Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

 Switch
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 248 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 212 out of 248
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 248
  3. Negative: 25 out of 248

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  1. Captiosus
    Jun 18, 2018
    7
    I'm happy for more Splatoon single player content. However, having now finished all 80 metro levels and the end game bit, I find that this expansion is very hit-or-miss. There are many levels which are very good but there are just as many which are mediocre or poorly designed. Likewise, many of these levels really highlight the game's shortcomings when it comes to core game mechanics likeI'm happy for more Splatoon single player content. However, having now finished all 80 metro levels and the end game bit, I find that this expansion is very hit-or-miss. There are many levels which are very good but there are just as many which are mediocre or poorly designed. Likewise, many of these levels really highlight the game's shortcomings when it comes to core game mechanics like hit detection. The number of times I was hit by projectiles which went past me, or the number of times items like inkfurlers failed to activate on hit, was nothing short of frustrating. The end stage sequence is truly fantastic and reminiscent of old school Mega Man Dr. Wily castle stages.

    I'm unsure why people are complaining about the difficulty as I found most levels to be not that much more difficult than the base single player campaign. Since its doesn't deviate (much) from the game's core mechanics, most longtime Splatoon fans will blow through this content quickly with the only real challenge being the aforementioned bugs or poorly constructed levels. Unfortunately, its replay value is almost non-existent once you've completed all 80 levels.    … Expand
  2. HyperTornado
    Jun 14, 2018
    5
    Great expansion completely ruined by frustrating mechanics and a tedious point system to play the levels. Points are required to play levels and running out of points means you have to repeat lower levels again. Which happens frequently if you keep attempting to beat hard levels.
  3. toonlinkman
    Jun 14, 2018
    6
    Nice looking game unfortunately that is where the good about this game ends. The levels and the story are boring. This really should have been included for free.
  4. FreedomFighters
    Aug 8, 2018
    7
    Rarely, if ever, do I review DLC/expansion packs over here on my Metacritic. It's not for any ill will, mind you, but it's because, really, I don't play many of them! With how many games I still have to finish on my backlog, I don't often feel the effort to go out of my way and play a lot of expansions to titles. Just play the base game and continue on from there. However, given that IRarely, if ever, do I review DLC/expansion packs over here on my Metacritic. It's not for any ill will, mind you, but it's because, really, I don't play many of them! With how many games I still have to finish on my backlog, I don't often feel the effort to go out of my way and play a lot of expansions to titles. Just play the base game and continue on from there. However, given that I adore "Splatoon 2," I was admittedly quite excited when I found out that the game would be getting new single-player content in the form of an expansion, because I always found that the single-player modes in both "Splatoon" games were a bit short, so it was nice to get a little more beef this time around. So, would the new expansion meet my excitement? Well, not entirely, but it's good for what it is.
    "Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion" gives you plenty of beef and bang for your buck if you felt like the base game could've used more single-player content. There's 80 new missions here, and they do follow a number of different formulas: from popping balloons, to defeating as many enemies as you can, to defeating bosses, to grinding rails, the expansion tests all of your "Splatoon" skills. And Nintendo pulled no punches with this one: the difficulty of these missions feels like the equivalent of being slam-dunked into the deep end of a swimming pool by a 7+ foot tall basketball player. I know, extreme comparison, but you get the point: "Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion" wastes no time giving you a challenge. It's nice to see that they didn't entirely skim on the difficulty, and they gave you more than enough to do, which is exactly what an expansion should do. And given that the game does seem to expand on some of the popular lore that more hardcore "Splatoon" fans have been itching for (and also allows them to play as an Octoling, which was heavily requested), plenty of attention seemed to be paid on this one.
    That said, that difficulty thing is also a bit of a negative: just as it wouldn't be all that fun to be slammed dunked into the deep end of the pool by that basketball player (because you'd probably drown), it can be very frustrating dealing with the fact that a good deal of the difficulty comes from a lot of trial-and-error and, to a degree, "fake difficulty." It's great that they wanted to challenge us a bit more, but sometimes, it just becomes overly frustrating, and it makes the repetitiveness of some of the missions show a bit. And while I don't expect an expansion to drastically change the game, if you're gonna include 80 levels to play, at least don't make them feel so same-y. Oh, and if you don't want to skim on the difficulty, please don't break the game with the skip function. I get why they did it, because it's frustrating, but come on, you can literally skip the final boss by dying once! ONCE! Where's the gameplay motivation if, after all the fatigue the seven trials put me through to GET to the final boss, I can literally win the expansion without even so much as FIGHTING it?
    I know, it sounds like I'm harping too much on the game, and I don't mean to, because it is a good expansion! It does quite a few things you might not expect an expansion to do, and it gives you plenty of content! That said, it is a slightly flawed expansion, and some of the positives of it can double as negatives. Still, it's a nice addition to "Splatoon 2" that should keep hardcore fans itching for more single-player content happy for a very long time.
    Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"    … Expand
  5. smw119
    Oct 10, 2018
    6
    Though the volume of content is admirable and justifies the price tag, the experience overall is on the tedious side. I'm a big fan of the multiplayer in splatoon 2, it's satisfying and dynamic enough to keep my interest but the single player offerings have always been a struggle for me to get through. The single player experience in this game is very hard and can be extremely frustrating.Though the volume of content is admirable and justifies the price tag, the experience overall is on the tedious side. I'm a big fan of the multiplayer in splatoon 2, it's satisfying and dynamic enough to keep my interest but the single player offerings have always been a struggle for me to get through. The single player experience in this game is very hard and can be extremely frustrating. I was able to push through it because I wanted to have the ability to play as an octoling for cosmetic purposes, but I wouldn't do it again. Unless the cosmetic of octolings appeals to you or you're looking for single player content that's on the more challenging side I would recommend against getting this. And if your only reason for getting this is the cosmetics, then you'd better be prepared to complete the single player portion of the expansion because you will have to unlock the ability to play as an octoling and the only way to do that is to play the single player through to the end. Thankfully this expansion is not required as game play updates for this game are free. So you wouldn't be missing out on much if you gave this a skip… Expand

Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Best Switch Game of 2018
26
#26 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Nintendo Insider
    Sep 20, 2018
    90
    The Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion never lacks in the sheer spectacle of its creativity. It’s Nintendo at its best, for sure, taking what we have come to expect from Splatoon 2’s core experience only to throw the rulebook out the window to astound with freshly inked ideas. More, please.
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  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Sep 5, 2018
    75
    Don't go into this expecting the next step in the evolution of Splatoon. This one's more of a detour. [Issue #35 – September/October 2018, p. 20]
  3. GamePro Germany
    Jul 30, 2018
    86
    The Splatoon 2: Octo expansion convinces with great new ideas and a lot of variety, but still lacks a "real" story.
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