Cut from the same cloth as Demon’s Hand – a strategic turn-based motion graphic minigame – Battle of Koeshin is a 2.5D minigame set in the League of Legends: Spirit Blossom narrative. After the positive response to learning about the richer lore tied to the League of Legends universe and seeing that these minigames feature familiar League champions, and paves the way to introducing new characters, there’s potential for more of these minigames to become a regular addition as new expansions are released.
Battle of Koeshin is a beat-em-up side scroller, perfect for immersing players in the lore with easy mechanics that players of any experience can learn. It’s a fun and chaotic experience, drawing inspiration from classic arcade games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons. The game stars Xin Zhao and introduces a new character named Yunara, guiding players through three stunning environments before culminating in a battle against the formidable Grove Mother Morgana.
Threads Between Realms
After being away from Ionia for over 30 years, Xin Zhao returns to his homeland of Ionia to investigate the mystery behind a Damasian sapling that has spontaneously started blooming spirit blossoms halfway across the world. During this time, the Wild Bloom is occurring, bringing the veil between the spiritual and mortal realms closer than ever before. While meditating with Kennen, a spike of magic occurs, bringing Yunara’s temple and a host of angry Azakana.
As Xin Zhao springs into action to defend his homeland and banish the demons, Yunara emerges. Through their mutual trust in Master Kennen, the two join forces and seek to hone their abilities to protect the village and restore peace to the Spiri Blossom Festival. Together, they venture through this moment where the realms are blurred, descending the mountain, facing off various Azakana towards the heart of evil.
The Game
Within the unique and dynamic setting, players are thrust into the action that is perfectly staged for classic cross-fighting gameplay. Battle of Koeshin introduces classic elements and staples that reference arcade games, such as hit stops and hit stuns. These fighting abilities highlight the prowess of both Xin Zhao and Yunara. Players can switch between these two characters with the touch of a button, discovering that each has their own distinctive styles of light, heavy, and dash attacks.
The controls are user-friendly, utilizing W, A, S, D for movement, Space for jumping, and three-key combos for actions. Combos are taught near the start of the game, with a wide range of mix-and-match experimentation to deliver that engaging, button-masher experience that will be familiar to fans of traditional fighting games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. To further drive the nostalgic “old school” feel, the game utilizes a WASD control scheme.
Drawing from the Ionia myths, a Spirit attack can be used, serving as a powerful super move. As players become more familiar with the moves, they can build energy within a style meter by landing combo moves and switching characters. Once the style meter is full, players can summon a random Champion adorned in their new Spirit Blossom Skins, such as Karma, Kayle, or Zed, to aid them in battle with a powerful super move. This can help alleviate the pressure and give players the boost they need to trample over unfortunate foes.
While traversing through breathtaking environments where silhouettes reflect on the water’s surface and blossoms cascade over battle, players will master the art of combat and confront the enchanting yet deadly Grove Mother, Morgana. This mini-game adds an enjoyable layer to the story of Xin Zhao and Kennen while introducing League’s newest champion, Yunara.
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