Round one: the first night
Platform fighters play differently: damage builds up as a percentage, and you win by launching your opponent off the edge of the stage. If you have played that style on a console, Rivals II feels familiar within seconds. The 3D models are new for the sequel and give it a bright, animated look.
The game has CPU matches and modes from the Fun-For-All update, but it is mostly built for playing other people. Newcomers should expect to lose a lot online at first; the ranked system does place you fairly after a few matches.
No pass, no fighter packs, no shortcuts: you buy the game once and every new character turns up for free.
Round two: online
This is the best online play in its genre. Rollback netcode keeps matches tight, and the queues for ranked and casual are healthy for a PC-only game. Lobbies let you set up a room for friends with your own rules.
Because it is on Steam only, there is no crossplay, and no need for any other account.
Round three: depth
Rivals II adds shielding and grabbing to the first game's parry-heavy style, and every fighter has a distinct elemental gimmick: Zetterburn sets opponents alight, Kragg builds rock pillars, Orcane leaves puddles to teleport to. Movement is everything, and the best players look like they are flying.
Workshop support adds custom stages and more, so the game keeps growing outside the official updates.
Round four: the bill
It costs £24.99 on Steam UK, and it has been cut to half that in recent Steam sales. Every fighter since launch has been free. That makes it the cheapest full cast on our card by a distance, and it earns full marks in this round.
The shop sells cosmetics only, at fixed prices you can see before you pay.
| Steam UK | Usual | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Rivals of Aether II, base game | £24.99 | £24.99 |
| Full cast | £24.99 | £24.99 |
There is no pass. Every fighter added since launch has been a free update, and the guest Mina the Hollower is announced for 2027. Outfits are sold in a rotating shop for earned coins or for Aether Bucks bought with money, always at a fixed price.
Who to pick first
Zetterburn
A fire lion with simple pressure: set the opponent on fire and keep hitting. The classic first pick.
Kragg
A rock beetle who builds pillars and throws boulders. Slower, sturdy and good for learning the stage.
Before your first ranked match
- Learn to recover first: getting back to the stage after a hit matters more than any combo.
- Use the parry. Timed right against an attack, it leaves the opponent open for a moment.
- Play casual for a week before ranked. The movement takes time to settle into your hands.
Is it for you?
Buy it if
- You like platform fighters and want something more competitive
- You want every fighter without paying again
- You play only on PC
Skip it if
- You want a traditional health-bar fighter
- You want a long single-player campaign
- You want to play with friends on console
The verdict
The best value on the card and a superb platform fighter. It is a game for playing people rather than a story, but nobody else gives you this much for one payment.
Sources
Played on PC by the Battle Themes team. Facts and prices checked 4 November 2026.