2XKO Review – Heavy Is The 2v2 Crown

The League of Legends universe and lore is as vast as its world of Runeterra. It is a world filled with magic, science and war, but most importantly, filled with amazing and interesting characters that have become icons in the video games realm. While this lore was, for a time, limited to the League of Legends game, with the release of the animated series Arcane, the League of Legends universe found its way into a new audience. Developed by Riot Games, 2XKO is a new take on this universe, and this time, Riot is aiming at fighting games enthusiasts and casual players alike. After some time in Early Access on PC, 2XKO has gone all out with a full release that includes consoles as well. 

Whether you are a League of Legends player, an Arcane fan, or a gamer that just plays fighting games casually, with 2XKO you will feel right at home thanks to its accessible combat and controls. 2XKO controls can be as simple as you want them, using a similar input to the modern controls of Street Fighter 6. But because of combos and assist systems, it can be as deep and complex as you wish them to be. Yes, this is not the first 2v2 or tag-team fighting game; there have been other great ones that had similar elements like Marvel vs Capcom Infinite or Street Fighter X Tekken.

However, 2XKO elevates the tag-team system with new features, like the ways you can tag or choosing how the dynamic between the tag partners will be. With this, I mean the Fuse system, which lets you select how your two champions will combine their attacks. Double Down fuse for example, lets you use the super attacks with the assists, while the Juggernaut fuse transfers all the power of one champion into the main one, allowing you to play with just one powerful champion. So even if you are more of a single fighter player, you can ignore the 2v2 aspect, though in my opinion, that’s where the magic of the game lies. 

While the controller inputs might seem simple at first, this fits perfectly with the dynamic of learning two characters at the same time. In my case, I use Jinx and Vi, which is a great combination of long-range attacks with Jinx, and close-range combos with Vi. The champions also bring their iconic weapons to the fight, with Jinx carrying her iconic Pow-Pow minigun and her rocket launcher Fishbones. What makes these weapons even more unique is that you can use them for other elements besides attacking, such as using Jinx’s rocket launcher to jump into the air with the explosion. Traps are also available and can be used to slow down an opponent. This doesn’t mean a champion with weapons will be limited to long-range. Thanks to the dash or rush that you can perform, you will be in close range in no time. Or, you can simply switch to your close-range partner. 

Riot is known for making something unique and their own from other genres, and 2XKO is no exception. The fighting games genre has some giants, yet this feels like one of Riot’s most original works that stands out from those other established franchises. While other games aim for martial arts inspired combat, 2XKO goes full chaos with a combat that can be more in line with that from the Arcane series. Spectacle fighting that makes for incredible combos and fighting moments. Combined with a beautiful art style, 2XKO is simply satisfying to look at. The effects, stages, and skins, all fit into the League and Arcane aesthetic. However, a lot of those skins are behind a paywall, and here is where some of the game’s issues lie.  

This is a free-to-play game, so of course it needs a store and a monetization design to survive. But some of the prices can feel too heavy for the wallet. Currently, the Arcane skins cannot be bought individually; they are available in a bundle, a bundle that costs almost $100. This for me seems like a lose situation for me, the player and Riot, because I won’t be buying an entire bundle since I only play one character from that bundle. Some skins can be bought individually, but you will have to wait for them to be available in the store. Having a rotational store also just seems like a mistake since the store already feels a bit empty. Games like Street Fighter 6—which has a live-service model—have a store with all the added content. You can’t earn the credits back from buying the battle pass, and a lot of the progression rewards are items for your avatar, with barely anything worth for the champions. 

Besides not having a great progression system, 2XKO currently doesn’t have a story mode. Characters are one of those elements that makes Riot projects stand out. They are simply one of the best studios for creating characters; so, it is a shame that there is no story mode. There are the dialogues interactions between each champion at the beginning and end of each match, but as of now, that’s all there is. Hopefully, story and cutscenes, or even just an arcade mode, will be added and add the spice that makes these characters and world so special. The story and characters are a big part of why I go back to play Street Fighter 6 once a new fighter is released. With Riot’s animation team, they have the potential to do something even bigger in 2XKO.  

While the singleplayer and monetization sides could use some work, the multiplayer side of 2XKO shines, and it is one of the best in current fighting games. You can team up with a local friend and have fun with the 2v2 dynamic or take it to the next level in online multiplayer. The netcode is great, from all the multiplayer matches I’ve played, only a few have had lag issues and were very minimal. The multiplayer also includes a hub where you meet with other players and connect to each fight through an arcade machine. You can join other players as a duo or fight alone against a duo team. 

2XKO excels in its 2v2 gameplay and combat. It feels fresh and innovative. The combinations and combos that are possible thanks to the tag-team assists and fuse system are simply unlimited fun. The music and art style also go in sync with the game’s direction and tone. However, 2XKO is also a free live service game, and while the monetization and progression system need work, the good thing about service games is that these elements can be adjusted. It is my hope that they are adjusted, because there is a lot of potential in 2XKO, and if that potential is maximized, I can see a future where it becomes a giant in the fighting games genre, just like League of Legends did in MOBA. It is also my hope that this will be another motivation for Riot to bring the world of Runeterra and its characters to other video game genres. 

Walter reviewed 2XKO on PC. This review is based on the version of the game available at the time of writing and our score will not be changed.