Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[cl-r] (English) · Test

A modern classic fighting game with over 8 years of refinement

Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[cl-r] (in short UNIclr) is the latest version of the fighting game Under Night In-Birth. The previously released version on the PS4 was actually the first big update that came with a lot of content. This newest offering comes with many small gameplay changes (nearly 1000 in fact!) and the new Character Londrekia.

You can see the highest level of UNIclr at this years mainstage of the world’s biggest fighting game tournament EVO 2020 running from 31th July to 2nd August!

UNIclr features just like its prior versions two guest characters: Eltnum from Melty Blood and Akatsuki from Akatsuki Blitzkampf.

Not to forget. UNIclr is also in the crossover fighting game Blazblue Cross Tag Battle featuring characters from Persona 4 Arena, Blazblue and newcomer RWBY.

Publisher Pqube has taken on the duty to bring the game to the EU on PS4 and for the first time on Nintendo Switch!

A Night to remember

Storywise it’s about characters with supernatural skills working towards their own goals and is split up into two parts: Chronicle Mode and Arcade Mode.

Chronicle Mode

In Chronicle Mode you follow several Characters across Episodes in a Visual Novel style of storytelling. There are no gameplay elements. This is a full-on linear story that does it’s best to tell you about the lore and characters of the world of Under Night In-Birth.

Fledged out with 22 Episodes with each up to 4 chapters you can expect a few hours of entertainment.

Arcade Mode

Your typical Arcade Mode experience where you fight a gauntlet of opponents with the final boss awaiting you. The Story elements appear occasionally against chosen Rivals where they take some time to talk. Once you’re done with your playthrough you get rewarded with an ending sequence consisting of pictures and text to close up the story of the characters.

The introduction of the Chronicle Mode since the prior version UNIST you get a much better view into the workings of the Under Night In-Birth universe. Though it has no gameplay, there’s a ton of information about the unique lore and the backgrounds of the characters. The additional exposition helps a lot in helping you get invested into its characters.

Overall, the story falls in line with games like Guilty Gear Xrd but without the production value of cutscenes.

Gameplay & Controls

Content

UNIST has stocked up tremendously in content already so there’s not much for UNIclr to add to it. Considering that the majority of the new version comes, as a free update for owners of UNIST, there’s nothing to say against it. So what’s awaiting you in the UNIclr package?

20 + 1 brand new character

Prior new characters in UNIST:

Phonon, Enkidu, Mika, Wagner

The new UNIclr character:

Londrekia

Modes

It’s worth mentioning that the main menu got updated into a much more compact version that puts all modes into your view. For reference, UNIST required you to scroll through them.

Arcade Mode

Fight against 10 CPU opponents, comes with 4 rival fights who go on and do a little bit of chitchat. It also offers an ending for each character. There are no new story elements outside of Londrekia.

Time Trial

A fight against the clock, try to finish the gauntlet as fast as possible and put your name on the rankings

Survival

The classic. Fight against CPU opponents while you only regain a little bit of life per opponent till you lose. It also features rankings.

Chronicles (Story Mode)

A simple story mode split up into different characters, told in a VN-Style and fully voiced without fights. Each story has its own few short chapters for the sake of convenience.

Tutorial

Learn everything about UNIST and its gameplay systems and more in this in-depth tutorial split into 5 levels and 179 lectures. Not only does it teach it about how to play, it even goes one step further and teaches about advanced strategies.

Mission

This new mode goes in tandem with the tutorial mode. It goes beyond just simple combo challenges. In fact, it offers a myriad of combos fitting different levels of play as well as different circumstances. From short easy combos to fully-fledged optimized stylish combos. These are all combo concepts so feel free to adjust them to your liking.
New in UNIclr update: 3 new missions for each character.

On top of that there dedicated lectures for each character move set for standard situations. Those include:

Hit Confirms: Shows a combo attack tree and how to react depending on whether it’s a) a hit or b) blocked.

Mix-Ups: Learn how to crack open the defense of your opponent.

Anti-Air: Know your attacks to counteract attacks from the air.

Reversals: Put a wrench into your opponent's offensive pressure by utilizing your invincible reversal attacks.

Replay

Watch your past matches against other players.

Customization

Earn LP from playing the game and use them to unlock new cosmetic items like:

Icon
Colors
Titles
Plates
Main menu characters

Gameplay

In terms of basic gameplay it’s more akin to the Arc System Works(ASW) games, known for Blazblue, Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ, loaded with different systems and more freedom in terms of movement. Though UNIclr is a little bit more restrictive in this case. Due to that, it’s more of an extreme case of Street Fighter or King of Fighters, maybe even comparable to a mix between ASW games and the classic slower kind.

To balance everything out, it’s not unusual for characters to have attacks covering a big area. There’s no shortage of additional system mechanics that allows for more freedom. Especially combos have a quite high ceiling, allowing the existence of rather stylish but complicated combos requiring quite some dexterity and muscle memory. Not in the mood to learn long combos? No problem, most of the optimal combos add only 1/3rd more damage on top of the basic combos, due to the scaling system.

Luckily as with all the other fighting games, combos are only one part of the Meta and the Tutorial actually teaches towards a more wholesome line of thought covering nearly every important detail.

What’s new?

Aside from balance changes culminating in about nearly 1000, there are 3 new missions for each character and the character Londrekia.

Characters

Each character offers a unique playstyle and design. Ranging from grapplers, close up rush down, an agile setup based or keep away zoners. Hyde and Akatsuki have a more Ryu-like playstyle using Projectiles and Anti-airs to control the field but have a better offense in comparison. Waldstein is a unique grappler with huge, long arms covering a ton of space with each of his attacks but is very slow. Hilda srikes from afar with projectiles and puts your opponent into despair by not letting them in.

Controls

Even though it doesn’t seem like it at first, this game is actually a 4 button (ABCD) fighter. The inputs include Quarter, Dragon Punch and 180°, 360°. Not as easy as DBFZ but still less complicated than King of Fighters! Though some characters do require a high amount of inputs in short bursts.

A: Light attacks
B: Medium Attacks
C: Heavy Attacks
D: EXS Action (Multifunction button)

The System mechanics

The GRD System (Grind Grid System)

Overall a unique concept based around the concept of tug-of-war, in this case vying for the Vorpal State. The GRD gauge increases when offensive action is taken like moving toward the opponent and decreases for various reasons such as backdashing, getting hit, etc..

At the middle bottom of the screen between both characters GRD gauges. There is the TS Gauge, a gauge that fills up automatically showing how much time there is till the next Vorpal state. Why is it a tug-of-war? Because the one who has more GRD gauge gets the Vorpal state.

The Vorpal state gives the character an additional 10% more damage and a whole slew of abilities like chain shift and supposedly character-specific buffs known as traits.

The EXS System

The typical EX gauge, which can stock up to 200% and is used for all kinds of attacks.

EX-Attacks (use C for special attacks, depletes 100% EXS)

Usually, each special attack has 2 normal different versions. A offers a weaker but safer option. B offers a stronger but unsafe option. C is pretty much the best of both worlds, but there is more. The C version can be used on top of A or B versions. Which means most of the time you can cancel the B version into a C special move to make an otherwise unsafe move safe.

Infinite Worth / Super Moves (Half circle forward + D, uses up 200% EXS)

A super move that does a big amount of damage

Infinite Worth EXS / EX Super Move (A+B+C+D)

A character's ultimate attack. All characters have the same initial invincible attack as an eruption of energy. There are two conditions:

1. Only 30% of health is left.

2. Depletes either 200% EXS or use it in Veil Off Mode, but depletes the timer after usage.

3. Applies GRD Break to the user unless used in the Vorpal state.

Recovering from hits

There are two different recovery situations: Air and ground. It is impeccable to manually recover from a hit otherwise the opponent can continue the combo.

Air: Can recover in the directions. Back, neutral or forward.

Ground: Only 2 directions: Back and neutral.

Throws (A+D)

As always activated with 2 simultaneous buttons. Throw direction can be controlled. The opponent can cancel the throw by inputting throw themselves, which is called a “tech”. Important: The attacker recovers slower than the defender when teching.

Assault (forward+D)

When used on ground it becomes a guided jump aimed to land in front of the opponent, giving every character a standardized jump attack to hit crouch blocking opponents.

In the air, it just works as an air dash/jump hybrid, since it moves forward but in a curve and has no guidance properties.

It’s important to remember that attacking from assault results in a damage reduction.

Passing Link

Also known as the “Magic Series” Combo in fighting game lingo. The big difference is that it’s less restricted. Each of the three normal buttons can freely cancel into each other once, but it’s also separating the crouching attacks. Which enables a maximum of 6 attacks, when using the buttons. Utilizing Smart Steer enables the character to go even a little bit higher.

Smart Steer (Tapping A multiple times in neutral)

Pushing A multiple times lets the character do an auto combo. This is a universal feature and every character has this. When at least 100% EXS is available the auto combo utilizes the EXS to increase the damage by using an EXS version of a special move as an ender.

Force Function (B+C)

Activates the character-specific move. Depletes 1 GRD block.

Concentration (Hold D in neutral, depletes EXS Gauge)

Charge up your GRD Gauge by depleting your EXS Gauge.

Chainshift (2 x D)

Only available in the Vorpal state. Converts your GRD blocks into EXS, 20% for each block. One of the most versatile tools in the game. It can nearly be used at any time with few restrictions. Freezes the screen on activation, which increases the time to react to the current action of the opponent. It can also be used when attacking, enables the player to make risky moves safe, continue the pressure or also to extend combos.

Veil Off (A+B+C requires at least 100% EXS)

Invincible on activation and blasts the opponent away on hit. It also recovers a broken GRD gauge on hit. But be careful it’s not safe when it gets blocked, the opponent can mount an attack afterward.

Veil off is a temporary mode where it buffs the attack damage by 20% and can be stacked on top of the additional 10% from Vorpal state adding up to 30% extra damage. It also turns the EXS Gauge into the timer. Which means the more EXS you have the longer it lasts. Due to the special state you can use up to 3 EX-Attacks instead of the usual 2 when compared to the normal 200% EXS Gauge, since each EX-Attack requires 100% EXS.

Cross Veil Off (A+B+C while attacking, requires at least 100% EXS and Vorpal state, NEW)

Unlike the normal Veil Off, the Cross Veil Off doesn’t blast the opponent away on hit. Instead, it blasts the opponent upwards falls down in an unrecoverable state until hitting the ground. This is especially useful to extend a combo and maximizing the damage. The drawback is, it lasts shorter than it’s normal counterpart.

Shield (Defend + D, depletes EXS)

One of the most important aspects is that it builds GRD meter on a successful block, enabling the defender to vie for the Vorpal state. It is also kind of akin to a move, which means it has a fixed minimum duration. When used correctly you can turn the tide and reduce the stun on block, hence making it possible to attack in situations not possible before. There are also two downsides to it:

1. Due to the fixed minimum duration, it can also increase your block duration putting you into a disadvantage.

2. When you get hit while having Shield active, your GRD gauge breaks and puts you out of the current race for the Vorpal state.

Guard Thrust (Quarter circle back + D while blocking, requires 100% EXS or Vorpal)

An invincible reversal attack which can only be while blocking a move. Usually blows the opponent away to create distance and returning to the neutral position. Breaks the GRD gauge when used outside of Vorpal.

An in-depth look at the Tutorial Mode

Does the gameplay sound too complicated? No problem! The exceptional Tutorial Mode teaches the player step by step from the very beginning, from how to input the special moves to everything about the systems and much further. How much further? It goes as far as teaching general advanced concepts (including solutions) about:

Frame advantage: Situation after blocking or hit.

Okizeme: Options after knocking the opponent on the ground. Which is known as the “Wake up game”.

Option Selects: How to input different things to cover multiple situations.

And more

These are all general knowledge, utilized in advanced play in all fighting games. Using critical thinking as the link to convert it, close to everything can be applied to other fighting games.

While the tutorial is really good. There still some small personal gripes. Some of the glossaries do not match the general fighting game community, making it a little bit more difficult to search for helpful content on the internet.

Online

The offering is pretty much run-the-mill with Ranked and Casual Lobby matches with the option of up to 3 out of 5 and unlimited rematches for rapid fire play. The Netcode seems to fall in line with all the other delay-based ones. This also means that it can get a little bit hairy if you’re counting on using combos with tight timings. Possibly resulting in dropping your match winning combo due to variable delay.

Interim Gameplay Impression: A game for everybody

Even though there is a whole barrage of new fighting games available or coming out, UNIclr manages to fill in a gap that has been extremely neglected by others and goes even one step further.

It is general knowledge that fighting games are difficult to learn and when stepping into the den of veterans. It becomes a rather unwelcoming environment due to the heavy beat downs. Unlike many other fighting games, this game offers the tools to learn from your losses and mistakes. This is, without doubt, one of the best places to start learning fighting games due to the included extraordinary Tutorial and this is just the cherry on top.

Because the gameplay is heavily refined over 8 years and is easily as good as the other big players in the genre. Passion overcomes what it is lacking in the budget.

While it’s not particularly a part of Gameplay and more on the technical side, it’s more than worth mentioning that the load times are blazing fast. Compared to other fighting games such as Street Fighter V or Tekken 7, UNIclr runs circles around them. Even though I’ve tested it on a PS4Pro with an SSHD, normal setups and the Switch still shouldn’t be that far much behind.

Londrekia Breakdown
Since he's a separate purchase it's a good idea to take a look at what you're exactly getting with Londrekia! He's mid-neutral rather than rush down character.

Extra Glossary on notations:

Within the fighting game scene these are the directional notations for convenience sake:

789
456
123

Example: 6 is forward, 4 is backward, 2 is down, 8 is up. 236 is the typical Ryu "Hadoken" fireball motion.

Normals (also known as normal button presses):

Short A and 2A not being a low reduce the amount of fast mixup.
B and C have a relatively long-range which makes him more comfortable in mid-range.

Command Normals (Unique normal attacks that require a direction):
B, B: Wall bounce and has a longer range than the first attack
Frozen Slope 6B: Slow but is + on block, hits only grounded and inflicts Ice Debuff
3C: Preferred anti-air. Can lead to 3.5K dmg
2C, C: - on block but can be special canceled. The second hit is an overhead.

Ice Debuff (Unique to Londrekia):
His Projectile 236X, 22X and 6B inflict it even on block. When you hit them again with it, they'll freeze up. This changes your combo routes and can lead to good openings when you clip them.

A clean 1st hit clip will open them up to a basic 3.5K dmg combo.

Force Function:
Frozen Cleave B+C: Strike invincible. Follow up Bisect (A/B/C): Can be interrupted on block.

Your go-to reversal as long as you don't expect a throw.

Special Moves:

Frozen Spire Projectile 236X:
A is fast and can be used as a normal projectile.
B has long startup but is + on block IC B, even more, + than standard B but is a short blast instead of a projectile
C is really fast and might be useful in a projectile war. Does not undo ice coffin.

Circular Step (up to 3 attacks), also known as Rekkas for being multi-step specials:
A always hits low. Safe on block
B hits high. Side Switch on IC. Both unsafe.
C Overhead when IC.

All of them can be IC'd. Can link into normals from 2nd attack on low proration. Links are important for more damaging BnBs.

Additional Thoughts on Circular Step:

Aside from the standard BnB, it's a good idea to learn the follow-up combos with Rekka guard openers.
Important: If the first and second input is the same it'll be a special move called Hydro Blading that goes low.

Rekka AC can be followed up with 2B.
Rekka CA only allows for 2A follow but has limited combo routes.
Rekka C IC A leads to B into better combos.
Rekka XXA or B leads to nothing by themselves
Rekka XXC can be converted with 2A

The conversions obviously look different once you take the Ice Debuff into account.

Snow Blossom 22X:
A 1/8 screen. The delayed attack hits about 50% screen length.
B 1/6 screen. Same.
EX C 1/2 attacks backward.

Both A and B can be destroyed by the opponent on hit. A/B might be useful for some zoning? C should be useful for setup after Rekka knockdown in the corner.

Frozen Vine 623C:
Has a little bit of tracking until it comes out and is + on block. It cannot be blocked in air. Close to 2k dmg. Assault dodges it. Not likely to be useful as anti-air due to long startup and the ability to avoid it. Should give some good + frames though.

41236 IW Hailstorm:
Has some startup and hits fullscreen. A lot of - frames on block. Mostly safe at fullscreen. Round start distance still gets hit by Londrekia A projectile.

Londrekia Impression

Overall he seems to be most comfortable on the edge of his normal attacks while putting out pressure with his Frozen Spire projectile. The latter becomes even more frightening once the Ice Debuff is in effect as a stray hit can convert a stray hit into corner carry and 3.5k damage.

In layman terms, Londrekia plays in mid-range while shooting out projectiles. As for how difficult he’s to play… Probably one of the easiest characters to get up to snuff with. Why? Because his combo challenges are probably the easiest in the whole game!

On a personal note, he seems to struggle against rush down characters once they are in due to the lack of fast attacks and you’ll have to resort to high-risk options like the Force Function.

Is he worth it? For me personally, absolutely yes. He’s a really fun character with a very unique mechanic and is on top easy to play. Unless you dislike projectile or mid-range characters. Londrekia is a great addition to the already varied cast.

Graphics & Sound

UNIST opts for the mix of 2D Sprites and 3D Backgrounds like Blazblue, though the latter is a little bit more simplistic. The good thing is Sprites are pretty much an evergreen style since the details are drawn.

The offering in music is overall tied to character themes, due to the wide range of different characters one can expect the same when it comes to the music. The monster Merkava got a piece of eerie music, while the easy-going katana-wielding Yuzuriha gets a piece of comparable easy-going music like a gentle breeze. Akatsuki the guest character brings his own music with him.

Verdict

Easy to play but difficult to master, this has been a dilemma that hounded the minds of the fighting game genre for quite some time. Instead of simplifying the game UNIclr goes into a different direction and opts to actually teach the player to understand the genre by utilizing the Tutorial to put most of the important information into the hands of the players.

The gameplay convinces with a wide range of characters and playstyles ranging from heavy offense, grapplers to keep away zoners.

While it just falls in line with most other games with Arcade, Score, Time, Chronicle and Survival. It gives the players the essential knowledge to grow and understand the genre with Tutorial and Mission. This could potentially increase the enjoyment of, not only the game but also the genre by an incredible amount.

Though there might be a small catch. Due to the game offering quite some freedom with its underlying systems, it also has quite a tall ceiling. It takes quite some time to learn everything the game is letting you do. From a different perspective, there’s a TON of playtime to get out of UNIclr.

UNIclr not only offers a good game but also a very good entry point to the fighting game genre. This makes it a good recommendation for everybody. Regardless of your skill level. Especially at the modest price of £34.99.

In regards to Switch exclusive players, UNICLR is the best entry point fighting game on the system due to the in-depth tutorial.

Wertung

9.5Hervorragend

Kaufempfehlung

90% Kaufempfehlung

90%Absoluter Pflichtkauf