Rivals 2 has one of the most fun, rewarding, and dynamic combo systems of any plat fighter I've played. Only really contested by Rushdown Revolt. But it has one of the lamest, most uninteractive neutral games of any plat-fighter I've played. To elaborate: The high character speed, fairly long wavedashes, low wavedash recovery, micro dashes, and hit-falling all come together to create a combo system with so many branching paths that it's easy to take multiple routes to the same end goal. Making the system super dynamic and stage dependent while also being incredibly expressive. On the other hand, the incredible movement capabilities lead to a neutral game that discourages meaningful engagements. It feels like an optimal strategy in this game to continuously back off with safe hitboxes until you get to ledge or make it to a low platform. Then use the ledge or shield dropped aerials to safely threaten the screen space you gave up for retreating. It's absolutely possible to make a read and punish the opponent once they go to the ledge or a platform, but the risk reward is so skewed in favor of the retreating player that it is hard to justify it. Compared to traditional fighters or even other plat fighters, it's night and day. If you back your opponent into the corner in street fighter, they lose their ability to retreat. If you force your opponent to ledge in Smash 4 or Ultimate, you get to play a guessing game with the odds in your favor. In Rivals 2, if you force your opponent into a corner, you have to contest an invincible ledge dash and risk getting thrown/jabbed into an edge guard because the dynamic combo system lets you basically choose where to send your opponent on hit. Ultimately, I like it, but it's not a game I can take seriously in its current state. Once you're past mid-high diamond /into masters, and most people are playing optimally, the game is pretty unfun. But I had a great time in gold/plat/low diamond, but hitting masters isn't something I'm interested in doing again
2 weeks ago (edited)
| 3
Cool looking game with a pretty cool community and cool devs. Haven't played but it's looking pretty cool
2 weeks ago
| 0
For a while I honestly really didn’t like it outside of Loxodont since the characters felt so stiff in comparison to their rivals 1 counterparts, but seeing the slight engine tweaks (and the buff to my boy etalus) I’ve been enjoying it a lot more now honestly, only issue is the nonstop barrage of olympias online lmao
2 weeks ago
| 0
Meh I still prefer rivals 1 but I’ve had some fun with it. I don’t like any of the new mechanics but grabbing and tech chasing can be fun sometimes. I would’ve preferred if they just ported rivals 1 to a new engine, uncapped it, and maaaybe added ledges but that’s just me man. I’m glad some people are enjoying it
1 week ago (edited)
| 1
The characters aren’t even that annoying. Everyone except Zetter and Olympia feel like they’ve got fair counter play to me (Zetter and Olympia do need to be a little less good at everything though)
2 weeks ago
| 0
Software Neos
Current Thoughts on Rivals 2?
(Amswers will be used in a video)
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 8