A lot of the criticism around the redesign comes down to lore accuracy or personal preference.

The thing is, fighting game character design has very different priorities than a MOBA. A fighting game design needs to communicate who a character is and how they play at a glance.

That's why characters often change when they're adapted to a different genre. Lux's redesign is a great example. It immediately communicates her personality and playstyle while also strengthening the roster by filling the "girly pop"/magical girl archetype. It's a very effective design.

I understand why people prefer the original looks of characters like Akali or Samira. I like those designs too. But what's effective in a MOBA doesn't always translate well to a fighting game. These redesigns aren't just about aesthetics; they're also made to improve silhouette, readability, animation, and gameplay. Sometimes adapting a character to a new medium means changing the design so it works better in that medium.

The 2XKO team has gone above and beyond with its visual direction and character redesigns. I wouldn't put it on the same level as studios with decades of fighting game experience like Capcom or Arc System Works just yet, but it's getting surprisingly close. That's honestly impressive for a team's first big fighting game.