Everything we learned from new Project L gameplay

Riot Games is expanding its gaming empire with Project L, an ambitious fighting game set in the vibrant Runeterra universe. Following their success in MOBAs with League of Legends, tactical shooters with Valorant, and auto-battlers with Teamfight Tactics, the studio now targets the competitive fighting game scene with this highly anticipated title.

The latest gameplay reveal provides unprecedented insight into Project L’s development direction and core systems. Riot’s pattern of dominating gaming genres suggests they’re positioning this fighter as a major contender in the esports landscape.

After initial concept updates earlier this year, the recent deep-dive video delivers concrete details about gameplay mechanics and strategic depth that will define the player experience.

Project L gameplay reveals core mechanics

The newly released footage demonstrates Riot’s commitment to their design philosophy: create intuitive controls that welcome newcomers while offering immense depth for competitive mastery. This balanced approach could potentially reshape how fighting games balance accessibility and complexity.

Movement options form the foundation of combat with seven distinct types available to all champions: standard walking, running, dashing, chain-dashing for rapid repositioning, basic jumps, long jumps for extended coverage, and super jumps for high-arcing approaches. Each movement type serves specific strategic purposes in neutral game situations.

Beyond universal options, individual champions possess unique aerial mobility techniques that complement their combat styles. These specialized movements create character-specific advantages that skilled players can exploit during matches.

Defensive systems begin with traditional blocking but evolve into sophisticated prediction-based mechanics. Successfully anticipating opponent actions unlocks advanced defensive options that reward strategic thinking over reflexive reactions.

Project L brings tag team battles back

Originally conceived as a traditional 1v1 fighter, Project L has evolved over two years into a sophisticated tag team system. The current implementation features two champions per team with dynamic swapping capabilities during combat.

Teams consist of a point champion who starts the match and an assist champion providing support from off-screen. Both roles can be actively controlled through strategic tag mechanics that define high-level play.

Assist actions allow off-screen champions to briefly intervene without fully entering the battlefield. This creates opportunities for extended combos, defensive coverage, and pressure situations that single-character fighters cannot replicate.

Handshake Tags enable seamless transitions between point and assist champions during active combat. This mechanic returns the current point character to reserve position while bringing the assist champion to the forefront with momentum maintained.

The Dynamic Save system represents Project L’s emergency defensive option, summoning your assist champion to rescue your point character from dangerous situations. However, opponents who read this defensive move can counter it, potentially wasting your crucial save resource and leaving you vulnerable.

Successful team building requires understanding champion synergies beyond individual strength. Consider how your point champion’s weaknesses can be covered by your assist’s strengths, similar to team composition principles in our Class Guide for optimal role coverage.

Avoid the common mistake of using Dynamic Save predictably – opponents will quickly learn your patterns and punish accordingly. Instead, mix up your defensive options to maintain unpredictability in high-pressure situations.

Execution errors often occur when players attempt Handshake Tags without proper spacing. Practice these transitions in safe scenarios before implementing them in competitive matches.

Advanced players should master the timing differences between various movement options. Chain-dashing creates offensive pressure but leaves temporary vulnerabilities that skilled opponents can exploit.

For those looking to optimize their gameplay further, our Complete Guide offers additional strategic frameworks that translate well to fighting game contexts.

The polished presentation and sophisticated mechanics showcased in the latest footage suggest Riot is positioning Project L as a serious contender in the fighting game community. The combination of accessible fundamentals and deep tag team mechanics could appeal to both casual players and competitive veterans.

Weapon and ability synergies between champion pairs will likely become a crucial strategic element, much like the optimization approaches detailed in our Weapons Unlock guide for loadout combinations.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Everything we learned from new Project L gameplay Riot Games' Project L revolutionizes fighting games with deep tag team mechanics and accessible controls