How would you imagine an official LF2 update?

[STM1993]

I have my own vision that I'm working on, but I'll give my two cents for Stage Mode:

[Stage/AI]
1. LF2 is hardest alone, but significantly easier and optimal at 2-3p.
2. Difficulty ramps up too much between stages.
3. Tendency to deny players a chance to rest/drink milk during tough segments.
4. AI is too stupid: in 1v1 they are easily beaten, and also too easily lured by weapons which can be exploited massively by high-level players. They are also way too scared of state 3000 projectiles but can't detect any other state (other than state 3 from a character).
5. AI is also too aggressive unlike traditional beat'em up. When the number goes up, they have a tendency to juggle/combo players mercilessly, leading to a very spiky damage curve.

Point #5 is why I'm not happy with the trend of having super-strong AI, in the same way people treat characters as an arms race to create the most OP character. They may be a good opponent for 1v1, but they absolutely do not make good Stage minions. Even as a Boss, they are still questionable if they are used alongside multiple minions. Games are meant to be beaten, not to show the creator's own cleverness.


[Overall gameplay]
What I find most fun about LF2 is being able to perform a satisfying full combo on enemies. Having too much focus on big groups of AI, enemy or ally, breaks this enjoyment.

I also enjoyed PvP, but mostly because I enjoy fighting an opponent with personality. I do not think AI is a suitable replacement, but a reasonably competent AI that doesn't feel like it can input instantly/perfectly will significantly improve the gameplay variety outside of Stage mode.


Misc Thoughts:
Stage 1 is way too easy.
Stage 2 is okay for average player.
Stage 3 is a huge difficulty spike largely due to suddenly having 2 extra projectile users as soldiers and becomes an endurance without milk in 3-4 and 3-5.
Stage 4 and 5 becomes a true army vs army fight.
People rarely get past Wave 20 of Survival unless they are LF2 gods, and Wave 41-49 is a major breakpoint even for competent teams(unless abusing weapon lure) due to spamming waves of more than 5 heroes at once.