What to Expect from Rivals of Aether 2

by

What to Expect from Rivals of Aether 2

Key Takeaways

  • Rivals of Aether 2 launches on Steam, maintaining its promised content.
  • The new game retains classic characters while introducing new mechanics like grabbing and shields.
  • Future plans for Rivals of Aether 2 involve expansions like ranked play, tutorials, and more stages.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of platform fighting experience under my belt, I must say that the announcement of Rivals of Aether 2 has left me absolutely thrilled! Having grown up on classics like Super Smash Bros., I’ve been yearning for a fresh take on the genre that truly pushes the boundaries.

On September 18, 2024, enthusiasts of platform fighters received exciting news: The release date for Rivals of Aether 2 on Steam was unveiled! Over the past three years, this game has been referred to as Rivals 2, but it’s now undergone a name change to better fit into the established Aether series of games, comics, and merchandise, and to boost its visibility amidst the upcoming Marvel Rivals. Despite this sudden shift in direction, Rivals of Aether 2 has remained committed to the plan it outlined in its November 2023 Kickstarter campaign, and is expected to launch with all the promised features.

Stepping back into the world known as “Aether”, players will find themselves commanding the mystical champions hailing from the Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water realms once more. In the previous installment, these main characters were left in a perilous situation within the foreboding Abyss. The upcoming multi-chapter storyline of “Rivals of Aether 2” will unravel their escape and subsequent events. Moreover, the new server-supported rollback netcode is designed to provide seamless matches for any combination of two to four players. While “Rivals of Aether 2” seems promising within the platform fighter genre, it’s essential to note that not all features will be available at its October 23 release date.

Rivals of Aether 2’s Starting Roster

What to Expect from Rivals of Aether 2

In a combat game, nothing is as crucial as an engaging group of characters, and the upcoming game “Rivals of Aether 2” presents a robust initial roster.

  • Zetterburn
  • Ranno
  • Wrastor
  • Kragg
  • Fleet
  • Maypul
  • Clairen
  • Loxodont
  • Orcane
  • Forsburn

With the winner of the Steam Workshop Contest, La Reina, as well as other upcoming characters, all at no extra cost to owners, the game “Rivals 2” boasts an impressive roster right off the bat. Remarkably, eight of these fighters originate from the initial “Rivals of Aether”, which is significant given that it initially only had 18 characters. The new additions, Loxodont, a character hinted at throughout the series, and Fleet, the hero from the Steam Deck-verified “Dungeons of Aether”, serve to further strengthen this roster for now.

What’s New In Rivals of Aether 2

What to Expect from Rivals of Aether 2

In the upcoming game, Rivals 2, a variety of innovative mechanics have been added to mark its advancement as a platform fighter. Alongside the stunning 3D graphics, voice acting, and advanced SnapNet rollback netcode, Rivals of Aether 2 has incorporated elements typically found in other games of this genre that were absent in its original version. These include ledge grabs, general grabbing, and defensive shields. However, Rivals 2 aims to stand out from Super Smash Bros., as it also introduces Pummel, Ledge, and Getup Specials for every character. This makes Rivals 2 one of the most intricate platform fighters available today.

What Rivals of Aether 2 Has Kept and Left Behind

A significant portion of its complexity stems from the minimal mechanics that have been carried over from the previous version of Rivals of Aether 2, such as parries, hitfalling, wavedashing, and more. Notably, it will debut with five starting stages and five counterpick stages to provide a strong initial foundation. Regrettably, aside from an upgraded training mode, there are no other returning features at launch. The developers have acknowledged the appeal of Rivals of Aether’s popular Steam Workshop integration but have yet to guarantee its inclusion, and numerous other features have been postponed for future updates.

Rivals of Aether 2’s Plans For The Future

What to Expect from Rivals of Aether 2

In simpler terms, it seems that not all the content for the game Rivals 2 will be available at launch. Features such as ranked online play, character tutorials, an arcade mode, a story mode, and potential console ports might be added later on. This means that even though the game has an indie-tier price tag, some players might find it expensive due to these future additions.

Read More

2024-09-24 18:03