<s>
Rivals	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
an	O
upcoming	O
platform	O
fighting	O
game	O
that	O
serves	O
as	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Rivals	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
(	O
2017	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
played	O
in	O
2.5D	O
and	O
utilizes	O
3D	O
models	O
—	O
additional	O
mechanics	O
are	O
also	O
added	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
shield	O
and	O
grab	O
,	O
while	O
mechanics	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
parry	O
return	O
from	O
Rivals	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
intended	O
to	O
have	O
improved	O
single-player	O
and	O
casual-oriented	O
content	O
compared	O
to	O
Rivals	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
,	O
though	O
appealing	O
to	O
competitive	O
players	O
is	O
the	O
primary	O
focus	O
of	O
development	O
—	O
several	O
mechanics	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
feel	O
more	O
familiar	O
to	O
veteran	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rivals	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
platform	O
fighting	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Rivals	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
(	O
2017	O
)	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
played	O
in	O
2.5D	O
and	O
uses	O
3D	O
models	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
being	O
played	O
in	O
2D	O
and	O
using	O
pixel	O
art	O
sprites	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
playable	O
characters	O
from	O
Rivals	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
have	O
been	O
announced	O
as	O
returning	O
in	O
Rivals	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
including	O
Zetterburn	B-Application
,	O
Ranno	O
,	O
Wrastor	B-Application
and	O
Kragg	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
newcomer	O
has	O
been	O
announced	O
,	O
Fleet	O
,	O
who	O
previously	O
appeared	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
selectable	O
protagonists	O
of	O
the	O
spinoff	O
game	O
Dungeons	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rivals	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
intended	O
to	O
have	O
improved	O
single-player	O
content	O
compared	O
to	O
Rivals	B-Application
of	I-Application
Aether	I-Application
that	O
aims	O
to	O
allow	O
casual	O
players	O
to	O
transition	O
into	O
more	O
dedicated	O
players	O
,	O
though	O
competitive	O
play	O
is	O
the	O
priority	O
of	O
the	O
designers	O
—	O
they	O
intend	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
game	O
be	O
prominently	O
featured	O
at	O
Evo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ledges	O
were	O
also	O
added	O
to	O
Rivals	B-Application
2	I-Application
because	O
the	O
developers	O
felt	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
feel	O
more	O
familiar	O
to	O
veterans	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
making	O
it	O
more	O
approachable	O
for	O
newcomers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rivals	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
on	O
April	O
1	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
during	O
an	O
annual	O
April	O
Fools	O
 '	O
Day	O
"	O
Rivals	O
Direct	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
