Review: Splatoon Raiders (Nintendo Switch 2)

Splatoon Raiders is a spin-off of the popular ink-splatting series of Splatoon games. It’s the first such sideways entry for the Inklings, taking things out of the multiplayer arena and expanding the lore. If this entry is indicative of where the series is heading, things are looking terrific for the franchise.

In Splatoon Raiders, you play the role of The Mechanic, a nameless pilot on a journey with the Deep Cut Trio. It seems the Spirhalite Islands have recently resurfaced due to a tectonic shift, and the trio wants to investigate (and find any related treasure that might have appeared as a result). A bright light catches their attention, only to draw them into a hurricane of spiraling clouds. When their helicopter crashlands in the middle of the Spirhalite Islands, it’s up to the Mechanic to lead the charge in finding a way to repair their craft. Oh, and uncover as much of that treasure along the way.

Hurricanes and crash-landings may sound extreme, but don’t worry; everything is chill. No one is hurt. In fact, no one seems in any particular hurry to get home, not with the allure of loot keeping them preoccupied. In this way, Splatoon Raiders maintains a similar laidback style of humor in line with the mainline series, ensuring we’re in for a good time. The characters are fun, a little bit silly, and, importantly, likeable. 

If you haven’t played previous Splatoon titles, let’s get caught up. The Deep Cut Trio first appeared in Splatoon 3, hosting the Anarchy Splatcast. The trio consists of an Octoling named Shiver, an Inkling named Frye, and a massive manta ray named Big Man. Frye sports a yellow-based ensemble, and is full of energy. Shiver features a blue-toned look along with a cool demeanor. Big Man is a gentle giant and the musical composer of the group. He communicates via deep vocal echoes.

The Mechanic is you. You can adjust your style before you play, and any time between stages during the game. From skin tone to hair style, the Mechanic is yours to mold. It’s fun to unlock outfits along the way, too. The Mechanic is an important part of the team, too, taking the lead in missions, so it’s important to look your best. 

Gameplay is an addictive loop of explore, upgrade, repeat. Despite the cycle, things never become dull. Take exploration, for example. A handy top-down map shows the areas available for visiting. A few tend to open at once, allowing you to pick and choose where to head first. Each one varies in design, some sporting a time limit, some featuring multiple layers to drill through, and others presenting vast areas ripe for exploration. Each level is full of items to find, including weapons, gadget parts, gems, and relics. This variety keeps things from growing stale. The increasing difficulty also keeps things interesting.

Each stage presents a number to indicate how challenging it is. While the numbers are initially low, they soon start to climb as you progress. Of course, you level up alongside the enemies, keeping things fairly balanced. Additionally, you can choose between three overall difficulty levels: Tourist (easy), Raider (normal), and Survivalist (hard). This can be changed at any time.

I also appreciate what happens when you don’t finish a level. No matter how hard it gets, things never feel punishing. If you don’t make it through a level, you’ll have to try again. The good part is that you keep any loot acquired during the stage whether you complete it or not. This means you can still level up and find better weapons before trying again. It makes retrying less like a chore and more like an accomplishment. It’s a nice balance.

Splatoon Raiders is touted as a single-player experience. In many ways, it is – and it’s great. It does seem slightly strange, then, that the Mechanic has a CPU-controlled helper. Don’t get me wrong, the assistance is useful, but it seems like it could easily have been used as a second player for local co-op. And that would have been a great addition. 

There are ways to play with other people, though, and it’s pretty neat. Once you reach a certain point early in the game, it’s revealed that you can call for help from online players. A little later, you can offer your assistance to others. In both cases, the help feature works by the simple tap of a button. The game then sets about matching you with someone, and away you go. You can only help for one level with a 30-minute cooldown afterwards, but it’s super satisfying to give and receive assistance this way. Go team! The other bonus is that helpers can keep any loot they find during the raid. It works well and helps everything feel like a little community. It’s a nice feeling.

Graphically, everything looks sublime. This is a Switch 2 game, and it shows. The ink-based world of Splatoon has always lent itself to a playful, color-based aesthetic, and that continues in Raiders. The cutscenes are terrific, showing off some fantastic animation. The Spirhalite Islands themselves are a little drab – deliberately so – but this helps highlight the characters and their ink. Even the enemies emit an ink-like ooze. This yellow-y substance slows you down, so it’s best to cover it with your own ink. This provides that classic Splatoon feeling of painting as much of the terrain as your own color. The more ink you splat around the world, the more colorful it becomes.

There’s so much to this game. There are over 100 weapons to discover. These fall into 11 classes, from shooters and sloshers to brellas and blasters. Plus, there are multiple gadgets to equip and adjust – these are essential for battle, providing time-limited assistance in the form of extra weapons or moves to take out tougher enemies. You can also unlock special abilities via relics, and expand your base. Growing stronger is addictive, and the only way to do that is to keep on raiding. The loop continues.

And I never really want it to end.