant monsters, both on the surface and underground. Let's just say I would have expected anything but a parallel with Pikmin 2. All that's missing is a quirky colleague who spends their days cooking local fauna...

Splatoon Raiders adopts a short-level structure. Objectives include navigating remote regions, climbing cliffs and rock walls, or surviving one to three rounds of constant enemy hordes in small arenas. In other instances, we'll have to accumulate enough Power Eggs to drill a huge crystal in the center of the area, or complete skill challenges using a fixed loadout, complete with occasional boss fights. Nothing that requires more than 5-10 minutes at a time, making the title perfect for quick sessions.  

Most of the time, we'll just have to eliminate all threats on screen, but variety is guaranteed by the numerous Salmonids, including old acquaintances and new “spicy” mutations. Each has a recognizable look and peculiar patterns, which will force us to adapt our approach depending on the circumstances. Individually, they're not much, but things can get tricky when dozens of them charge us from every direction.

Splatoon Raiders: Gameplay, Weapons, and Progression System

The rudiments of “gunplay” are the same as in past chapters. With the main weapon, we spread ink on enemies and surfaces, and once dry, or to escape, we transform into a squid to swim in that same ink. Very simple, you learn it in an instant. It's possible to finely adjust stick sensitivity to optimize aiming, and if desired, motion sensors can be used, but in that case, the right analog stick no longer allows raising or lowering the camera. A bizarre solution. Even stranger is the absence of mouse mode. Particular precision is never needed, but it seems like the perfect game to implement it.  

There are about ten types of weapons, including blasters, brushes, umbrellas, rollers, and gatlings (mostly already known stuff), and for each, we have a handful of specialized versions in fire rate, efficiency, area of effect, and other parameters. The arsenal is indeed vast, but on the field, the differences are not very pronounced. Therefore, the developers have implemented a level-up and enhancement system that ensures rather robust progression. By accumulating experience points, we will level up, increasing maximum health and damage dealt. From chests and soiled Salmonids, we will instead obtain weapons and parts to improve equipment. The loot is random, with higher chances of recovering high-rarity items as difficulty increases.

In addition, we will have three ink tanks available, each equipped with a series of gadgets, which in turn mount a plethora of parts to adapt their performance. Choosing whether to bring along Pinnuccia, Morena, or Mantaleo will then allow us to use their special attack, once the appropriate bar is charged. Not only that, by befriending them, we can get to know them better and gain further advantages in battle. Finally, even the treasures found can be equipped, for passive bonuses and synergies to discover. 

As the adventure progresses, it will be possible to forge exclusive parts and improve those we possess, upgrade weapons and dismantle those we don't need in exchange for extra resources, and increase the Mechanist's stats with unlocked skill points. From the tutorial, Splatoon Raiders gives the player carte blanche on how to determine their build. The options are many, but testing them all is a very accessible practice, and there are plenty of incentives thanks to the numerous rewards. Personally, I preferred a short-to-medium range weapon, flanked by two “fire and forget” offensive gadgets to cover blind spots and a third logistical one to close the distance to the target or make a quick escape. On the menu, however, you'll find everything, and any approach you can think of can work. If you like tinkering, you'll lose your mind.

Splatoon Raiders: Longevity, Endgame, and Cooperative Mode

You make your way through the world map quite quickly, and once the boss is defeated, you can access the “spicy” challenges of the recently completed region. The difficulty is never excessive, however, going back on your steps occasionally helps prepare against tougher enemies, especially when racing against the clock underground. To complete the campaign, it takes between 15 and 20 hours, culminating in a spectacular final battle that would make Gurren Lagann envious (spirals abound here too).  

After that, a lot of new levels are unlocked and even more trinkets to collect and upgrade. Be prepared to at least double your playtime to see everything, and I don't know how many more to get the thousands of available parts and all the entries in the Salmonid catalog.

As long as you progress through the story, the experience is very enjoyable, thanks to a lively pace and continuous novelties. The endgame is solid, but here the gameplay shows its weakness to a somewhat formulaic nature. The cap for player and arsenal is low, so the only way to overcome the more complex scenarios, which scale exponentially, is to pump up the equipment. The problem is that the cost of upgrades is truly exorbitant compared to the income. For convenience, I decided to limit myself to a single build and still I'm always short on materials or credits. A less than favorable drop rate despite the achieved challenge level doesn't help, to which must be added a growing slice of duplicates, among other things with a not-so-appealing conversion rate. 

In practice, to compensate for the lack of long-term bite, Splatoon Raiders stretches the grinding needed to maximize DPS a bit too much, artificially prolonging longevity. It must be said that the various Splatoon games have been heavily supported after their release, so it's reasonable to expect a first wave of new content soon. Until then, making your way to the final challenges becomes cumbersome and a bit monotonous.

If you can't progress or are looking for company, you can turn to the co-op mode. At any time, you can ask for help or join a rescue request, or even create rooms to host up to three friends. The difficulty of enemies scales from player to player, so everyone has adequate targets, however, the chaos on screen and the inability to communicate make matches with random people not very different from regular single-player sessions. Teaming up with someone, perhaps using GameChat, seems more manageable, but I didn't have the pleasure during the test. 

Splatoon Raiders: Graphics, Performance, and Technical Sector on Switch 2

Splatoon Raiders was announced a few days after the debut of Switch 2, so it's reasonable to assume that its development began on the predecessor of Nintendo's current hybrid console. Make no mistake, the presentation is far from poor, but nothing that couldn't run smoothly on the modest Switch. The lighting, in particular, is quite subdued. What it would have struggled to replicate are the rock-solid performances that only the more powerful hardware of Switch 2 can offer. The sheer volume of beasts, splashes, explosions, and other special effects that pile up, especially in arenas, is impressive, and yet the game maintains a steady 60 fps. Never a stutter or hesitation.

The level design was conceived to offer good navigation regardless of equipment, but it gives its best in levels designed around specific gadgets. I wouldn't have minded more timed trials or ones that combined “parkour” and combat. The locations, however, have a somewhat dull appearance, as if it were always cloudy, and lack variety. The stylistic choice is fine, but limiting oneself to generic beaches, volcanoes, and snowy peaks is not ideal. There was room for some other biomes, perhaps with more “abstract” designs, in line with the underground areas. 

Also because the melodies lend themselves well to a certain aura of mystery, despite mostly cheerful tunes. The tracks perfectly recall the reference setting, but every now and then you catch those distortions that make the game world seem strange, almost alien (and again, this brings Pikmin 2 to mind). Given the presence of Deep Cut, I would have expected more “sung” pieces from them, but on those rare occasions when they steal the spotlight, they don't disappoint at all.