The Action RPG Splatoon Fans Won't Want To Miss
It's been a dry year for Splatoon fans. Nintendo announced Splatoon 3, but it won't appear on the Nintendo Switch anytime soon. It's enough to make an Inkling cry. However, a new game with some striking similarities to the whimsical third person shooter is set to arrive on the Nintendo Switch and PS4 on April 13, 2021. Calling all Squid Kids: this one's for you.
Though Poison Control doesn't visually resemble Splatoon all that much, its gameplay shows off several similarities. Poison Control is a "turf war-style action-RPG" where players must help to "purify" Hell. Yes, you read that correctly.
Nintendo's official website calls Poison Control a "twisted action shooter," which describes the gameplay well. Players must simultaneously fight creatures throughout Hell by shooting them, while also cleaning up the world by running over painted areas, changing their color. While Poison Control isn't exactly like Splatoon, there are enough similarities here to tide players over until 2022.
What makes Poison Control special?
Where Poison Control differs from Splatoon the most is in its story. Players take the role of a nameless protagonist that finds themselves in Hell, despite the fact that they're a living soul. Together with the mysterious Poisonette, who possesses the protagonist's body in an attempt to take it over forever, players must journey through Hell itself in an attempt to get back to the world of the living.
Poisonette is a Klesha, a being created from the "delusions" of young girls. As the protagonist, players must work to purify Kleshas in order to bring order to the world. Poison Control kind of looks and sounds like what happens when Persona 5 and Splatoon combine, and that's a delightful thing.
The trailer for Poison Control shows just how chaotic things will get once the game releases on April 13. One fan commented on the trailer, saying that it looked like "Splatoon in Hell," while another said it gives them "Splatoon vibes."
Even though Poison Control's overall design doesn't quite look like Splatoon, it's important to remember that Splatoon almost didn't look the way fans know it today. Besides, Splatoon already has plenty of disturbing elements on its own, even if it doesn't take place in the underworld.