Splatoon Raiders is set to offer a significant departure for the franchise, shifting the primary focus from its established competitive multiplayer to a robust single-player campaign centered around a loot-driven horde shooter experience. While previous Splatoon titles have included single-player modes, they often served as introductions to the core mechanics. Raiders aims to place this PvE element at the forefront, with cooperative multiplayer relegated to a secondary role.
Players will engage with familiar Splatoon weaponry, including paint blasters, rollers, and sloshers, alongside a new array of "Gadgets." These Gadgets are categorized into three distinct types: Power, Speed, and Tactical, with players able to equip two within a chosen category per stage. Examples include the "Shot Pot" auto-turret from the Tactical set and "Splatellites," spinning ink blobs that deal damage, from the Power set. The game encourages liberal use of these Gadgets, with quick cooldowns and effects that can be enhanced through upgrades.
The core progression loop revolves around upgrading these Gadgets. As characters level up, players can improve their stats or enhance their capacity for Gadget modifiers. Loot found within stages primarily consists of these modifiers, which can alter Gadget damage or effects, fostering experimentation and the pursuit of "broken" builds that feel overpowered. Relics offer further customization with significant effects, such as enabling a double jump. Each mission also allows players to bring a Deep Cut crew member, whose presence determines a unique "Showstopper" ultimate attack, best reserved for boss encounters.
Missions in Splatoon Raiders unfold across a world map with progressively unlocking islands. These stages function as battle arenas that incorporate light platforming elements, leading into horde-style battles against numerous Salmonids. The game introduces tougher "seasoned" Salmonids, visibly coated in salt, requiring strategic prioritization of threats. Enemy encounters are designed to be varied, with specific Salmonid types and environmental layouts demanding different approaches, creating chaotic yet satisfying combat scenarios.
Elements from other Nintendo titles appear to be integrated into Raiders. The act of mining crystals at the end of stages, alongside drilling into the ground to access deeper areas in some levels, evokes comparisons to Donkey Kong Country. Though lacking Donkey Kong's destructibility, these mechanics suggest a broader design influence.
A multiplayer skirmish session demonstrated a more frantic experience with an increased enemy count to match the player numbers, bearing some resemblance to Splatoon 2's Salmon Run. However, movement across the map to find engagements is more pronounced. The real draw in multiplayer lies in player synergy, where different build specializations can complement each other, potentially facilitating high-level raids for valuable loot.
Splatoon Raiders presents a compelling loot-and-upgrade combat loop designed to sustain a story campaign. The long-term viability of its co-op multiplayer, however, remains a question. Unlike previous Splatoon entries built for enduring competitive play, Raiders' shift to a single-player focus might mean its appeal wanes after the campaign concludes. The potential for continuous raids with friends, driven by the pursuit of increasingly powerful builds, will be key to its longevity. Despite this uncertainty, the game's promise of a more focused single-player Splatoon experience is a significant draw for players who have desired such an approach. Splatoon Raiders is slated for release on July 23, with physical editions priced at $60 and digital codes at $50.