Project L: Riot Games enters fighting games

We’ve heard the mantra “money equals quality” repeated over and over in video games, as if nearly unlimited financial resources ensure a great product is produced. Let’s be clear, being able to spend exorbitant amounts is certainly a very strong stepping stone to creating an ambitious project, but in a world as complex and unpredictable as the world of development, approaching a new venture with lots of gold and little talent is usually the easiest way to throw any investment .

However, sometimes a team with characters from Scrooge Paperoni behind them manage to combine expenses with a sufficient mix of competence and passion to produce something of high quality. Especially Riot Games, while maintaining a somewhat predictable focus on competitive online titles, has managed to stand out to the point of being defined by some as the “new snowstorm” (and hopefully not surprising, given the current state of that software house). Now, without indulging in excessive hype, we believe the California studio still has little to prove to reach the level of recognition of the blizzard of the old days, however it would be foolish not to recognize its recent results, among the exceptional quality of Arcane (the truly acclaimed TV series in Almost everywhere) and excellent experiences in multiple areas such as Valorant and Legends of Runeterra.

However, there is a competitive online industry that Riot has not yet entered; A complex field, really unable to guarantee the characters seen in MOBA tournaments, is now almost seen as a niche for players with superhuman skills (and fortitude): fighting games. To break through that barrier, the US team has employed some of the best known environmental veterans, and after years of silence finally manages to show its first gameplay. L . project.

We have looked at it carefully, and today we want to analyze it in your company.

marvel? Not this time

Seriously, if you still doubt Riot’s goodwill, the presence of Kanon brothers In the reins of the project all your doubts should be dispelled. For those who don’t know who they are, the two are considered godfathers to the “fighting game community” type, and Tony Cannon is nothing but an inventor. undo netcode, yet the paradigm when it comes to online combat. Their presence, along with other well-known characters (Seth Killian, a well-known producer of Capcom, worked on Riot until two years ago) could suggest that a similar path to “Marvel vs” was taken, but in fact the chosen one for Project L is slightly different.

The game, in fact, is yes.”auxiliary fighterThis is a fighting game in which you can summon your comrades to perform additional actions during attacks or make substitutions in battle, however it does not follow the classic structure with a team of three fighters, but a more exotic management in pairs world RuneterraThe game can also count on a possibly huge roster of characters, although it’s absolutely impossible to have all the League of Legends champions at launch. What is certain is that in the league there is no shortage of warriors with charismatic and elegant personality to use, not to mention those with enormous potential once translated into a combative game.

for example , jinx so sound echo It was already confirmed by the game’s first trailer (after Arcane, it was strange not to include it). While Jinx is clearly an area with different weapons, Ekko is already showing Riot’s willingness to offer very diverse warriors, as she can use her ability to rewind time to create later images that she can return to during combos to change the tempo of attacks or surprise the opponent. With mixing and sudden changes in position.

However, the wealth offered by the League of Legends universe does not automatically entail a massive increase in the complexity of systems: Project L at the base wants to be a fighting game understood by anyone, thus eliminating Complex directional input In favor of a dedicated button for special moves (which change with cardinal directions), a triple attack system with convenient timing combos is reasonably close to those found in many modern Asian fighting games and is probably highly activated with a single button press. To be clear, imagine a system close to Granblue Fantasy Versus, but without the reload times of the moves, without the same thrust version, and significantly richer and faster. This choice may make veterans turn their noses up, but perhaps this time around they don’t have to worry about oversimplifying the systems.

Big brain plays

On the other hand, the words of the Cannon brothers regarding this aspect are quite clear: “Project L is not designed so that a beginner can accidentally defeat a professional.” Although it is currently impossible to thoroughly analyze the combat system, it seems that Riot wants to create a balanced, easy-to-use combat game equipped with class mechanics that can be mastered at different levels. The intent is to allow the strongest players to come up with detailed strategies anyway, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the toughest maneuvers require great timing or in any case, the overall pace of the game greatly favors reflexes and foresight.

Already managing help Hints about direction taken: It’s clear from the video that characters can select which aid to exploit – Ahri uses three different characters during the promo – and if that’s not enough, there appears to be a way to make aerial replacements, particularly appropriate in the case of characters capable of Perform complex combos while flying. In addition, the focus seems to be on the impressive series of shots with rebounds in the area; The game obviously includes moves to throw the opponent (Ekko even has a mid-range projectile that shoots skyward and slows the fall if it hits), and using assists or well-calculated substitutions can lead to offensive action. I say the least on my mind. Sure, balancing a fast-paced system and the tags involved isn’t a healthy walk, but if nothing else, the team inspires confidence.

From a technical point of view, Project L is also surprising. Compared to the first images shown, Riot appears to have ditched the “dyed” look (closer to LoL) for a style more similar to its Sleek shading An Arc System product. The gameplay video shown still belongs to an initial version of the game, however the level of detail for the arenas and characters already looked quite impressive, so it’s fitting to expect a great technical sector in the latest version of the game. Finally, we have very little doubt about the quality of a file netcode Given the people involved and the overall strength of Riot Games’ online infrastructure.