Melty Blood: Twi-Lumina

Melty Blood: Type Lumina is a two-dimensional fighting game developed by French-Bread and published by Project Lumina, the publishing label for this Type-Moon fighting-game project. It was released on September 30, 2021, for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Windows via Steam. The game is based on Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-, Type-Moon’s 2021 remake of the visual novel Tsukihime. It does not simply extend the original Melty Blood continuity; its setting and character portrayals follow the remake. Its story occurs before the remake’s main plot and gives individual story episodes to its fighters.

At launch, the roster contained Shiki Tohno, Arcueid Brunestud, Ciel, Akiha Tohno, Hisui, Kohaku, Miyako Arima, Noel, Vlov Arkhangel, Michael Roa Valdamjong, Red Arcueid, and Saber. Saber, from Fate/stay night, is a guest character, while Vlov and Noel are figures from the Tsukihime remake. The game later added Mash Kyrielight, Neco-Arc, Powered Ciel, and Ushiwakamaru as downloadable characters. Mash originates in Fate/Grand Order, and Ushiwakamaru is also a Fate/Grand Order character. Neco-Arc, a super-deformed comic version of Arcueid, had previously appeared in Type-Moon works and earlier Melty Blood material. Their additions expanded the game’s roster to sixteen fighters.

Combat keeps the series’ fast air-based style but supplies controls intended to be more approachable than older entries. Rapid Beat lets a player produce an automatic combo by repeatedly pressing an attack button. Moon Skills consume Moon Gauge and allow stronger special attacks through directional inputs plus attack buttons. Moon Drive is a temporary powered-up state activated with Moon Gauge, and it can make Moon Skills available without their usual gauge cost. The game retains Shield, a defensive system that can repel an incoming attack and lead into several responses. Its cinematic Last Arc attacks are tied to particular conditions and provide a high-damage finish.

Type Lumina’s Story mode combines fights with visual-novel presentation and character-specific scenarios. It has a Tutorial and Mission mode for practicing its systems, as well as local and online versus play. The Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions launched with rollback netcode, a technique designed to reduce the effect of network delay in online matches. French-Bread had previously made the earlier Melty Blood fighting games, including Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code. Type Lumina was the first new Melty Blood title after that 2011 release and accompanied Tsukihime’s return as a remake. Its releases offer Japanese voice acting and English text.