Splatoon Raiders has rapidly ascended Metacritic's user rankings, securing a spot in the top 10 highest-rated games on the platform less than a week after its release. The game currently holds seventh place with an average user score of 9.3 out of 10, surpassing critically acclaimed titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Last of Us.
This unexpected surge in user appreciation places Splatoon Raiders ahead of major releases such as The Witcher 3's 'Hearts of Stone' expansion. While the rankings can be influenced by recency bias and dedicated fanbases, the user scores generally reflect games widely regarded as exceptional. Splatoon Raiders now sits just behind titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Resident Evil Requiem in the user-generated rankings.
User reviews highlight the game's engaging gameplay loop, polished experience, and strong audiovisual presentation. One Metacritic user described it as "Absolute Cinema," praising its "perfect gameplay loop," while another anticipates it as a potential "GOTY of 2026."
Currently, Splatoon Raiders has amassed 464 user ratings, suggesting that its high ranking is being significantly bolstered by its most dedicated fans. The game's professional reviewer score stands at 8.1. It remains to be seen how the user score will fluctuate as more reviews are added, though the current momentum may inspire further positive engagement from the player base.
Despite its high user score, Splatoon Raiders' professional review aggregate is 8.1. However, playing the game reveals a fun and surprisingly deep loot shooter experience. It leans more towards a bullet-heaven arcade shooter than might be expected from a Nintendo title, potentially earning it a reputation as a unique first-party gem from the Switch 2 era.