Zero Punctuation Season 11 Episode 32 Splatoon 2

In this episode of Zero Punctuation, Yahtzee Croshaw tackles the colorful world of Splatoon 2. The game, developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, is a sequel to the original Splatoon and features the player assuming the role of an inkling, a humanoid squid character, in a world where players are divided into teams and tasked with covering the most territory in ink.

Yahtzee starts off by praising Splatoon 2's unique visual style, which he describes as "a sort of neon Japanese rave". He notes that the game's aesthetic isn't just for show, as the ink that players shoot and swim through serves a gameplay purpose, allowing characters to move faster and hide from enemies. He also enjoys the game's use of music and sound effects, particularly the "brutal guitar riff" that plays when players are in danger.

When it comes to gameplay, Yahtzee notes that Splatoon 2 is essentially a multiplayer shooter, but with a focus on covering the environment with ink rather than getting kills. He enjoys the various weapons available to players, which range from traditional guns to more unconventional options like paint rollers and ink brushes. He also notes that Splatoon 2 has a good sense of balance, with no one weapon feeling inherently more powerful than others.

One aspect of Splatoon 2 that Yahtzee finds particularly frustrating is the game's use of motion controls. While they're optional, Yahtzee finds that using the Joy-Con's gyroscopic sensors to aim is imprecise and leads to a lot of missed shots. He wishes the game had more traditional control options, particularly when playing in handheld mode.

Despite this issue, Yahtzee overall enjoys the multiplayer aspect of Splatoon 2. He notes that there are several different types of matches available, from regular turf wars to ranked battles with specific objectives. He also likes that players can customize their characters with different gear that provides bonuses like increased speed or improved ink efficiency.

Yahtzee wraps up his review by noting that while Splatoon 2 isn't perfect, it's a unique and enjoyable multiplayer experience that's well worth checking out. He praises the game's emphasis on cooperation and objectives over simple kill counts, as well as its colorful and lively presentation. He does caution that the game's use of motion controls may be a hurdle for some players, but overall he finds the game to be a fun and worthwhile addition to the Switch library.