Splatoon is a fantastic game, and will probably go on to become a mainstay of Nintendo’s stable in the coming years. It’s a great twist on an established genre with some neat mechanics, and it has seen the right kind of success to go with that worldwide. That said, there is one sticking point that still remains a point of contention in the community- it’s a team based shooter that doesn’t allow for any voice chat.
Splatoon’s director Hisashi Nogami has actually talked about this before, but speaking to Nintendo Life, he laid out his reasoning for the omission of such a seemingly basic feature again.
“We want everyone to play this game from the same point, so that all players – those who haven’t played shooters before, as well as those who have – can enjoy the game. We think there are two reasons for wanting to use [voice]: to play strategically, and to know what you opponent is feeling. We designed the game so that it’s still possible to play strategically, while also giving due consideration so that there is no extreme advantage one way or the other. In terms of knowing what your opponent is feeling, we really do understand the fun that can be had with this, but we hope that you will also understand that it can also have a negative effect too.”
I get where he is coming from, but again, offering the option wouldn’t have hurt. If Nintendo wants to further Splatoon – an excellent game, by the way – then it needs to ensure its online offering is on par next time. Novelty will not be a factor next time around.
Stay tuned for more coverage on Splatoon, including our full review.