Convergence: A League of Legends Story is the latest entry from developer Double Stallion, and is part of Riot’s ever-growing League of Legends narrative gaming universe. This 2D platformer offers a fast-paced Metroidvania-style experience, pulling from some of the best mechanics in the genre while attempting to offer its own flair and distinct look and feel. Packed to the brim with features, this new Riot adventure attempts to set itself apart in the vast array of titles in the genre while still grounding itself firmly in the League of Legends universe.
With just about 7 hours of gameplay under my belt and the end credits rolling, I have to confess that I am quite taken with Ekko and his time twisting title. It offers a unique twist and accessible approach to the genre while still giving veterans of the 2D platformer something to invest in. Is there enough here though to keep gamers engaged? Grab that coffee, kick back and find out in our review of Convergence: A League of Legends Story.
A Deep, Rich World
I will confess that until recently I have only taken a mild interest in the League of Legends universe having only dabbled in the MOBA after Heroes of the Storm was cast aside by Blizzard. However, I have found that interest steadily ramping up with amazing releases such as the animated series Arcane on Netflix and Ruined King, a turned-based RPG from 2021. Each offers a deep and rich look into the lore and universe that Riot has been crafting for these many years.
Convergence carries on this tradition of introducing players to a deep, rich world to explore. In fact, the city of Zuan is absolutely beautiful to behold. The world itself is bright and colorful with some wonderfully vibrant color pallets and cyberpunk theming adorning every square inch of the screen. Each area has a unique aesthetic distinguishing it from other areas of the map. However, Double Stallion still manages to pull each zone together so that they all fit together wonderfully as a whole. The world itself feels like a character telling its own story as you traverse the many maps from the city overworld to the various parts of Zuan.
As for level design, each map is designed with creativity and care offering players a complex and rewarding experience as they traverse the many areas of Zuan. As the game progresses and new abilities (more on this later) are unlocked, you’ll find yourself revisiting areas of the world previously explored now with the tools to explore further into the depths of each map.
The story is possibly my favorite part of the experience as, much like Arcane and Ruined King, it offers new insight and depth to existing characters and elements of the League of Legends universe. The story follows Ekko, a young inventor, as he embarks on an adventure to protect his city from those that would watch it all burn in a bid for power.
What sets this 2D platformer above other titles is the depth and character development of the protagonist Ekko, who sees a defined arc and growth that feels warranted and natural to the story. At no point does a character’s choice feel forced or out of place. Even the antagonist’s journey has you sympathizing with their plight. For a title that finds its roots in a MOBA, I have to say that good storytelling, at least in my experience with the aforementioned titles, seems to be a priority for titles coming out of the League universe. Not to mention that the story delivery is top-notch with excellent voice acting and a beautiful mix of in-game cutscenes and motion comic scenes. At no point did I have the urge to rush through any moment of the narrative but rather found myself drawn in more with every new scene that unfolded. It is an impressive feat to keep my attention span and CONV/RGENCE managed it with ease.
Platforming and Fighting With Style
While the world of Convergence is beautiful to behold, how you get around is just as important. Thankfully Double Stallion offers some unique and exciting ways to traverse Zuan. From rail sliding to double jumping to straight-up wall running, you’ll find several unique ways to navigate your environment and unlock all the secrets that the deepest depths of this iconic city has to offer. Movement feels fluid, quick and responsive, core elements necessary for a successful platforming experience.
Combat likewise offers players a host of ways to engage with the various enemies they’ll come across on their journey. Ekko’s Swordbat takes center stage as his weapon of choice and with some upgrading becomes a tool of devastating destruction. Spin attacks, parry attacks and dashing about all help to add flavor and variety to each enemy engagement.
The fun doesn’t stop there. Ekko also makes use of his Timewinder, a ranged, spinning blade of death. This to can be upgraded to offer a host of fun and creative ways of dispatching enemies. Together these weapons offer up a wide range of unique and creative ways to engage in combat keeping things fresh, fast and fun as you jump, spin and slide your way through the world.
Combat and movement alike feel great making the whole platforming experience top-notch, both for veterans of the genre and new players looking to try something different. With the ability to choose from a few different difficulty levels at the beginning of your playthrough, the game can be as forgiving or brutal as you prefer, offering something for everyone wanting to jump in.
Be Kind, Rewind
Ekko has more than just weapons at his disposal. One of the youngster’s key mechanics is the Zero Drive, a tool that gives Ekko the ability to control time. For those old enough to remember, think Prince of Persa, but dialled up to 11 or 15 if you unlock enough extra charges for the drive. Essentially the drive gives you the ability to rewind time if things don’t quite go the way you hoped. It’s a neat idea in theory and is executed flawlessly. Combat and traversing the world take on a new dimension with the inclusion of the Zero Drive mechanic offering players the opportunity to try new or simply different approaches to the same problem or enemy.
As interesting as the Zero Drive is in its own right, CONV/RGENCE also offers a progression mechanic in the form of upgrades. These come in two flavors. The first is the aforementioned weapon or skills upgrade system. New skills can be purchased with in-game currency that will impact the potency and skills you have available for your Swordbat and Timewinder.
The second comes in the form of gadgets. As you traverse the city of Zuan, you’ll come across caches that contain resources. These resources can then be used to construct gadgets that add or modify existing abilities that Ekko has at his disposal. To add additional customization to this progression you will be limited to how many gadgets you can equip at once leaving you to cater the gadgets to the combat experience you would like to have. Gadgets are hot-swappable allowing you to modify the experience on the fly. As the game progress, you’ll be able to unlock additional slots which in turn allows for further customizing of the gameplay experience.
All of these mechanics, from progression systems to time manipulation, work together to add layers of depth and creativity to the gameplay experience.
All of them work in harmony to create a unique and exciting playthrough. One that can be enjoyed differently each time you play through the game. This coupled with the many unlockables scattered throughout the world means you’ll find yourself exploring for hours after finishing the story.
Final Thoughts
Convergence: A League of Legends Story is an excellent 2D platformer that brings a lot to the table. From smooth, fluid traversal and combat to unique gameplay mechanics and progression, Convergence really does have a lot to offer players. Throw in a rich world and some great character and story development and you have a recipe for success. If you’re in the market for a new platformer and priced at only 29.99 USD, Convergence is a title worth checking out. Find it over on the official website now.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
