STACK #217 November 2022

GAMING REVIEWS

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SPLATOON 3

SHOOTER MULTIPLAYER

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When some keen young Nintendolings conjured up Splatoon for theWii U, they hit upon a brilliant concept, which was essentially a first-person shooter, but suitable for all ages. Guns became ink pistols, and soldiers became cool, edgy squid/humanoid hybrids. Chuck in a little bit of classic Aussie Wii wonder De Blob and a hunk of Jet Set Radio attitude and voila! The first Switch outing, Splatoon 2 , honed the formula, and Splatoon 3 does too. Splatoon 2 nailed both playability and atmosphere, so there wasn’t a lot to

YELLOW AND BL… UE! Our theme colours this time are yellow and blue, echoing the arid Splatlands in which we start out, before traveling to this outing’s metropolis, Splatsville. Here you can level up, accrue currency, and funkify your character via shopping. Shopping rocks!

Also once again, this solo mode allows newbies to learn all things Splatoony. From understanding nuances such as weapon handling and the transmogrification between squid and biped, plus the advantages of each configuration, it’s also handy as a refresher course for those who may not have been inky in a while. As with its predecessors, Splatoon 3 isn’t really about solo play though. The core multiplayer option is classic Turf War, with 12 maps to assail. Splatoon 2 ’s horde mode Salmon Run returns and, rounding things out, is Anarchy Battle, the replacement for the ranked battle experience. It’s accessible after you reach level 10 (or straight away if you’re a Splatoon 2 veteran with a saved game). If you’re already a convert, then Splatoon 3 is a must-have. If you’ve yet to be indoctrinated into the way of the ink, then get on board! AF

improve on. As such, we get a new story, some multiplayer modes, and a new card game, Tableturf Battle, which is accessible after reaching level four. Once arriving in metropolis Splatsville you can opt to dive straight into multiplayer, or head into a larger solo campaign than ever before. It’s a quest to regain control of the mega power source that is the Great Zapfish, which has, once again, gone AWOL.

FIFA 23

SPORTS MULTIPLAYER

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As we come to the end of the official FIFA partnership with EA Sports, FIFA 23 treats us to a true celebration of the best parts of football. What we have here is open, attacking football at its most glitzy, with heavy helpings of goals and spectacular set pieces to savour. FIFA 23 takes the same position on defence that the Rocky movies

take on block punches – it’s only relevant when the plot requires it. Otherwise, this game continues to throw wild haymakers with reckless abandon, and long wind-up shots with the

your opponent’s players with well-timed passes will leave them out of place and open the door for you to waltz on through.

BELIEVE! You can now take to the pitch as the fictional,

Deflection goals are also very cool. Defenders will do their best to block shots, but often their good intentions will result in nasty problems for your goalkeepers as the ball heads off in funky new directions. Career mode is particularly fun this year, allowing you to take control of your favourite team or create a new club from scratch. You can customise every aspect from the ground on up and then replace one of the established clubs within the system to push your way through to goals and glory. Ultimate Team is back, as well as a slightly revamped Volta experience for those who enjoy those game modes. FIFA 23 is a fitting signoff to a franchise that has set the tone for sports sims since its inception. DN

yet awesome, AFC Richmond with the

new power kick mechanic make for some beautifully choreographed replay fodder. The new training centre is a helpful guide that walks everyone through the basics. It’s good for even experienced hands to spend five minutes looking through the new controls and gameplay, as things do handle differently. Forget tackling, forget shots on goal, Passing is king in FIFA 23 . Slicing through

people’s manager, Ted Lasso, and his superstar captain Roy Kent, whose signature chant we won’t repeat here…

12 NOVEMBER 2022

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