Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late [cl-r]: two years in a row at the EVO are no accident

Reviews of the third major update of UNIST, the title that surprised in the last Las Vegas championship and that will be present again this time.

Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late (cl-r), this week comes to PS4 and Nintendo Switch as the great update of a game that went quite unnoticed at the time, despite the good overall finish at the visual level and those mechanics and game system inherited from BlazBlue and even Melty Blood (although with a certain distance). It was the 'boom' of the past EVO of 2019 (and that repeats in this one) with the presence of UNIST in the list of games that the community once again became interested in the title of French Bread and ArcSystemWorks. And it was in that same scenario where CL-R was announced, the review that we now have between us and that can be purchased individually or as part of a free ST update with, yes, the new paid character added. Be that as it may, we are facing a title that is worth following.

A couple of years ago we analyzed the delivery that has been among us during this time, which came with a lot of new content in the form of mechanics, changes and characters. On this occasion the jump is somewhat less impressive in absolute numbers (from four new fighters we pass only one), but it is presented with several details to take into account, including that it is updated free for those who have the previous delivery. Those who stay on the plot and characters of UNIST and its Chronicles mode, something tedious that if follow as a visual novel, will find here new developments with an expanded plot for the occasion.

But this review of Under Night goes a little further, and is consolidated as a game full of options to take into account, including a good range of game modes ranging from arcade mode to versus, through score attack, time attack, survival, training and a huge and personalized tutorial that not only explains basic elements and mechanics, but also deepens some combat situations that are not usually explained in a tutorial: whiffs, oki situations, how to cover ourselves before Mixups and cross-ups and more. A dense but necessary delight if you are interested in the game.

A combat style of its own

Although the bases of the game leave a more than similar with the BlazBlue saga, the truth is that it is a very particular title in their game system. We have three main attack buttons that are also complemented by D, a unique action button that allows us to charge energy, make long dash or use a concrete shield. Beyond this initial provision, the game has other elements that differentiate it from other titles. This is the case of passing links or reverse beat, which is the ability to link combos without a sequence from weaker to stronger how other contemporary games can work.

This mechanic allows us to go from weak to strong blow and then back to loose, with combinations that scale differently and are governed by the rule that we cannot repeat the movement that we have already used. To this is added a system of tight combos, where for example we can raise our rival but once we return to the ground we cannot jump again to continue the sequence. They are some of the peculiarities of the game, which has hallmarks of the house brand for this type of titles as three different guards: instant block, normal guard and barrier to leave a space between the enemy that presses us and us; as well as the EXS bar that allows us to access EX attacks, the Infinite Worth (used with the D button) or the EXS version of the IW when we are at 30% or less of life.

One of the most complex mechanics of the series for those who do not know it is the GRD, a system that is located in the lower center of the screen and allows us to load a bar according to our way of playing. If we are good at pressing, making instant blocks, using the barrier as God commands, etc. we are winning more bar, which can also be loaded with the D button. Going to get more GRD than the opposite, since they are connected, it gives us access to the possibility of strengthening some attacks (vorpal state), redeem it at the moment for EXS bar and activate a specific movement of each character (force function) that spends part of the bar in question.

Changes everywhere

The new version comes with a lot of changes that focus mainly on new movements for the template, roster rebalancing and adjustments that are counted by hundreds, according to the developer. All this with the presence of a new character, Londrekia, a new character who has the ability to control the element of ice and that allows him to attack with him, defend himself and others. A versatile character, with a good range of varied and projectile attacks and easy combos with some specials that allow the enemy to freeze and follow-up. In addition to being simple to control for the less skilled. An addition that may seem scarce after such a long time but that is compensated by the large number of changes that have been made in each of the characters, creating new routes, offering new features, strengths and weaknesses to each fighter.

If we add a first level audiovisual section to all this, as usual under the ArcSystemWorks umbrella, the result is a most attractive game. Not the most advisable to start in fighting games, because its entry barrier is high but not impossible, but one for the player who wants new challenges to keep an eye on. Unfortunately, it comes entirely in English as it happened in the previous installment, something that clearly affects the Chronicles mode.

CONCLUSION

Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late (cl-r) is a deep review of the game we met a couple of years ago, and that goes through a lot of changes in mechanics, interface and movements of known characters, to what a new fighter of the most interesting, like Londrekia, is added. If we add to this the variety of ways already known, an expansion of the Chronicles and a complex but satisfactory combat system, the result is a game of the most interesting that, although it does not bring with it a great extension of content, it shows why it is one of the fighting games featured in the next EVO 2020.

THE BEST

• Infinity of changes and rebalances that renew the experience
• Very attractive at audiovisual level
• The new character, Londrekia, accessible and fun to control
• Maintains the good quantity and variety of modalities

WORST

• A single character can know little like great novelty and after so long
• Fully in English
• The chronicles mode remains somewhat tedious to follow

Very good

Remarkable game that we will enjoy and remember. A good purchase, highly recommended for lovers of the genre. It is well taken care of at all levels.