Octo Expansion
“ | Pale summer moonlight shimmers on the seafloor.
An octopus, unaware that dawn will bring capture, Rests within a trap, dreaming fleeting dreams... |
” |
— The opening poem of the Octo Expansion.
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Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion is paid downloadable content for Splatoon 2.[1][2] It was released on 14 June 2018 at 01:00 UTC with the 3.1.0 update.
The mode is located at the subway entrance in the alleyway to the upper right of the map. It is also referred to as the Deepsea Metro on the drop down map.
Story
The player takes the role of Agent 8, an Octoling with amnesia who finds themselves in a strange subway station connected to a series of research facilities deep underground. As the game starts, the Octoling sees Cap'n Cuttlefish ready to attack them before stopping, seeing that they do not have a weapon with them. Cuttlefish then informs the Octoling that they and Agent 3 fought in Octo Valley before "something" attacked the three and caused the Octoling to lose all of their memories in the process. He then asks if they remember anything, which prompts the customization of the player's Octoling. After finding a way through the beginning of the subway, Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish come across an empty platform with a lone telephone ringing. As the Octoling answers the Telephone, it identifies them as subject No. 10008; being too long, Cap'n Cuttlefish decides to give them the name "Agent 8" for short. The Telephone tells Agent 8 that they would want to go to the "Promised Land" so they can be free, but in order to do so, they must collect four "thangs". As the call ends, a train pulls up towards Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish and stops for them. They then meet C.Q. Cumber, the conductor of the train, who explains the functions of the CQ-80 and the credits system. Shortly afterwards, Pearl and Marina make contact with the two of them and offer their help in escaping.
After collecting all four "thangs", the telephone cryptically asks whether Agent 8 is "ready to ascend to a higher plane of existence" and "willing to become something greater than yourself", before using the thangs to seemingly open a door out of the Metro. It is soon revealed to be a trap, however, and Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish realize the thangs were parts of a giant blender that the Telephone planned to use to render them into raw material.
Before the blender can turn on, Marina is able to activate a distress signal from Agent 8's CQ-80, prompting Agent 3 to crash through the ceiling and destroy the blender. Agent 3 is knocked out, but Agent 8 is able to use their employee-model CQ-80 to activate an elevator to the surface. After a lengthy escape, Agent 8 is forced to defeat a partially sanitized Agent 3, who had been attacked while they were escaping. Once on the surface, Pearl and Marina prepare to airlift Cap'n Cuttlefish and Agent 8 to safety, but the above-ground section of the facility proceeds to rise from the ground, now revealed to be part of a human statue. The Telephone introduces itself as Commander Tartar, an AI created 12,000 years ago to pass on human knowledge to any species worthy enough. It reveals that it has judged both Inklings and Octarians as unworthy of receiving its knowledge and begins activating a weapon to destroy and recreate life on Earth, fueled by the raw material of the failed subjects that it seeks to use to create "perfect" life. Marina, Pearl, and Agent 8 hurriedly put a stop to the statue, using Marina's prototype "hyperbombs" and a Killer Wail powered by Pearl's loud voice. With the day saved and Tartar destroyed, Pearl and Marina hug with Cap'n Cuttlefish celebrating and Agent 3 wakes up. Agent 8 watches and smiles at them, finally able to be free. The group then look out to Inkopolis Square, Cap'n Cuttlefish presses the CQ-80 and the staff credits play. After the credits begin to finish, Agent 8 looks back at the player and smiles at them. With the day saved, Off the Hook returns to Inkopolis Square, dropping off Agent 8 there as well.
When Agent 8 returns to the Deepsea Metro, C.Q. Cumber tells them that they can now transfer credits into items as well as find Mem medals in different Stations that can be used to exchange items in the Vending Machine. Cap'n Cuttlefish informs Agent 8 that Agent 3 went out on patrol and he wished to check on the denizens of the deep for a while longer.
After Agent 8 completes all the tests, a locker in the Central Station will open and Agent 8 will have a battle with their "Inner Agent 3" with both of them having the classic colors of blue and orange respectively. Defeating them will reward the player with the Golden Toothpick.
Gameplay
The Octo Expansion adds a new single-player campaign consisting of eighty levels. Off the Hook supports Agent 8 from above ground and their help can be used to skip missions that are too difficult.
The first station has the Telephone, where Agent 8 learns the details on how to escape the Deepsea Metro. The Telephone also provides Agent 8 with the CQ-80 device (a flat controller shaped like a submarine), used to navigate the underground; and a CQ Card, which is used to store CQ Points. C.Q. Cumber will issue an initial 1000 CQ Points to start off.
Entering each mission costs a set amount of points, for either one, three, or five lives. The player can then choose between multiple challenges, each with a different weapon set. Depending on the weapon set chosen, a different amount of points is awarded (harder sets provide bigger rewards).
Lives are lost not only from being splatted but also by failing to comply with certain test conditions. If the player fails to complete the test's conditions to pass, an inflatable balloon of ink attached to Agent 8's ink tank will explode and splat them in the process.
If the player loses all of their lives, they may continue from the last checkpoint with all lives returned by paying more points, return to the station for free (but still having to pay to reenter the level), abandon the level and return to the subway, or ask for help from Off the Hook to skip the level. Off the Hook can only help Agent 8 skip a level if they fail at least twice. When prompted to ask for help, it requires the regular fee to auto-pass the level, wherein Marina hacks into Kamabo's mainframe to trick it into thinking Agent 8 passed. The resulting mem cake will be gray, with only the quote "Your guess is as good as mine." However, if pressed to ask for help, the player can press X to "Tough it Out" and continue to play the level as normal. If skipped, the mem cake of that level will not be collected, barring players from certain rewards until they have completed the station properly.
If a player finds themselves with less than 100 CQ Points after losing all of their lives, a game over screen will appear instead of a continue screen. The player will then return to the Metro, where Pearl will take money from her dad and Marina will convert it into CQ points, transferring 3000 CQ Points to Agent 8. However, the player will be in debt, which can be repaid through Cap'n Cuttlefish. Players cannot access the secret boss fight if they have debt.
The normal Octarians from Octo Canyon are replaced with Sanitized Octarians, which are a distinctive shade of sickly green. Enemy Octolings are able to use more main weapons and special weapons, previously only seen in online multiplayer modes. For example, in the first test, an enemy Octoling can use an Inkjet. A select amount of levels are also special only, meaning Agent 8's special bar never goes down.
Some tests have Agent 8 go against a team of four Sanitized Octolings, in the style of ranked modes. The time limit is always five minutes and Agent 8 has unlimited lives until the time limit ends.
After completing the story, players are able to play as a male or female Octoling in multiplayer gameplay and customize them just like Inklings. Gear and weapons will be shared between the characters in the same account.
A short gameplay video of one of the missions was published on 30 April 2018. It shows a female Agent 8 on a mission requiring her to defeat a set of Sanitized Octotroopers, Octosnipers and Octocommanders within two minutes. This video also marks the first appearance of canisters similar to the special weapon canisters from Octo Canyon, as well as metallic briefcases. Both are marked with the same logo as the CQ-80 and the CQ Card, unlike the Octo Canyon canisters that show the Ammo Knights logo.
The objectives of the missions were revealed in a short gameplay video of Stamped-Up Station. It is a set of three floating pieces of a goal that must be covered in ink to be activated and be touched in order for the level to be completed. There are also smaller posts that emit red beacons that function the same as Mini Zapfish.
After three of the thangs are found, Cap'n Cuttlefish will decide to make a "missing" poster for Agent 3, asking Agent 8 what they look like. This determines Agent 3's gender, skin color, and eye color.
During the escape, if Agent 8 dies five times in a phase, their "Skip Charge" will be filled and will be allowed to skip the phase. If so, the sounds of a Splashdown and a Sting Ray can be heard and there will be a simple transitional phrase on the screen, stating that Agent 8 got past the phase. In the final boss, it will be instantly filled after one failed attempt.
When Agent 8 returns to the Deepsea Metro, they will be able to use the Vending Machine in Central Station to exchange 15,000 Credits for an item and go around other stations to claim Mem Medallions to be exchanged for the Vending Machine. The Vending Machine has more variety than the Ammo Knights Enhancifier, having the chance of getting more than one drink ticket, upgraded food tickets, Cash, Ability Chunks, and Credits. The items range from getting every type of drink ticket to even getting tens of thousands of Cash.
Characters
- Cap'n Cuttlefish
- Pearl
- Marina
- Agent 3
- Agent 8
- C.Q. Cumber
- Telephone
- Iso Padre
- Dedf1sh
- Denizens of the deep
Gear
Purchasing the Octo Expansion unlocks the Studio Octophones and the Octo Layered LS. As soon as the player enters the game and finishes Inkopolis News, a box containing both pieces of gear will be in the center of the Square.
Fourteen gear items are obtainable through the Octo Expansion. All players will see the items in-game, but only players who purchase the Octo Expansion will be able to obtain the items for themselves.
Of all the items listed here, only the Golden Toothpick requires the player to pass all stages without help from Off The Hook.
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The box that the Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS come in.
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The box that all the other Octo Expansion gear comes in.
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A video showing the Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS being received by the player. (link to file)
Music
The full version of the Octo Expansion trailer song, called Nasty Majesty, was performed during Off the Hook's live concert at NicoNico Choukaigi 2018.[3]
On 21st May 2018, a new character was revealed, a Sanitized Octoling DJ called Dedf1sh. According to Nintendo, Dedf1sh was a DJ with a promising future in the music world. During her search for inspiration, she came across a deep-sea testing facility and became disinfected. Despite this, she kept up her career as a DJ, and her music is heard all through the facility.
Stations
If a station has dual IDs, the later letter in alphabetical order takes precedence, as inferred by the cost of its test fee and the way two lines overlap each other. Stations with double circles denote where thangs are.
Line A
A00 Central Station
A01 Gnarly Rails Station
A02 Far-Out Station
A03 Wassup 8-Ball Station
A04 Roll Out Station
A05 Fake Plastic Station
A06 Bounce with Me Station
A07 Maverick Station
A08 Bumpin' 8-Ball Station
Line B
B01 Wassup 8-Ball Station
B02 Poppin' Fresh Station
B03 Spin Docto Station
B04 Rad Ride Station
B05 Wack 8-Ball Station
B06 Notorious Station
B07 Fly 8-Ball Station
B08 Righteous Rails Station
B10 Ink 'n' Slide Station
B11 Tubular 8-Ball Station
B12 Brute Rollup Station
B13 Phat Splatz Station
B14 Breakdance Station
B15 Ink from Above Station
B16 Pop Rock Station
Line C
C01 Radical Rails Station
C02 Shrinky Ink Station
C03 Bumpin' 8-Ball Station
C04 Move It Move It Station
C05 Stamped-Up Station
C06 Bust 'n' Move Station
C07 Totally 8-Ball Station
C08 Right Round Station
C09 Bodacious 8-Ball Station
C10 McFly Station
C11 Abracadabra Station
C12 Matchmaker Station
C14 Stick 'n' Move Station
Line D
D01 Ink from Above Station
D02 One-Shot Station
D03 Slap Bracelet Station
D04 Mad Props Station
File:Allthat8ballstationstart.jpg
D05 All That 8-Ball Station
D06 Radical Rails Station
D07 Targetbuster Station
D08 Girl Power Station
D09 Goose Station
D10 Labyrinth Station
D11 Ink & Watch Station
Line E
E01 No Whammy Station
E03 Don't Ralph Station
E04 Heinous 8-Ball Station
File:Hypercolorstationstart.jpg
E05 Hypercolor Station
E06 Swass 8-Ball Station
E07 Iceman Station
E08 Da Bomb Station
E09 Squee-G Funk Station
E10 Cratebuster Station
E11 Bodacious Rotation Station
E12 Drop the Bass Station
Line F
F01 Drop the Bass Station
F02 Slow Ride Station
F03 Pop Star Station
F04 Stamped-Up Station
F05 Popalicious Station
F06 Duh-Oh Station
F07 Matchmaker Station
F08 Jump Station
F09 Bring It Station
F10 Cubular Station
F11 Whack-Fu Station
Line G
G01 Toastmaster Station
G02 Hasta La Vista Station
G03 House Party Station
G04 Ink 'n' Slide Station
G05 Bustalicious Station
G06 Gnarly Rails Station
G07 Ride with Me Station
G08 Freakazoid Station
G09 Wack 8-Ball Station
G10 Iceman Station
Line H
H01 Slap Bracelet Station
H02 Ballercise Station
H03 Sweet Ride Station
H04 Shooter McStation
H05 Ink It Station
H07 Cool Your Jets Station
Line I
I01 Toastmaster Station
I02 Dinky Ink Station
I03 No Whammy Station
I04 Can't Touch This Station
I05 Righteous Rails Station
I06 All Eyez Station
I07 Ride with Me Station
I08 Radio Station
I09 Poppin' Fresh Station
Line J
J01 Cool Your Jets Station
J02 Matchmaster Station
J03 Girl Power Station
J04 Footloose Station
J05 Stick 'n' Move Station
J06 Ink & Watch Station
J07 Outrageous Station
J08 Whack-Fu Station
Escape
01. Coccyx Phase
02. Villi Phase
03. Belly Phase
04. Intestinal Phase
05. Diaphragm Phase
File:Dm mPeristalsis Phase.jpg
06. Peristalsis Phase
07. Spinal Phase
08. Turf War (Octo Expansion)|Turf War
Quotes
View the quotation page. |
Trivia
- Many stages on the Deepsea Metro Map are references to popular movies and songs.
- The Expansion costs $19.99* in the US, €19.99 in the EU, £17.99* in the UK and ¥1800* in Japan. It is the first paid downloadable content announced for any game in the Splatoon series.
- The Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS were available early by pre-purchasing the Octo Expansion. This is a throwback to the initial Splatoon Global Testfire, where players who pre-purchased Splatoon during the event were given Studio Headphones and a special squid-themed layered shirt.
- The various Phases during the escape are named after internal human body parts and are also placed roughly where the parts are situated in a human body. These places are revealed to be inside the NILS Statue, which resembles a human being.
- Several references to the number eight are made, such as:
- Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion is eight syllables long.
- Agent 8 (subject No. 10008) as the main protagonist.
- Using the CQ-80 device to navigate Deepsea Metro.
- Having exactly eighty levels.
- The tubes on the sides of the checkpoints resemble the number eight.
- The poems for Mem cakes have exactly eight syllables for each line.
- Levels requiring the player to push an eight ball.
- Levels requiring the player to collect eight data-points.
- If the player goes through the lines in alphabetical order, the last thang is on the eighth line.
- The escape has eight phases if one includes the final boss fight.
- After the final boss fight, when Pearl uses the Killer Wail against the NILS statue, the ink turf covered for the "Good Guys" goes up to 888.8%.
- The five music tracks from the Octo Expansion are numbered from 80 to 84 in Squid Beatz 2.
- The locker that has Agent 8's memories in it, which are used to enter the Secret Boss fight, is locker #8.
- The bumpers that appear at the entrance to the missions have eight stubs at the base, as opposed to the squid dummies in the Shooting Range who have ten.
- Unlike Marie and Sheldon, Cap'n Cuttlefish and Off the Hook are aware of Agent 8 being splatted or failing tests, as they give advice to them when they respawn or react to them messing up, as well as having unique dialogue options when using different weapons.
- Most of the station titles and subtitles are references to '80s and '90s pop culture.
- The visuals and audio allude to the vaporwave style, characterized by neon signs, glitchy art, 3D objects, statues, VHS videos (e.g. upon clearing a challenge or obtaining a thang), '90s web design (e.g. Marina's chat room), and sample-heavy music (mostly by Dedf1sh).
- While Dedf1sh's songs are numbered, a few numbers appear to be skipped. These include numbers 3, 7, 10, 15, 17, and 18.
Gallery
Official art
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Logo from the trailer.
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Vertical version of the preview art.
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The box art.
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Special release artwork.
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Concept art of Off the Hook in the Expansion.
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Artwork on the Expansion's download card.
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Artwork of Agent 8 in the Deepsea Metro.
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Artwork of Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish.
Deepsea Metro
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Agent 8 viewing the Deepsea Metro map, holding the CQ Device in her hand.
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Cap'n Cuttlefish and Agent 8.
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Interior view of the Deepsea Metro. Left to right: Iso Padre, Agent 8, pair of deep-sea jellyfish, C.Q. Cumber, blobfish, and Cap'n Cuttlefish.
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A zoomed-in view of the same shot reveals a dogfish character behind the blobfish.
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A Metro car filled with predatory tunicates.
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A ping-pong tree sponge and a gulper eel inside the Metro.
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A car with a blobfish, two siphonophores, and a longsnout dogfish.
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A platform in one of the Deepsea Metro stations. The Telephone can be seen on the right.
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Agent 8 looking towards the subway train.
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Agent 8 squatting in a Deepsea Metro station.
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Promotional image of the Telephone.
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The Telephone speaking to Agent 8. The text reads: "If you have come here... ... You're trying to depart for the promised land, aren't you?!".
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Promotional image of the CQ-80 Device and Card.
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Challenge selection at the entrance to Avec Station. Entering the level costs 200 CQ points, and clearing it rewards the player with 700, 800 or 900 points, depending on the weapon set chosen.
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Smokestacks rising from one of the Deepsea Metro station, similar in appearance to underwater magma vents.
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Promotional image of Agent 8 as a girl and a boy.
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Promotional image of Off the Hook's new looks for the Expansion.
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A longsnout dogfish, siphonophore, and blobfish.
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A sea angel, ping-pong tree sponge, and deepsea jellies.
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Predatory tunicates, gulper eels, and flashlight fish.
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Marina's chat room.
Missions
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Agent 8 Fighting Sanitized Octocopters using the Heavy Splatling.
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Agent 8 Fighting Sanitized Octozeppelins using the Inkjet.
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Agent 8 firing an Inkjet.
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Agent 8 inside a mission.
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Agent 8 standing in front of a mission entrance gate.
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Agent 8 on a ride rail, wielding Dualie Squelchers. Ink Switches can be seen in the background.
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Agent 8 being thrown at the checkpoint at the start of Girl Power Station.
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Agent 8 inside a mission. The objects floating in the background are Nintendo GameCubes with their controllers and discs. Agent 8's pose is the one used when losing with a Dualie-type weapon.
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Agent 8 breaking some target crates with an Octobrush. An Octowasher can be seen on the left.
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Continue screen when failing a mission. The options are:
* (Lives x3, CQ Points x100) Revive from checkpoint
* Revive from station home
* Return to electric train. -
The option at the bottom right shows Off the Hook's icons and reads " Ask for help".
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"Mem cakes", the tokens received for completing each of the Expansion's eighty missions.
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Viewing the Inkling Squid mem cake.
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An overview map of the different Phases during Agent 8's escape to the surface.
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The ink tank equipped by Agent 8.
Names in other languages
Notes
References
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