Fighting games are notoriously difficult, mentally demanding, and prohibitive for beginners to master. While fighting games are not inherently more complex than other genres, many different fighting games have tried to become more welcoming to a wider audience, while still maintaining the same depth that top-level competitors fall in love with. Riot Games’ upcoming fighting game, 2XKO, This is the latest attempt to balance these frustrations.
Officially known as Project L, 2XKO The game was announced in October 2019 during Riot Games' 10th anniversary celebration. It was initially promoted as a traditional 1v1 fighting game featuring Riot Games' champions. league of legends being, 2XKO It eventually turned into a 2v2 fighter, with the option to let one player control every character on the team – something we haven't seen in the genre since Street Fighter x Tekken Since 2012. Bringing a friend into a fighting game no longer means you have to face them off; instead, you'll have the opportunity to teach them the ropes by working together as a duo.
With the exception of select influencers invited by Riot to try out the game in the company’s studios, the game has only been available to tournament participants at select events. And every time 2XKO has appeared, it has never failed to draw huge lines. However, the game has not been available to the general public outside of these in-person events — but that’s all about to change. Next month, the game will be available to the general public when Riot hosts the game’s first online alpha test in select countries from August 8-15.
Game Impressions
2XKOThe player's greatest triumph in expressing himself is the Fuse system. It reminds us of Capcom vs SNK 2In the 's Groove system, valves change the way you play by providing you with different abilities. There are currently five different valves (2X, Double Down, Freestyle, Fury, and Pulse) and each one enables a different playstyle if you take the time to understand the intricacies of each one.
Even if two players choose the exact same character combination, a change in valves can radically change their playstyle.
I had the chance to play a version of the game earlier this year, and I felt the subtle improvements that have been made to the game in the latest version. From adding more visual elegance and clarity to the UI, to adding entirely new system mechanics like the new beginner-friendly Pulse Fuse, 2XKO The team has taken player feedback seriously and has been constantly working on iterations to further improve the game.
Courtesy of Dylan Ladd
Beginner-friendly mechanics are always a topic of contention in fighting games. While some players fear that you sacrifice depth for accessibility, 2XKO It manages to provide space for both newcomers and pros. Players new to fighting games can pull off some great moments, thanks to the lack of motion inputs and the new Pulse Fuse, and pros can still perform combos with high execution requirements and powerful opportunities to unlock their opponents.
In a match I had against Sean “Unconquerable” Rivera, the game’s director, I was happy when he managed to land 40 Iku/Yasuo hits on me, and this came after the hit duration was shortened compared to previous iterations. There was also a moment where I had to block a combo for seven seconds, and both instances show that there are still opportunities for those invested in the game to try and chase down those high hits.
Although on a superficial level the game has clear inspiration from Marvel vs Capcom (Partly due to the fact that there is MVC Veterans on the team, the development team has noteworthy characters in every game within the genre, from Guilty Equipment And Street Fighter Even 3D fighters like Tekken.
when i started playing 2XKOI naturally gravitated towards Double Down Fuse, as allowing for chaining attacks between characters reminded me a lot of Marvel vs CapcomUltimately, I was going to try Freestyle because I felt it was strong enough to allow for strong opportunities for aggression, and eventually settled on 2X Fuse once I got more hands-on time at EVO.
The game was also incredibly balanced as a solo player versus a team of two players. When I competed with two players on my own at EVO, I was still able to find a foothold against them and keep the score even.
Developers' Insights and Philosophies on 2XKO
Regardless of the challenge 2XKO During the team's matches, I also had the opportunity to talk to them about their design philosophy and goals for the game.
Caroline “Shivana” Montano, who is in charge of design at Illaoi, shared the different iterations the company has gone through to get to where it is today.
“Ilawi Test of the Spirit” [her E-ability in League of Legends] “This ability was an integral part of her kit early in the development cycle, where she could pull the soul from an opponent and hit them, sometimes resulting in a three-man Merry Christmas in a two-player game,” she says, laughing at the prospect. “However, we ultimately found that it wasn’t fun to be on the receiving end of it, so we eventually scrapped it. We still knew we wanted to keep Illaoi’s Soul Test because it was such an iconic ability, so we were eventually able to work it into her ultimate, cinematic Tier 2 ability.”
Monatno also spoke about the design goals the team has for each character. “We want to make sure that each character has certain tools to answer specific problems,” she says. “Previously, Illaoi was a bit weak to opponents using Retreating Guard, which was weak to low hits, so we gave her Down+S2 that hits low hits, so if you can read it right with the right reaction, you can call out their defense.”
Braum designer Steve “UpToSnuff” Bankert also spoke about Braum’s development process and other design philosophies.
“We had a more technically demanding version of the Braum shield that was a bit more complicated to use and fight against,” he says. “We stuck with that version for a long time, but we finally abandoned that idea about a year ago, and the Braum that’s playable here is the version we chose after that.”
Courtesy of Dylan Ladd
He also discussed the philosophy behind the team's vision. “I see our game as having multiple ways to master it: your ability to use your moves at the right time, to ask for help at the right time, to know [Braum’s] “Good matchups, weaknesses, playing around them; all these things we're used to,” he says.
“All of this will get you past the first layer even if you're teaming up with someone new; but then when you play the characters, [and become] “As you get more comfortable with the game, you'll find your own unusual moments to help you out. This is something players will find for themselves and is part of the beauty of a game that is just as creative and experimental as ours.”
The moment that makes 2XKO great
The most memorable experience I had was the one that set this design philosophy. 2XKO The test was when I was paired with another person in the audience, who was Japanese. Despite having to overcome the language barrier, we were still able to start a conversation.
“What characters do you like?” I asked.
“Ahri Ilawi,” he replied.
“Do you have a fuse you want?” I asked.
“2X or double the amount.” he pointed out.
I laughed and said, “Now you speak my language,” as I pressed the button that confirmed the 2X valve was on for both of us.
During the match, we were able to quickly synchronize with each other, setting each other up to find opportunities in neutral to execute great combinations. It is understandable that we made some mistakes, but that is normal when cooperating with someone we have just met, and we were still able to correct the course immediately after. We did not need to share the language to share the victory.
I also had the pleasure of playing against other Japanese players, and after that we started using Google Translate to chat with each other about our experiences with the 2XKO Share technology in the game.
Through the translation tool, I was able to share with another player that a team member told me about a function in Illaoi's S1 Super, where you can transfer your claws to the opponent. I could feel the excitement he felt from learning it. In our match, I was able to show him the exact timing more deeply; and then he was able to beat me instantly with the same technique.
while 2XKO's The current release window is a long way from now, currently scheduled for release in 2025, and each version of the game shows promise for a fighting game that's not only fun to play and polish, but also fun to solve with a friend by your side.
