Combo Devils review: A Promising Platform Fighter With Serious Combo Depth

Combo Devils review: We assess the hybrid combat, rollback play, four-fighter roster, roguelite mode, and early-build limitations.

Combo Devils review: quick verdict

A Combo Devils review starts with an unusual promise: combine platform-fighter movement, traditional 2D-fighter systems, and a roguelite adventure in one game. Why does that matter? In this Combo Devils review, the answer is that the competitive core already feels distinctive enough to interest both platform-fighter veterans and players who enjoy practicing detailed combo routes. The available evidence comes from the official Steam listing, media coverage, and player-experience reports from development builds, so this is a snapshot rather than a final launch verdict.

The short version of this Combo Devils review is favorable: the fighting mechanics show real identity, the online play has impressed preview players, and the character designs are memorable. However, the roster is still small, the teaching tools need work, and the co-op roguelite mode appears less developed than the central versus experience.

Area	Assessment	Main takeaway
Core combat	Strong	Directional defense, air-dash cancels, EX moves, and PSI create depth.
Online PvP	Very promising	Preview players reported strong rollback performance.
Current roster	Limited but varied	Four playable fighters are documented in the supplied materials.
Co-op roguelite	Ambitious work in progress	The concept is appealing, but player reports found limited variety.
Accessibility	Needs improvement	Training functionality, tips, and combo guidance are notable gaps.

Why the combat system is the real hook

This Combo Devils review is most enthusiastic about the way the game combines two fighting-game traditions without simply copying either one. Its basic structure is recognizable to platform-fighter players: characters move around stages, use light and heavy attacks, recover from launches, and aim for blast-zone or stage-based KOs.

The important changes come from traditional fighting games. Blocking is directional instead of relying on a universal bubble shield. Attacks can feed into gatling-style combo routes, EX specials consume meter, and full meter enables motion-input supers. That gives neutral exchanges more structure than a typical platform fighter while keeping the movement-focused format intact.

Mechanic	How it works in the reported build	Why it matters
Directional shield	Aim the shield toward the incoming attack, including overhead or rear attacks.	Cross-ups and positioning become meaningful defensive tools.
Shield resource	A player-experience report says rolls and air dodges use a limited meter.	Evasive options must be spent deliberately rather than spammed.
Gatling combos	Light attacks can lead into directional lights, then heavies or specials.	New players have an understandable starting combo route.
Flash step	One free air dash or air-dash cancel can extend an aerial sequence.	Players can convert launches into flashy follow-ups.
EX and super meter	One bar enhances a special; three bars enable a super attack.	Meter creates choices between immediate utility and a powerful finisher.
PSI and wall KOs	A preview report described overheat above 100 PSI and wall-impact KOs; the exact separate threshold is unverified.	Stage walls and launch direction can influence win conditions.

The directional shield is arguably the clearest example of the game’s design philosophy. A player cannot simply hold a shield and ignore the opponent’s approach angle. Jump-ins, cross-ups, and attacks from behind require the defender to adjust. That creates a more active blocking game and gives attackers additional reasons to maneuver around a stationary opponent.

The PSI system also adds a layer of stage awareness. According to player-experience reporting, reaching more than 100 PSI can put a character into an overheat state, allowing sufficiently forceful wall impacts to cause a stock loss. The same report described a higher-PSI failure state, but the exact threshold and behavior are not independently verified. Treat these details as development-build information and think beyond simply knocking someone off the screen.

Characters, movement, and the learning curve

Four playable characters are named in the supplied campaign and preview materials: Jingo, Shai, Ikani, and Achilles. A larger roster is planned, but the currently documented selection is small compared with the long-term ambitions described for the game.

The good news is that the fighters do not appear to be simple variations on familiar platform-fighter archetypes. Media preview coverage specifically praised their distinct identities, while player-experience reports highlighted meaningful differences in speed, range, tools, and combo potential.

Fighter	What preview coverage highlights	Likely appeal
Jingo	A fast ninja dog with projectiles and a butterfly-based teleport setup.	Rushdown players and mobility specialists.
Shai	A gamer delivery boy using a skateboard, power glove, and Beyblade-style top.	Players who enjoy timing tools and creative confirms.
Ikani	A distance-focused fighter accompanied by her pet Xochi.	Players who prefer controlling space from range.
Achilles	One of the four documented fighters; a player reviewer compared his feel with familiar powerhouse characters.	A candidate for players who favor direct close-range pressure.

Shai stands out because his neutral special reportedly includes an active-reload timing mechanic. That gives a normally familiar projectile or special-move interaction an extra execution challenge. Jingo, meanwhile, can mark an opponent with a butterfly and teleport to that position, creating unusual combo-starting and combo-extending possibilities.

Movement is another major part of the package. The official materials list wavedashing, wavelanding, dash dancing, fast falling, wall jumping, wall sliding, air dashes, wavebouncing, directional influence, and other techniques associated with advanced platform fighters. That depth should reward dedicated players, but it also raises the barrier to entry.

A practical first-session routine

The player-experience reports repeatedly pointed to the same accessibility issue: Combo Devils has many techniques, but does not yet explain all of them clearly. One reviewer recommended a tips-and-tricks section, while another suggested character-specific combo trials.

Until those tools are available, use a simple progression rather than trying to learn every movement option immediately.

Step	Practice example	Goal
1. Learn defense	Practice facing front, overhead, and rear attacks with the directional shield.	Build the habit of aiming your block.
2. Learn a basic route	Try light attack → directional light → heavy or special.	Establish a reliable bread-and-butter combo.
3. Add flash step	Follow an aerial hit with the free air dash cancel.	Extend launches without overcomplicating execution.
4. Test meter spending	Compare a one-bar EX special with saving three bars for a super.	Understand when utility is better than burst damage.
5. Practice movement	Use Target Test stages to work on dashes, jumps, and air control.	Turn movement techniques into practical habits.

This approach also makes the game’s learning curve less intimidating. Start with one character, one defensive situation, and one combo route. Once those become comfortable, add meter management and advanced movement instead of attempting to memorize the entire mechanics list at once.

Modes, online play, and replay value

The official Combo Devils Steam page presents the game as a PvP fighter supported by co-op PvE content, party modes, and mini-games. That structure gives the project broader ambitions than a purely competitive fighter, although the current preview evidence suggests that versus play is considerably more polished than the roguelite mode.

Mode	Official or reported features	Current impression
Local and online versus	The main fighting mode, built around learning each character’s style.	The strongest part of the current package.
Online play	Rollback netcode is advertised officially.	Player reports found online play close to offline, with occasional visual issues.
Co-op extraction roguelite	Solo or co-op challenges, enemies, platforming, mini-games, bosses, perks, and items.	Promising concept, but officially marked as a work in progress.
Party and special versus	Modifiers such as Giant, Slowmo, Ice, gravity changes, and other combinations.	A strong option for casual sessions and experimentation.
Mini-games	Soccer with a chicken ball, Destroy the Statue, Target Test, racing, and more.	Adds variety and potential leaderboard competition.

Online performance is the clearest success outside the core combat. Two player-experience reports described rollback netcode that kept matches feeling close to offline play. One report specifically noted that Shai’s timing-sensitive active reload remained practical online, while another mentioned a few visual stutters and bugs. That is encouraging for a development build, although it is not the same as a long-term test across a large player population.

The presentation also has personality. A player reviewer praised the soundtrack’s retro fighting-game flavor, comparing its feel to classic arcade-era fighters. That kind of audio identity matters in a game designed around repeated matches, training sessions, and long-term mechanical improvement.

The co-op roguelite mode is more difficult to recommend without reservations. Its official pitch is ambitious: survive increasingly difficult encounters, collect perks and items, navigate platforming sections, and fight bosses either alone or with friends. However, player-experience reports found that early runs did not vary enough and that the enemies often behaved in simple, predictable ways. One report also mentioned bugs and a crash during a boss encounter.

That criticism needs context. The official listing clearly labels the PvE extraction roguelite as a work in progress. The current shortcomings may reflect missing content rather than the finished design. Still, anyone primarily interested in a polished solo campaign should focus on the game’s development roadmap rather than assuming the present build already delivers a complete roguelite experience.

Should you play or follow Combo Devils now?

Taken together, this Combo Devils review recommends following the game if you enjoy competitive platform fighters, traditional 2D mechanics, or movement-heavy combat systems. The hybrid design has a real point of view, rather than feeling like a collection of unrelated features.

Combo Devils is a strong fit for:

Platform-fighter players who want more active blocking and traditional combo structure.
2D-fighter fans interested in air movement, stage positioning, and platform-based KOs.
Players who enjoy practicing execution, meter management, and character-specific routes.
Groups looking for party modifiers and casual mini-games alongside standard versus matches.

You may want to wait for further development if you need:

A large launch-ready roster.
A comprehensive tutorial, tips section, or combo-trial system.
A deeply varied roguelite mode right now.
A completely bug-free experience in every mode.

Overall, this Combo Devils review finds a promising competitive foundation surrounded by unfinished supporting systems. The directional shield, PSI mechanics, air-dash cancels, rollback netcode, and distinctive fighters give the game a reason to exist. The next major test will be whether Punkzilla can expand the roster, improve training tools, and give the roguelite mode the variety its concept promises.

FAQ: Combo Devils review

Is this Combo Devils review based on the final game?

No. This Combo Devils review is based on the official Steam description, media coverage, and player-experience reports from preview or development builds. The official PvE roguelite mode is identified as a work in progress, and several reported limitations may change before release.

Is Combo Devils a platform fighter or a traditional 2D fighter?

It is designed as a hybrid. The game uses platform-fighter movement, stages, launches, and recovery, while adding directional shielding, gatling combos, EX specials, motion-input supers, air-dash cancels, and other traditional fighting-game ideas.

Does Combo Devils support online multiplayer?

Yes. The supplied materials describe online versus play with rollback netcode. Player-experience reports found the online matches generally close to offline performance, though one report noted occasional visual stutters and bugs in the development build.

How many characters does Combo Devils currently have?

The supplied campaign and preview materials document four playable fighters: Jingo, Shai, Ikani, and Achilles. A larger roster is planned, but the exact final lineup and availability can change as development continues.