I do wish the story mode borrowed a little less from Octo Expansion (it doesn't work as well here as it did there) and dared to be more of its own thing, but the aspects of the story mode that were original (the new idols serving as obstacles instead of new guides, smallfry, the exploring) were great. Deep Cut acting as sort of team rocket figures was fantastic and extremely funny.

As for the online multiplayer, it definitely has issues, but I think it's overall the best the series has been yet. The new map designs are awful, with the shapes being far too simplistic, but the gameplay is as vibrant as ever. The level of customization you have, between your tag and your locker, is super fun and sorts Splatoon very well. Tableturf is a fun addition, and this game overall has a very bright, welcoming community. It's just a ton of fun to sink hours into. A lot of people have complained about connectivity issues, but I didn't experience too many.

It doesn't quite reach the highs of Octo Expansion, but I love this game and I'm excited to see what Side Order brings.