2XKO First Impressions: Can Riot's Fighting Game Score A Knockout?

2XKO , Riot Games' tag-team fighting game featuring League of Legends champions, has been out on closed beta for a while. After spending some time playing 2XKO and learning how to play it, these are my first impressions of the game. In this article, I'll be going over the things I liked about the game and the things that I disliked.

First up, I'll start by sharing the things that I liked about the game during my time trying things out.

A Fairly Comprehensive Tutorial System

While I was spending time learning the ins and outs of 2XKO, I appreciated the game's fairly comprehensive tutorial system. Despite being in closed beta, the game offers a tutorial system that covers a lot of the game's basic functions. The tutorial included multiple sections that each teach a different aspect of the game divided into easy to digest sections. For players who are new to fighting games, 2XKO's tutorial system is functional enough to help them grasp the basics.

The Game's Arcade-like Casual Lobby

After players complete a series of placement matches that are supposedly intended to gauge their skill, they'll access the lobby. This lobby looks pretty similar to the one that's seen in other fighting games that I've played like Tekken 8. Here, players can chat with other players in the lobby while they're queueing up for a match and watch games. I liked being able to watch the on-going matches being played by the other players while waiting for my game.

Fuses: 2XKO's Gameplay Modifier System

One of the things I liked about 2XKO was their implementation of the Fuse system, which are pre-game gameplay modifiers. This Fuse system reminds me of the Infinity Stone system that is used in the Marvel Vs Capcom: Infinite game. However, unlike the Infinity Stones in Marvel Vs Capcom: Infinite, 2XKO's Fuse System offers players a greater depth of customization. As of writing, there are currently only five Fuses available for players to choose from that can augment their playstyles.

That wraps up the things that I liked about 2XKO, now let's move on to the things I didn't like.

No Motion Controls In 2XKO

To be honest, there isn't much that I didn't like about 2XKO except for the game's lack of motion controls. By motion controls, I mean doing quarter circles, half circles, and dragon punches in order to perform certain character actions. Instead of having motion controls, 2XKO utilizes a somewhat simpler system that involves using more dedicated keys for special moves. Maybe I'm just not used to it, but throughout my time playtesting, there are times where inputting commands felt awkward. It's probably just a skill issue on my part, but I'd like if Riot implemented an option for motion controls.

Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent playing 2XKO and think that there's so much to like about the game. Aside from my dislike for the lack of motion controls, the game has a lot of good things about it. I'm interested to see how Riot Games will handle this game and I'm looking forward to seeing it develop more.

This story was originally reported by GameDaily on Sep 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add GameDaily as a Preferred Source by clicking here.