Splatoon Raiders Hands-On: Single-Player Focus Challenges the Series Formula
The shooter and action reputation of the Splatoon series has long been the headline—but one upcoming entry is trying to flip that focus. Splatoon Raiders is built around a single-player adventure, with co-op or multiplayer positioned as a secondary add-on. In a new hands-on test, we’ll be looking at whether this reversed gameplay pitch holds up once you’re actually playing, and how it changes the series’ feel for solo players.
Release and availability snapshot
| Item | Platform / Edition | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Splatoon Raiders | Single-player emphasized; co-op/multiplayer as an extra | Reviewed in the new N-ZONE issue (download now; print from 21 August) |
| Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis | Switch 2 | Releasing “directly” for Switch 2 (featured in the preview) |
| Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen | For Nintendo fans | Coming soon (preview includes a recap of the premise) |
| Jurassic World: Evolution 2 (Complete Edition) | Complete Edition | Just released (tested in the new issue) |
N-ZONE issue ships now as a download; print starts 21 August
The new issue of N-ZONE is available immediately as a download. Physical copies are set to appear in stores from 21 August.
Digital access is also described across common ePaper and store platforms, including browser-based ePaper reading and listings for iTunes and Amazon Kindle Fire, with Android availability via the Google Play store. The publication also notes that it can be used across devices after a single sign-in, and it includes a complete overview of the different digital N-ZONE variants and what to consider during registration.
What’s covered: previews, tests, and retrospectives
Beyond the Splatoon Raiders single-player focus, the issue leans heavily into upcoming titles and what to expect from them. Featured preview coverage includes a playable look at Alien: Isolation 2, with an emphasis on whether the next chapter returns to the franchise’s survival-horror atmosphere. Another preview highlights Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and its arrival on Switch 2, while the issue also takes time to revisit the premise of Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen for Nintendo players ahead of its release.
Indie releases are part of the lineup too, with two recommended standouts mentioned: Witchbrook and Neverway.
On the testing side, the issue reviews the newly available Jurassic World: Evolution 2 Complete Edition. It also includes a reflective look back at Pokémon GO marking ten years. Elsewhere, it revisits the second entry of Grand Theft Auto Revue and raises the question of what the next major Nintendo franchise might be, noting that Splatoon has already been around for several years.
More Nintendo talk via the PC Games podcast
For listeners who want to keep discussing Nintendo topics beyond the magazine, the PC Games Podcast is referenced as continuing the conversation since the end of the Nintendo-focused podcast, with episodes available across multiple major podcast and video platforms.
