With 2XKO’s Alpha Lab playtest in full swing, players have found combos and exploits that require a big update.
Featuring characters from Riot Games’ League of Legends, 2XKO continues Riot’s expansion beyond the original MOBA. Featuring fan favorites like Ahri, Yasuo, and Ekko, 2XKO’s 12-day alpha playtest has given players time to dig their teeth into the mechanics of the tag-team fighting game.
According to Riot Games developer Shaun Rivera, the playtest has already identified some areas that need an overhaul. That includes numerous devastating combos, exploits, and balance issues that need to be addressed in the upcoming 2XKO update.
2XKO full of touch-of-death combos, other balance issues
Riot Games acknowledged balance issues in 2XKO including touch-of-death combos that can kill a character at full health.
Few things are more frustrating than going from 100% health to being dead without being able to do anything about it. Players have already found multiple combos that do this, some of which require little resource investment.
Long combos and touches of death are directly called out as issues the development team hopes to address, alongside increasing player agency and combo difficulty. In a long-form update on X, Rivera discussed complaints surrounding these issues and noted that they will be the focus of some of 2XKO’s first major updates.
Touch-of-death combos can be representative of underlying problems, including over-tuned damage, hitbox issues, bugs, or unintended consequences of other changes. These aren’t unheard of in fighting games but often require incredible skill and frame-perfect precision or meter resources that make them impractical for regular use.
In 2XKO, extremely long combos are effectively the norm. This stems from the game’s extreme focus on being accessible to new players. This is expected to change as a result of the upcoming 2XKO update.
2XKO updates may make combos more unique, shorter
2XKO’s combos are extremely easy and extremely long, and that will change to some degree in future 2XKO updates.
Even if a combo isn’t a touch of death, pressure strings that get converted can lead to a player being unable to act for up to 40 seconds. The lack of agency during long combos can lead to boring losses, putting 2XKO’s longevity at risk. Especially for a game intended to be “fast and explosive,” repeatedly enduring prolonged combos isn’t just a match-ender, it’s uninstall-provoking.
2XKO wants to be accessible, which is already risky considering the culture surrounding fighting games. It also requires the developers to find the balance between easy-to-learn and hard-to-master. Neither of these issues are inherently unfair but adjustments need to be made. The 2XKO Alpha Lab runs until August 19th, 2024.
