What Melty Blood: Type Lumina is Doing to Modernize the Series

For years, Melty Blood existed in the fighting game community as a smaller title found alongside larger brackets at tournaments. While the series has a long history of competitive tournaments, newer games in franchises like Street Fighter and Guilty Gear have become more popular in the FGC. Melty Blood: Type Lumina aims to bring the series up to speed and contend with modern fighting game titles. Japanese studio Soft Circle French-Bread continues to provide developer updates leading up to the game’s release on September 30.

MELTY BLOOD’S PLACE IN THE FGC

Melty Blood was a side tournament at Combo Breaker 2019. Source: Team Spooky

Melty Blood has an interesting spot within the fighting game community. Though the series began in 2002 as a spinoff of a visual novel, the game received three separate title updates. By 2010, Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code (MBAACC) released as the newest update in the franchise. Events held tournaments for these games, but eventually Melty Blood was mostly seen as a side game.

In recent years, interest in Melty Blood increased thanks to a community update that featured rollback netcode. After more players started learning the game, Combo Breaker announced Melty Blood as a main lineup game for Combo Breaker 2020 before the event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Climax of Night began in 2018 as a tournament series with a focus on French Bread titles like Melty Blood and Under Night. By 2019, the second Climax of Night event featured over 100 competitors entering MBAACC for an offline tournament.

HOW TYPE LUMINA CHANGES THE GAME

Type Lumina is more than just a graphics update. Source: Delight Works

Melty Blood: Type Lumina does not simply aim to be a modern update for the series. For many, Type Lumina symbolizes a renewed interest in the franchise for the current FGC landscape. Though many competitors train hard in Guilty Gear Strive, Melty Blood’s modern makeover will certainly bring in new players.

Immediately after announcing the game, French Bread confirmed rollback netcode for Type Lumina. While MBAACC only featured rollback through a fanmade patch, developers listening to feedback and including better netcode at release is always a good sign.

Type Lumina’s roster so far features fan-favorite characters returning like Arcueid and Ciel. Though newer fighting game fans may be unfamiliar with the game’s roster, Type Lumina’s graphics overhaul presents these character designs crisper than ever.

Melty Blood: Type Lumina retains gameplay mechanics like “moon styles” which drastically change each character’s gameplay. However, balance changes since MBAACC will certainly change how tournament players approach competing in this new title. Fortunately community websites such as Mizuumi exist to guide new players in learning the game mechanics, and will be updated for Type Lumina.

WHAT MAKES MELTY SO IMPORTANT?

Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code. Source: ArcSystemWorks

While Melty Blood was never typically seen as a pinnacle of esports within fighting games, Type Lumina’s release will keep the game’s community active and competitive for years to come. Fighting games have a long history of grassroots tournaments led by community members. Melty Blood was one of the games that lasted throughout the so-called “dark age of fighting games” during the mid-2000s.

Melty Blood: Type Lumina symbolizes a development studio recognizing the passion of a community that has stood behind its game for nearly twenty years. With this new title, fresh faces will be joining the game’s competitive scene. Type Lumina’s release in September 2021 will allow for Melty Blood players to compete on a larger stage than ever before as major events likely adopt the game into their main lineup.

STAY CONNECTED

Featured image courtesy of Delight Works

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