Splatoon 3 with a SIDE ORDER of salt

Summary

The video discusses the new Splatoon 3 DLC 'Side Order,' comparing it to the highly-praised Octo Expansion. While the gameplay loop is fun, featuring roguelike mechanics and multiple objectives like destroying portals and controlling zones, the DLC is criticized for its lack of variety, repetitive stages, and limited new content. The story feels underwhelming, and the dialogue gets repetitive quickly. Despite some enjoyable moments, the overall experience is described as barebones, leading to disappointment for fans expecting more, especially at the high price point compared to other roguelike games.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The DLC introduces a roguelike mode designed for multiple playthroughs but doesn't quite measure up to the Octo Expansion.
• 😕 While fun, the DLC lacks the content and depth to draw players in long-term, especially compared to its predecessor.
• 🎮 The gameplay loop involves choosing a weapon, completing objectives like popping portals, and navigating various challenges across 30 floors.
• 💰 There are different stage difficulties, rewards, and power-ups, but the lack of variety makes it feel repetitive after a few runs.
• 👎 Many of the objectives and enemies are reskinned or simplified versions of what players have already seen in earlier games or expansions.
• 🤖 Pearl is now a 'robo girl' who helps players during missions, and upgrades for her can make her quite powerful, though certain modifiers can neutralize her usefulness.
• 🏆 Despite some rewarding mechanics like power-ups and upgrades, the lack of enemy variety, limited bosses, and repeating stages lead to a feeling of monotony.
• 📜 The story is underwhelming, lacking depth and missing the cutscenes or lore depth many players expected from early trailers.
• 💬 Dialogue and interactions between characters like Pearl and Marina become repetitive after a few runs, diminishing replay value.
• 💸 The DLC is priced similarly to other roguelikes like Hades, but it lacks the same level of content and variety, making it feel overpriced.

Q & A

What is the overall tone of the review for the Splatoon 3 DLC 'Side Order'?

The review has a mixed to negative tone, expressing disappointment with the lack of content and comparing it unfavorably to the Octo Expansion. While some aspects are enjoyed, the reviewer feels the DLC is bare-bones and not worth the full price.

How does 'Side Order' compare to the 'Octo Expansion' according to the reviewer?

The reviewer finds 'Side Order' lacking compared to 'Octo Expansion.' They state it doesn't measure up in terms of story, content, or revitalizing the game and feels like an 'early access title' rather than a full-fledged DLC.

What is the basic gameplay loop of the 'Side Order' DLC?

The gameplay loop involves picking a weapon, entering an elevator, and choosing different floors with varying objectives such as destroying enemy spawners or capturing zones. The player repeats this process multiple times across 30 stages.

What are some of the main objectives on each floor in 'Side Order'?

The main objectives include popping portals, popping balls, chasing enemies, capturing zones (similar to Splat zones), and controlling a tower by shooting at it. These tasks are variations of existing Splatoon 3 mechanics.

What are the modifiers in the 'Side Order' DLC, and how do they affect gameplay?

Modifiers in the DLC are categorized as 'bonus' or 'danger.' Bonus modifiers reward players with power-ups or additional currency, while danger modifiers introduce negative effects like turning off lights or adding more enemy ink. These modifiers add challenges and rewards to the stages.

What are the chip categories in 'Side Order' and how do they impact gameplay?

Chips impact various aspects of the character, similar to gear in the base game but enhanced. They can increase base stats, affect weapon performance (like charge time or roll damage), and introduce special builds like the luck and drone builds that rely on defeating enemies or using a robotic assistant.

How does the reviewer feel about the 'rogue-like' elements of the DLC?

The reviewer appreciates the attempt to introduce rogue-like elements, such as multiple runs and permanent upgrades. However, they criticize the lack of variety, noting that after a few runs, players will have seen most of what the DLC has to offer.

What are the rewards for completing runs in 'Side Order'?

Players can unlock replica weapons, hand-me-down gear, and emotes after completing runs. Additional unlocks are available for clearing the game multiple times with different weapons, though the reviewer feels the rewards are limited.

How does the reviewer describe the enemy and boss variety in 'Side Order'?

The reviewer criticizes the lack of enemy and boss variety, stating that many enemies are reskins of existing ones. There are only three new bosses, and players encounter most enemy types halfway through their first run.

What is the reviewer's biggest gripe with 'Side Order'?

The biggest gripe is the lack of variety and content, especially for a rogue-like game. The reviewer feels that after a few runs, the gameplay becomes repetitive, and there isn't enough new content to justify the DLC's price.