Hows It Compare To Actress Again Current Code

[Infinite Retro]

Compared to Actress Again Current Code what are the main differences? A worthwhile sequel? Also how many free dlc characters have come out? Cheers

[Cyker]

it's like Guilty Gear R+ to Xrd levels of difference, more or less.

on MBAA each character had 3 fighting styles where you chose before the fight, each style have some unique mechanics. MBTL only have 1 fighting style.

The biggest difference is how the shield works here, after shielding a move you can counter attack with A (front attack that is a launcher), B (teleport on opponents's back) or A+B (thrust attack). It was a big problem on the launch, but they nerfed the shield and now it's more ok.

A new mechanic here is the Moon Drive and Moon Skill. Moon Drive gauge is the moon icon that appears below your character picture on the battle. You can activated Moon Drive by pressing 5B+C, that can be used as a cancel too. While activated, it boost some of your stats and your Moon Skill attacks (also add one extra air jump). Moon Skill are some attacks that you can use by using a specific command (a direction + B+C). It's like a EX attack that doesn't use your magic bar. To explain better, a character have a move by doing 236A (weak), 236B (medium), 236C (super), and the Moon Skill for this command would be 6B+C. By using a Moon Skill, it will take away some of your Moon Drive gauge. You will understand this better once you check the movelist of your character and try it on the training.
This game also have auto combos, but thankfully they added a option to turn off or move to 5A+B (recommended since the second move of the auto combo is unique). This option is below your color select at character select screen.
Another new thing here is the customize color. Each character have 6 slots where you can make your own preset of colors from the other palettes.
The Heat and Blood Heat from old Melty Blood are still here, tho the Blood Heat works a little different. When you're 1 round to LOSE, you get a 4th magic bar (the normal is 3). If you have all the 4 magic bars full, you can activate the Blood Heat. Then you can use your Last Arc move at full power if you shield your enemy attack while on Blood Heat. Or you can also do your Last Arc on A+B+C+D to use on neutral, but it's slower.
Some of removed mechanics here are the dodge and shield bunker.

These are the main differences that I remember at the top of my head right now.

Type Lumina is not a sequel of Actress Again, is a reboot. While the old Melty Blood is sequel of the original Tsukihime, this one is a "what if" prequel of Tsukihime Remake.
Many people hated this game and some loved (me included). Just play knowing that it plays very different from the old Melty Blood, and remember that you can also enjoy both games.

So far they added 8 characters, 29 musics, 9 stages, some new story modes and Boss Rush and several new color palettes, all for free. There's more characters teased on the Boss Rush and they already confirmed they will keep supporting the game, but no one knows if they will add them for free or paid.

[Lecorbak]

The game is way faster, simplified, with less character, overall better graphics (even if still low res), a better online (even if still not that great), and an auto-combo feature (for casual players) that can be deactivated (the turn off auto-combo option wasn't here from the start).

The shield system is pretty unique in this game as it gives any characters a lot of defensive options (maybe a little too much would say some people).

The game still feels like the previous games, but more polished.
Is it better than AC or AACC ? it will depend of your personal taste.

[pseudo]

AACC feels far more fluid and easy to pick up. I know that people will point out the rapid beat system making it easy for new players, but I really strongly disagree. Even if you disable it though, the engine feels clunky and the netcode is definitely not comparable to caster's. Finally, ♥♥♥♥ FGO, let's not pretend this is about personal taste.

[SirFuzzWuzz]

It feels way smoother to play, probably due to a more lenient buffer, all characters in the game feel good but you don't have the 3 variations of each character and you have to put up with with the new shield counter mechanic.

[KOS-MOS]

To me this feels more stiff compared to the older games, I would say I liked Act Cadenza or Re-ACT best. Except for the roster in Actress Again Current Code hard to beat that imo. I also dislike how I need to use more button in this compared to the older games.

[Sylpheed]

I prefer every title before this one, game doesn't feel the same at all. That being said, it's not a bad game by any means, but I couldn't get into it as much as I would've liked to.

[Ciccone-dream]

its visually ten times better. its smooth.

[KL36720]

In my case I would compare how many sprites are there between MBAACC, UNICLR, DBFCI & MBTL. Mostly on "being hit" states:

"Being Hit" State Sprites Counts:

** MBAACC & UNICLR has lots of them (the former minus T-Pose Bind, actual Ground Recovery; Staggered Floor, w/ the juggle fall could also work as a Pushback'ed state)

** DBFCI & MBTL has similarly limited sprite counts, as evident on one of the animations like being juggled, Air Combo Finisher fall & launched reused from "Being Hit" Ground on 1st 2 sprites (sans ACF fall only use 1 from med/low hit); no Floor Slide/Low nor Med Ground Bounce, T-Pose Bind, Staggered nor actual Juggle Fall/Pushback'ed, not even actual Ground Recovery). Though DBFCI has lots it didn't have than other 3 said Furapan games (Sweeped/Wall Bounced, Cheap KO/Crumple & Face to Floor Down & Wake Up, not even Idle Taunt & actual Time Over Lose (only Shizuo has 1)). You'll may notice why the animation sheets (sourced in HA6 files) between DBFCI & MBTL are exactly similar, w/ one of the being hit states' frames remain the same.

[Kaitsu]

Originally posted by Lecorbak:

The game is way faster, simplified, with less character, overall better graphics (even if still low res), a better online (even if still not that great), and an auto-combo feature (for casual players) that can be deactivated (the turn off auto-combo option wasn't here from the start).

The shield system is pretty unique in this game as it gives any characters a lot of defensive options (maybe a little too much would say some people).

The game still feels like the previous games, but more polished.
Is it better than AC or AACC ? it will depend of your personal taste.

The auto-combo is definitely not designed just for casuals. It's designed to make casuals get into this game easier, yes. But unfortunately it's a part of the game that you will miss on a lot of setups and combos without it for majority of the characters. The most optimal option is turning it off for AIR combos. Because having it on for that causes auto-grab which is really not helpful whatsoever.

tl;dr turning off autocombos actually loses you a lot of unique movesets tied to autocombos, it's designed more like DBFZ

[Meseki]

Originally posted by Kaitsu:

Originally posted by Lecorbak:

The game is way faster, simplified, with less character, overall better graphics (even if still low res), a better online (even if still not that great), and an auto-combo feature (for casual players) that can be deactivated (the turn off auto-combo option wasn't here from the start).

The shield system is pretty unique in this game as it gives any characters a lot of defensive options (maybe a little too much would say some people).

The game still feels like the previous games, but more polished.
Is it better than AC or AACC ? it will depend of your personal taste.

The auto-combo is definitely not designed just for casuals. It's designed to make casuals get into this game easier, yes. But unfortunately it's a part of the game that you will miss on a lot of setups and combos without it for majority of the characters. The most optimal option is turning it off for AIR combos. Because having it on for that causes auto-grab which is really not helpful whatsoever.

tl;dr turning off autocombos actually loses you a lot of unique movesets tied to autocombos, it's designed more like DBFZ

That's why you set the auto combo to A+B; you keep access to the 1 or 2 unique auto-combo normals while putting it in a spot that you generally won't do on accident unless you're really mashing (or you're trying to A+B dash out of an attack and get the timing wrong).

[Cyker]

Originally posted by Meseki:

Originally posted by Kaitsu:

The auto-combo is definitely not designed just for casuals. It's designed to make casuals get into this game easier, yes. But unfortunately it's a part of the game that you will miss on a lot of setups and combos without it for majority of the characters. The most optimal option is turning it off for AIR combos. Because having it on for that causes auto-grab which is really not helpful whatsoever.

tl;dr turning off autocombos actually loses you a lot of unique movesets tied to autocombos, it's designed more like DBFZ

That's why you set the auto combo to A+B; you keep access to the 1 or 2 unique auto-combo normals while putting it in a spot that you generally won't do on accident unless you're really mashing (or you're trying to A+B dash out of an attack and get the timing wrong).

Auto-Combo have only 1 unique attack, that's why I put on A+B, the final move of the auto combo is the launcher which you can do it manually with 3C at any time.

[Kaitsu]

Originally posted by Cyker:

Originally posted by Meseki:

That's why you set the auto combo to A+B; you keep access to the 1 or 2 unique auto-combo normals while putting it in a spot that you generally won't do on accident unless you're really mashing (or you're trying to A+B dash out of an attack and get the timing wrong).

Auto-Combo have only 1 unique attack, that's why I put on A+B, the final move of the auto combo is the launcher which you can do it manually with 3C at any time.

For Red Arc, she has a few unique normals in her rapid beats. Though, Red Arc probably doesn't change too much vs manual. I can play her pretty much the same in manual. But I'd rather just no brain the ground rapid beat. Because the unique normals has a good reach on the hitbox.

Ushiwakamaru is just completely different in Rapid Beat vs not. I actually have no idea if she's even good on manual.

[Cyker]

Originally posted by Kaitsu:

Originally posted by Cyker:

Auto-Combo have only 1 unique attack, that's why I put on A+B, the final move of the auto combo is the launcher which you can do it manually with 3C at any time.

For Red Arc, she has a few unique normals in her rapid beats. Though, Red Arc probably doesn't change too much vs manual. I can play her pretty much the same in manual. But I'd rather just no brain the ground rapid beat. Because the unique normals has a good reach on the hitbox.

Ushiwakamaru is just completely different in Rapid Beat vs not. I actually have no idea if she's even good on manual.

no it doesn't, rapid beat just use your normal attack > unique rapid beat attack > launcher. Is the same thing if you manually press normal attack > A+B > 3C (tho any button you press after A+B will do the launcher anyway, unless if you use a command imput move).
you can check that by yourself on training mode, set 1P to have autocombo while 2P to have on A+B.
Ushi have an extra attack IF you use the launcher AFTER the autocombo, which you can do manually if you want (with A+B for the unique move and then 3C) or simply mashing with autocombo.
Manually pressing A+B will do exactly the same thing as having autocombos.

[UrbanMech]

I prefer mbaacc. Longer combos, greater differences between characters, and imo a better shield system.

[pseudo]

If they would just move Rapid 2 to a command normal button I would love to just be done with my complaints about it. There's no reason you should still be forced to use it even if it's bound to A+B.