I'd gotten out of Splatoon 2 due to the upcoming $20 gate on the multiplayer & the SP just not clicking with me. However, with the Octo Expansion being completely SP content, I got back in over the last few days.
The Octo expansion stages are generally very well-done, with some exceptions. I hate the "pop all the balloons/crates before time runs out" or "defend the orb" stages because they require a degree of precision neither the Switch joycons nor Splatoon 2's controls are really designed to accommodate. I find the timer stages in general extremely stingy on the time. I cleared 2 of them with a 1/3 of a second remaining on the clock.
I managed to get all the Mem cakes, and overall I thought these shorter, bite-sized challenges fit Splatoon better than the sprawling 15-20 minute stages of the maim game.
And then the Octo Expansion suddenly thinks it's Portal 2, and it keeps going. Suddenly, Nintendo feels the need to scratch that "terrible mandatory stealth" itch they frequently get in their games. Then there's a rough boss fight that needed more checkpoints.
And then the Expansion STILL keeps on going with a final "pop the balloons" stage I would have enjoyed a lot more if this wasn't the 2nd fakeout ending the game did in the last several hours. But I beat it.
Likewise, I also completed my first Splatfest in ages, and if No Pulp doesn't win the pulpularity contest I'll be shocked. I played the game for 5 hours straight grinding through matches, and I saw MAYBE 8 Pulp Teams.
The Splatfest reminded me how exceptionally grindy Splatoon 1 & 2 are. I played Turf War for 5 hours straight with Boosters, and I only got from Levels 4 - 9. I'm also kind of shocked how bad people still are at this game. I hadn't played Splatoon 2 in months and I was always by far the lowest leveled player on my team with the worst equipment. I didn't know these new stages.
I still averaged around 1,000 points a match and was almost always the top player on my team. And no matter how good you are, the maximum # of Splat points you can get a match is 2 if the rest of your team sucks.
Good grief.