Splatoon 2 Extended Review: Salmon Run

Our overall review of Splatoon 2 is up on the site and readable here, but we thought we would do some extended, more in depth looks at some of the specific modes in the game. First up is Salmon Run, the one mode I was most critical of in my review. Frankly, the content of Salmon Run was not what was disappointing, but rather, the limited playability of the mode itself. However, after seeing what plans Nintendo has for this mode, and how often it will be available, I am willing to rescind some of that criticism.

Salmon Run: What Is It

You know when you play Call of Duty and some people get really enamored by the survivor Zombie mode? Yah, despite what I’ve actually seen people write online, this is nothing like that. There are no endless waves here, but rather, three waves of increasingly more difficult enemies that you will need to finish as a team. Progressing through each wave isn’t limited just by time, but rather by a requirement to collect power eggs which must be deposited in a basket located in a specific area of the stage.

Once the basket has been filled with the right number of power eggs, the level will countdown to 0, which allows players to collect extra eggs for bonus points, and of course, destroy more enemies.

When you load into a ‘job’ – which is what these games are called, as it is your job to clean up the mess, evident by the suite you are given to wear – you will be given a specific stage, and 4 different potential load outs for each player. No two players will have the same load out at any given time, and you won’t actually get to choose which weapon you get. Each weapon has its pros and cons, but to be successful at Salmon Run, you will need to be able to use them all.

Before we get into the boss details, Friend of the Site Abdallah has done a 100% Walkthrough of the single player campaign, and will have Salmon Run video live soon! Check out his channel by clicking on the banner below!

Bosses

Bosses are what will ultimately drop the Power Eggs you need to complete a level, so taking them down is incredibly important. Here is a breakdown of each Boss:

Standard Salmanoid Boss – These guys just take ink! Lots of it, but are fairly easy.

Steelhead Boss – When this guy emerges from the water, get ready to fire at its head. When the bomb on the bosses head begins to form, quickly shoot it to create an explosion. Miss, and you will have to dodge the bomb he lobs your way!

Steel Eel Boss – This boss seems like it would be difficult, but when he has to choose 1 of 4 players to head for, it makes killing the pilot on the tail of the eel incredibly easy. As he crosses land, however, he sprinkles the ground with ink. Taking him out quickly will keep the ground your colour!

Scrapper Boss – Scrapper bosses are…well…covered in scrap metal. Get around behind these guys to take them down. Although they require a bit more ink than a Standard Salmanoid Boss, they are still a pretty easy target!

Stinger Boss – Stinger bosses emerge from the water around the map on a pile of pots and pans, and will snipe at you from his tower. Shoot out all the pots and pans to make him tumble, and nab those precious Power Eggs!

Maw Boss – Maw bosses are the most difficult to defeat in my opinion. These guys will swim through ink – whether his or your own – and come up from the ink to swallow you whole! The only way to avoid this, is to dodge the area where he is likely to rise, and plop a bomb there for him to swallow instead!

Drizzler Boss – The Drizzler bosses will shoot missles at you from inside it’s umbrella shaped body. Once it pops out though, get ready to fire and take this guy down!

Flyfish Boss – Fly Fish bosses are metal flying machines with two missel launching arms. Once he opens his arms, shoot a bomb into each one to take him down!

Starts Out Easy, Quickly Becomes Hard

Salmon Run is always based on your current rank, so early on the waves of enemies will not actually be that difficult. Through my first hour, I’m fairly positive I only died one time. However, the more you play and the better you become, the higher your Salmon Run rank will be, making subsequent waves much more difficult than what you were experiencing early on. If you plan to play with friends often, it’s probably best that you try to keep your ranks similar, as higher ranked players playing in lower ranked games will not gain any bonuses or advance themselves.

Earning Bonuses

As you gain points and level up from your initial intern rank, you will notice that you can unlock daily and monthly bonuses. The more you play, the better chance you have of hitting those bonuses and getting unique gear! Playing as much Salmon Run as possible WHEN it is live is definitely a good idea. Get out and get splat’n folks!

What do you think of Salmon Run? For us, our good friend Matt summed it up best:

https://twitter.com/Matt_Kacar/status/888561393213026304