We had the chance to sit down with the latest build of 2XKO at EVO, and the big headline was obvious: Vi is finally here. Riot brought her in fresh off her announcement, and while I went in expecting a straightforward slugger, what I found was a surprisingly versatile and expressive fighter with way more depth than I anticipated.
At first glance, Vi feels like a powerhouse. She hits hard, brawls well, and has all the presence you’d expect from a heavy-hitting enforcer. But once I started experimenting with her charge moves and cancel mechanics, things opened up fast. Vi can dash-cancel her charges, which gives her tools for mix-ups, pressure resets, and combos that reward creativity.
Versatile Playstyle: You can go full slugger and overwhelm opponents with brute strength, or lean into her cancels for faster, trickier gameplay. Both approaches feel legit.
High Skill Ceiling: I thought she might end up being “vanilla” compared to some of the flashier champs, but the depth is real. There’s a ton of room for lab work and player expression.
Devilish Mix-ups: Her sliding cross-up attack is nasty. Opponents are going to have to stay sharp or get blown up by ambiguous setups.
Even players who aren’t fans of Vi’s design in Arcane or League of Legends have admitted that her gameplay feels strong and compelling. That’s always the test—when gameplay wins people over.
It’s wild how much the game has shifted since earlier showings. Some things feel brand new, almost like learning a different game in places, which has its pros and cons. The tag mechanics continue to stand out though, and Vi’s kit meshes nicely with assists and team synergy. You can see how her moveset is tailored for the 2v2 format, and she fits right in with the roster.
The full release is slated for 2025, but the open beta kicks off in September and will stay live right up until launch. After EVO, I’m even more eager to get hands-on at home, because labbing Vi in a loud venue just made me want to push her further in training mode.
Vi may have just entered the roster, but she’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting additions. She’s versatile, layered, and rewards the kind of experimentation fighting game fans love. EVO gave us just a taste, and I can’t wait to dig deeper once the beta drops.
Stay tuned—I’ll have much more to say once I’ve put in serious time outside the chaos of the show floor.
Sagat’s return in Street Fighter 6 marks a clear shift from his long-standing identity as the master of zoning. His trademark low Tiger Shot, once the foundation of his game, has been heavily reworked. Now locked at a single speed with a slow 50-frame total animation, it’s quick enough for opponents to parry on reaction, only gives +2 to +3 on block from mid-range, and is unsafe up close at -7. This means the old fireball trap game that kept opponents locked down is effectively gone.
His anti-air game has also changed. While the light uppercut still delivers at a sharp 5-frame startup, the medium version now comes out at 10 frames, and the heavy takes a sluggish 18, making them unreliable against empty jumps or well-timed aerial approaches. Instead, Sagat now makes his stand in the mid-range. His standing heavy punch stretches across the screen like a Dhalsim normal, while his standing and crouching mediums offer strong pokes and hit-confirmable target combos. These lead to solid knockdowns, heavy damage, and aggressive corner carry, an area where Sagat now excels.
Offensively, this is a Sagat built for pressure. Forward light and heavy kicks give plus frames on block, spaced light Tiger Knees can be safe or even plus, and Drive Rush enables him to close space and maintain momentum. His Level 2 super can carry an opponent with a full screen corner carry, and OD Tiger Shots not only challenge other projectiles but often convert into supers, giving him some of the strongest counter-zoning tools in the game.
Up close, his crouching light kicks and jabs chain well into each other, and his +2 standing medium punch lets him trade favorably against 4-frame jabs, leading to high-reward combos. While his zoning has taken a hit, his mid-range harassment and whiff-punish game have never looked better.
This Sagat isn’t about sitting back and building a wall of fireballs, he’s about dominating mid-screen with long limbs, calculated pressure, and punishes that hurt. Long-time fans may need to adjust their approach, but once you embrace his new rhythm, The King still stands tall, just with a different crown.
Last week at Evo 2025, the LVLONE Team sat down with Guilty Gear Strive producer Ken Miyauchi to talk about how Arc System Works took Guilty Gear from a niche anime fighter to a global main event, the philosophy behind its systems and characters, and what’s next for the franchise. Just days later, ArcSys stepped on stage during finals to drop the Guilty Gear Strive 2.0 teaser, signaling the start of a brand-new era.
When Strive launched, it didn’t just add another Guilty Gear title to the shelf. It transformed the series’ reach and reputation. Miyauchi points to three key factors.
Rollback netcode was the first game-changer.
“One… of course, the rollback netcode… it really helped a lot of players, being able to play and… talk to their friends and… play from home.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
Before rollback, many Japanese fighting games still used delay-based netcode. Matches were often laggy and unplayable unless players were geographically close. Miyauchi remembers his pre-ArcSys days hauling consoles to basements or game shops just to get good offline games. Rollback removed that barrier entirely, making Strive competitive online across long distances, which was especially vital during pandemic lockdowns.
Second was direct communication with U.S. players.
“We went to… every fighting game tournament, like… CEO, ComboBreaker… everywhere in the US. And [were] directly communicating with the players and… taking the survey from them.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
This was a major shift. Before Strive, feedback from American players often went through local publishers or third parties before reaching ArcSys Japan. That meant slower response times and a higher chance of ideas getting lost in translation. With ArcSys USA open, Miyauchi’s team could collect raw, unfiltered feedback at events and implement changes much faster and finally, the fan base itself.
Veteran fans didn’t just stick around. They became ambassadors, actively introducing the game to new players and keeping local communities alive.
Old-school Guilty Gear had a well-earned reputation for a steep learning curve, character-specific gatlings, and obscure frame quirks that could make your carefully practiced setups fail. For casual players, it could feel like there was a wall between them and competitive play.
For Strive, the team deliberately flattened some of those spikes in difficulty. Standardizing certain mechanics and simplifying gatling routes made the game more accessible to new players without removing the unique playstyles that define Guilty Gear. It also forced veteran players to relearn the game instead of relying on decades-old habits. Miyauchi acknowledges there was pushback early on.
In Strive, no two characters feel like palette swaps.
“Not every character is… playing equally the same. They have their unique abilities and skills, and different sort of setups.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
He shared a few examples:
Dizzy can freeze opponents and control the pace with Wing of Light. Sometimes just showing the move forces a reaction from the other player.
Leo thrives on rushdown and relentless cross-ups to keep opponents guessing.
Testament controls the screen with zoning tools and punishes bad jumps.
When older characters return, they are not just dropped in with their old move sets. Miyauchi explained that the team has to rebuild them so they fit into Strive’s current mechanics like wall breaks and positive bonus, while still feeling true to their identity.
“We can’t just… bring in the same mechanic… we tried to incorporate [the] core… and then… change it… how it fits in Guilty Gear Strive.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
In other words, what made the character fun in past games stays, but the way that fun works has to be reimagined so it meshes with Strive’s modern systems. It is a reminder that even for the people who make them, fighting games are full of interconnected systems that can be tricky to explain in everyday terms.
That complexity came out in one of the lighter moments of the conversation, when Miyauchi caught himself mid-sentence.
Veteran fighting game players know exactly what 6p means. It is shorthand for pressing forward plus punch on the stick or pad. But for casual players or people new to the genre, that kind of notation can sound like code. It was a fun, human moment that bridged the gap between the competitive scene’s language and a wider audience.
Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners wasn’t added because of the anime’s popularity. She earned her spot by offering something the roster didn’t already have.
“Lucy… would potentially play a very, very unique character… it was… really fun to develop her… she’s gonna be really fun to play.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
Miyauchi made it clear that hype alone will not drive crossover choices.
“It wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, this IP is gonna be big, so we just… randomly bring anyone.’”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
As for a Guilty Gear vs. Granblue crossover:
“Granblue is actually not our IP… not really considering… Maybe… at the end of life cycle if there’s a potential opportunity.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
From Bridget to Testament, Strive has been upfront about character identities. Miyauchi says this comes from series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari’s worldbuilding, not a marketing strategy. It is also not something assigned randomly.
This approach means representation in Strive grows naturally from the game’s narrative and themes, rather than being tacked on for optics.
Before finals, Miyauchi hinted:
“We’re gonna make announcement in… Evo on Sunday… Guilty Gear Strive is continuing and it’s still growing. We have… achieved like 3.5 million player base.”
Guilty Gear -Strive- Producer Ken Miyauchi
That announcement turned out to be the GGST 2.0 teaser. While details are still under wraps, the next phase promises meta shifts, new mechanics, and possibly new roster additions. With a player base now topping 3.5 million, the focus is on keeping Strive fresh and the community engaged.
From rollback netcode to unique character design, it is clear ArcSys is treating Strive like more than just another installment. It is a living, evolving platform. With GGST 2.0 officially on the way, the LVLONE Team is fired up to see how the game grows from here. Whether it is fresh faces on the roster, balance changes that shake up the competitive scene, or new systems that pull in even more players, we will be here for it. Evo 2025 may be over, but for Guilty Gear fans, it feels like the fight is just getting started.
From my experience, most security cams are either too basic or too expensive. Reolink’s Elite Floodlight WiFi Camera finds that rare middle ground where you’re actually getting smart features without getting locked behind a paywall. That alone deserves some attention.
What makes this one different? For starters, local AI. Not cloud-based, not outsourced. This thing runs Reolink’s ReoNeura AI on the device itself. So when it spots a person, vehicle, or pet, it doesn’t send that info to some remote server and wait for a reply, it processes it on the spot. Faster alerts, smarter detection, and your footage stays local. No cloud subscription. No nonsense.
Video quality is clean. You’re getting a 4K Ultra HD panoramic view, thanks to a dual-lens system that gives you a full 180° field of vision with no stitching seams. Whether it’s your driveway, storefront, or backyard, you see the whole picture in one shot, no blind spots, no guessing what’s in the corner.
And then there’s the floodlight, up to 3,000 lumens with adjustable brightness and color temp. Whether you want warm ambient lighting or pure daylight vibes, you can dial it in. You can trigger it manually, set it to motion-activated, or let it run dusk-to-dawn. And yeah, it’s bright enough to make anyone second-guess creeping around your yard.
Audio? Covered. Two-way talk and a 105 dB siren you can trigger if something sketchy happens. It also supports custom voice alerts, which is honestly underrated. Want your camera to yell “You’re being recorded”, “Back up, dude”, or “How can I help you”? Go for it.
The install experience is just as smooth. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6, works with Reolink’s app out the box, and gives you flexible storage options, from microSD to Reolink NVRs or even FTP/NAS setups. And with IP66 weatherproofing, you’re good whether you’re mounting it in rain, snow, or that nasty summer humidity.
We’ve covered Reolink before and they continue to make some of the smartest, brightest, and most privacy-focused floodlight cams on the market right now. Reolink’s Elite Floodlight gives you real control, real AI, and zero required monthly fees. And in a world full of “smart” devices that nickel-and-dime you for basic features, that feels like a win.
Evo 2025 came swinging, bringing players from 60 plus countries to battle through pools and across 16 finals. The Evo Arena sold out and 10,000 fans packed the stands, making another landmark moment for the FGC and a reminder that Vegas is still the fighting game capital of the planet. SonicFox made more history with an eighth Evo title, now just behind Justin Wong’s all-time 9. Arslan Ash locked in another Vegas win in Tekken 8 after a tense Grand Final Reset. MenaRD did the rare double, taking Street Fighter 6 at Evo Japan and Vegas in the same year. This event did not just deliver hype. It delivered a full picture of how strong the scene is right now.
Friday’s Showcase stage ran hot all day with dev panels, exhibitions, and reveals. Sega announced Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.: World Stage coming to PS5 and Series X S, with a closed beta in September. Rivals of Aether II unveiled Galvan for October. Granblue Rising teased EX character variants. Fatal Fury showed more of its Ken Masters guest. Invincible VS and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls brought fresh gameplay. The night capped with OG Hunt, a first-to-10 exhibition where Justin Wong outlasted rising SF6 star Betty in a marathon that had the crowd on edge.
The Day 1 floor report read like a tour of where fighting games are headed next. 2XKO returned with more characters and constant lines. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls impressed with 4v4 team mechanics and a striking visual style. Invincible VS turned heads with fast team play and a deep roster. Sega’s booth pulled traffic with both Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. and Demon Slayer: Hinokami Chronicles 2. Beyond games, the Voodoo Ranger Arcade took over a massive footprint, the Artist Alley was stacked, and the Indie Game Dev section spotlighted fresh projects like Umbral Core and FrostFire: Battle Frenzy. White Claw built a home style lounge for mini tourneys and sampling its Zero Proof line. It was the most balanced floor Evo has run, with something compelling on every aisle.
Friday set the tone with all eight main games in motion. Mortal Kombat 1 and UNI2 locked in Top 8s, with SonicFox cruising on the winners side in MK1 while UNI2’s bracket produced key upsets before settling its Top 8 seeds for Saturday. Marvel vs Capcom 2, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Guilty Gear Strive, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Tekken 8, and Street Fighter 6 pushed deep into their pools with a few early shockers and a lot of favorites still alive.
Saturday brought the first wave of champions. SonicFox captured a record stretching eighth Evo championship in MK1. Defiant claimed UNI2. Khaos took Marvel vs Capcom 2. Kojicoco won Granblue Rising. Extended lineup winners included Plup in Rivals of Aether II, Scrub Saibot in Samurai Shodown, Vogue in Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, and BAS in Capcom vs SNK 2. Momentum in the arena built fast as Sunday set up for the final four main-game titles.
Championship Sunday sealed it. Kshuewhatdamoo won Guilty Gear Strive. GO1 took Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Arslan Ash added another Tekken 8 crown, his sixth Evo title overall. MenaRD closed the night with Street Fighter 6, his first Evo Vegas win, punctuating a season that also included the Evo Japan title. Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., Killer Instinct, The King of Fighters XV, and BlazBlue Centralfiction rounded out the extended lineup champs.
Street Fighter 6: MenaRD.
Mortal Kombat 1: SonicFox, eighth Evo title.
Under Night In-Birth II: Defiant.
Marvel vs Capcom 2: Khaos.
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising: Kojicoco.
Guilty Gear Strive: Kshuewhatdamoo.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves: GO1.
Tekken 8: Arslan Ash.
Extended lineup winners included Plup, Scrub Saibot, Vogue, BAS, Akani Shiwapo, Roman22s, E.T., and xcaliburbladez across Rivals of Aether II, Samurai Shodown, Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, Capcom vs SNK 2, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., Killer Instinct, KOF XV, and BlazBlue Centralfiction.
This Evo showed the FGC’s depth. New IP’s and legacy franchises shared the stage. Established champs added chapters to their legacy while first time winners broke through. The crowd energy never dipped, from pools to final rounds. For us as long time fans and regulars on the show floor, the event hit that perfect balance of competition, community, and discovery.
Evo Vegas 2025 felt like a celebration and a reset. Big announcements, amazing finals, a show floor that actually rewarded you for wandering, and a crowd that stayed loud from day one to the last trophy lift. If you care about fighting games, this is the weekend you circle. If you are a brand that wants to meet that audience where they live, Evo is the room.
Ken Masters has officially stepped into South Town, marking the first time a Street Fighter icon has joined the Fatal Fury roster. His arrival in City of the Wolves isn’t just a flashy crossover, it’s a smart way to introduce Street Fighter fans to SNK’s world while keeping everything that makes Ken feel like Ken.
Even with Fatal Fury’s simpler control scheme of just two punch and two kick buttons, Ken still keeps his medium and heavy attacks intact, letting players chain his familiar arsenal, Hadoken, Shoryuken, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and unleash big REV Art supers like Shoryureppa and Shinryu Reppa. It’s a seamless blend that makes him instantly playable for Street Fighter veterans while showing off the speed and style of SNK’s latest fighter.
With Ken’s story mode presence pitting him against Fatal Fury legend Terry Bogard, and gameplay that feels both fresh and nostalgic, City of the Wolves becomes an open door for newcomers from the Capcom side. It’s a crossover that works in both directions, keeping the FGC hype alive while letting two worlds collide in a way fans have been dreaming about for decades. Available now across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and the Epic Games Store, players can take advantage of a 40% discount on the game’s Special Edition, listed now at only $35.99 MSRP. The sale runs through August 13, 2025. We’re very much looking forward to getting deep gameplay with Ken!
Looking to streamline your desktop and turbocharge your workflow? I put the Anker Thunderbolt 5 Dock through its paces and it transformed my entire setup! No longer settling for cable chaos: hit play to see why this could be the last dock you ever need.
I’m someone who grinds long sessions of Street Fighter 6, edits hours of content, and spends half the night staring at my screen tweaking thumbnails and timelines. If your like me, you already know the toll that kind of focus takes on your eyes. That’s where the Renpho Eyeris 3 comes in , a surprisingly advanced eye massager designed to melt away stress from the eyes.
Unlike basic warm compresses, the Eyeris 3 brings a full wellness upgrade to your setup. You get a combination of air compression, gentle vibration, and both heating and cooling therapy, all controlled through voice commands or a quick tap through the app. It even has Bluetooth music support so you can zone out to lo-fi beats, white noise, or whatever playlist helps you decompress.
The design itself feels solid with adjustable strap, quiet motors, and a fit that hits your temples without smothering your eyes. And at around $79, it lands in that sweet spot between budget wellness gear and spa tech. Battery life clocks in around 90 minutes per charge, which is plenty for daily use or long travel days.
I appreciate it as a gamer and when I take breaks between sets, my eyes need a cooldown. The Eyeris 3’s gentle pressure and alternating temperatures encourage circulation and muscle recovery around the orbital region, something most of us never even think about. When you’re editing, streaming, or watching replays, your ciliary muscles (responsible for eye focus) get overworked. A few minutes with this thing can feel like a visual reboot, and that makes it a must have for anyone spending long hours locked in on screen action.
As a licensed massage therapist, I’ve found this tool so effective that I now use it in my own studio. I let clients wear the Eyeris 3 while they wait or even mid-session, especially during neck and facial massage work. My favorite part is using its heating and cooling functions right after a face massage the warmth helps with relaxation, and the cooling instantly reduces inflammation and puffiness. It gives clients that spa like recovery without breaking rhythm during treatment. It’s one of those rare consumer gadgets that actually complements professional practice.
The Renpho Eyeris 3 is a bridge between recovery and performance. It’s great for climbing ranked matches, streaming late nights, or grinding through creative edits. The device definately delivers an experience that’s part relaxation, part reset. For gamers and creators chasing longevity, comfort, and focus, the Eyeris 3 might just be your next piece of equipment you need at home or take on the go. I’m someone who grinds long sessions of Street Fighter 6, edits hours of content, and spends half the night staring at my screen tweaking thumbnails and timelines. If your like me, you already know the toll that kind of focus takes on your eyes. That’s where the Renpho Eyeris 3 comes in , a surprisingly advanced eye massager designed to melt away stress from the eyes.
Unlike basic warm compresses, the Eyeris 3 brings a full wellness upgrade to your setup. You get a combination of air compression, gentle vibration, and both heating and cooling therapy, all controlled through voice commands or a quick tap through the app. It even has Bluetooth music support so you can zone out to lo-fi beats, white noise, or whatever playlist helps you decompress.
The design itself feels solid with adjustable strap, quiet motors, and a fit that hits your temples without smothering your eyes. And at around $79, it lands in that sweet spot between budget wellness gear and spa tech. Battery life clocks in around 90 minutes per charge, which is plenty for daily use or long travel days.
I appreciate it as a gamer and when I take breaks between sets, my eyes need a cooldown. The Eyeris 3’s gentle pressure and alternating temperatures encourage circulation and muscle recovery around the orbital region, something most of us never even think about. When you’re editing, streaming, or watching replays, your ciliary muscles (responsible for eye focus) get overworked. A few minutes with this thing can feel like a visual reboot, and that makes it a must have for anyone spending long hours locked in on screen action.
As a licensed massage therapist, I’ve found this tool so effective that I now use it in my own studio. I let clients wear the Eyeris 3 while they wait or even mid-session, especially during neck and facial massage work. My favorite part is using its heating and cooling functions right after a face massage the warmth helps with relaxation, and the cooling instantly reduces inflammation and puffiness. It gives clients that spa like recovery without breaking rhythm during treatment. It’s one of those rare consumer gadgets that actually complements professional practice.
The Renpho Eyeris 3 is a bridge between recovery and performance. It’s great for climbing ranked matches, streaming late nights, or grinding through creative edits. The device definately delivers an experience that’s part relaxation, part reset. For gamers and creators chasing longevity, comfort, and focus, the Eyeris 3 might just be your next piece of equipment you need at home or take on the go.
Most water bottles are just that, bottles. They keep your drink cold, maybe come in a nice color, and usually end up in a growing collection on your desk or in your bag. But the LifeStraw Go Series Tumbler actually brings something new to the table. It filters your water as you sip, no pumping, no waiting, no second-guessing if the water’s safe.
We took it out for a few weeks to see if it’s more than just hype. From subway commutes and gym refills to filling up from questionable rest stop sinks, this thing held up. It looks like your standard insulated stainless steel tumbler—holds 18 oz, fits in cup holders, keeps drinks cold for hours. But inside is a two-stage filter system: a hollow-fiber membrane that removes over 99.999999% of bacteria (like E. coli), 99.999% of parasites (like Giardia and Cryptosporidium), and 99.999% of microplastics, plus dirt, sand, and other sediment. Paired with an activated carbon capsule, it also reduces chlorine, chemical contaminants, odors, and improves overall taste. All of that happens as you sip—no waiting around or extra parts to deal with.
Using it is dead simple. Fill it up, flip the straw, and sip. There’s a bit of resistance when you first draw water through the filter, but you get used to it quickly. You’re not squeezing anything or waiting around—it just works. We noticed a huge improvement in taste when using it with older tap systems and public water fountains. Even when we filled it from a sink in a gas station bathroom, it came through clean and neutral.
The stainless steel body feels solid and durable without being heavy. It’s got a clean aesthetic and comes in a handful of color options, from low-key to loud. The lid is leakproof, the straw stays in place, and it’s BPA-free across the board. Just don’t use it with hot liquids—the filter isn’t built to handle heat and pressure changes. That’s one of the only drawbacks, alongside the relatively small 18 oz capacity if you drink a lot throughout the day.
Another cool detail: every LifeStraw purchase provides a year of safe drinking water for a child in need. That’s part of their long-standing Give Back program, and honestly, it makes carrying one around feel a little better knowing it’s doing something beyond just helping you stay hydrated.
After using it regularly, we came away impressed. It makes gross water taste clean, it doesn’t leak, and it’s built well enough to take a beating. The carbon filter does need to be swapped out every couple of months if you’re using it daily, but the membrane filter itself lasts for up to 4,000 liters of water—that’s years of clean hydration in one device.
If you’re the kind of person who’s already carrying a water bottle every day, this one just makes more sense. It does everything your current bottle does, plus it gives you the freedom to refill from almost any source without worrying. That alone makes it worth the price—and the mission behind it is a bonus. Whether you’re commuting, traveling, or just trying to get through a long gym session, this one’s easy to recommend.
Looking for a projector that can transform your movie nights and gaming marathons? In my latest video, I take the XGIMI Horizon S Max through its paces in a 6 month span from the first power-on to real-world use cases you won’t want to miss. I’ll share the why this projector made me almost rethink who should invest and what brings it to the next level! Hit play and watch the full review to find out if this is the projector you’ve been waiting for!
