Hello, Liam here. It's been awhile since our last update! Here's what we've been working on:

• Creating and testing Umbrella's character tutorial and her trials.
• Polishing up the new version of Umbrella's stage.
• Finalizing all of Umbrella's palettes.
• Finishing Umbrella's gameplay, per all of the update notes that you'll find below.

STORY & OTHER

• Added Umbrella's tutorial and her 4 trial combos. Please note that this early release of these features are available in ENGLISH only. Translations are not available in other languages yet, but they will be for the full launch.
• Updated character select UI to make it more clear which characters have alternate VO packs, and how they can be selected.
• Updated key art and cinematic animations in Umbrella's Story Mode. The Art Gallery has been updated to reflect the new art. (Note: Some of the old versions of the art have been archived in the Art Gallery)
• Fixed a bug where some characters weren't visible in Parasoul's Story Mode.

UMBRELLA

One of the larger changes in this update is that Umbrella can now convert from Tongue Twister and ground throw by sliding through a nearby puddle after using Slurp 'n' Slide. As a result of this, her damage had to be adjusted. As part of her general gameplan, Umbrella is encouraged to lower her hunger into the RAVENOUS (red) section in order "cash out" with her full damage from Salt Grinder, and Tongue Twister, which now do reduced damage when starting from SATIATED or OVERSTUFFED. With Cutie Ptooie (L Bubble) being usable without increasing her fullness, and Bobblin' Bubble (M Bubble) having reduced recovery, she should be able to hold her ground a bit better while working on pushing her hunger level towards RAVENOUS. As for her assists, her full assist damage potential (Salt Grinder, Tongue Twister, Hungern Rush, etc) is gated behind intentionally getting her into the RAVENOUS state before tagging out. You'll need to come up with a strategy to accomplish this. Outside of possible last minute tuning, bug fixes, and implementing projectile reflection for more enemy projectiles, this is likely the final version of Umbrella. If you have feedback or discover a bug, please consider posting on our official forums.

• Updates to her voice over have been implemented. Look out for new voice lines, a full audio and volume balance pass, and more!
• Updated the look of some of her palettes already included in the last update. Brand new palettes will be arriving very soon - thanks for your patience!
• Slurp 'n' Slide ([Back], F + MP)
  • Can now slide through puddles to receive a boost in speed, damage, and an alternate hit type. (She trips if doing this while STARVING.) (... This is a pretty large change. Using the boosted version of Slurp 'n' Slide allows Umbrella to convert from new attacks with the right puddle positioning and set up. For example, midscreen combos from ground throw, Tongue Twister, sHP, etc... Due to these new conversions, her damage has been adjusted.)
  • Lowered collision box height while sliding to ensure she can slide under characters without them getting stuck against her, and increased collision box height right before active to help with some corner combo stability.
  • RAVENOUS damage 900 800
  • OVERSTUFFED damage 1100 1000
  • OVERSTUFFED hit launches opponents further and faster.
  • Fixed a bug where Umbrella would slide backwards when landing from Slurp 'n' Slide instead of forwards.
  • Fixed a bug where Umbrella would pass through opponents in the RAVENOUS version before she hit them. This fixes some difficulties hitting some characters in the corner.
  • Increased hitstop on SATIATED and STARVING version to help give more time to confirm into a super on hit.
  • Reduced super cancel duration. (... Super cancel window ends at the point where the new L+M Retina Reflector would have not been a true combo.)
• Salt Grinder (QCF + LP + LK)
  • When starting Salt Grinder in SATIATED or OVERSTUFFED, a 25% and 50% damage penalty is applied on follow-up grinds, respectively.
  • When used as an assist, grinds now have a flat 25% damage penalty, and this replaces previously implemented assist damage reduction, for clarity. This damage multiplier stacks with the damage reductions above.
  • As an assist, Salt Grinder can only grind as many times as she would have been able to if she was point, with respect to being unable to grind further because Hungern is completely full. (... Assist TL;DR - Get Umbrella into the RAVENOUS state and tag out, and then the assist will function as it did before.)
  • Reduced active frames from 5 to 2.
  • Fixed a bug where Umbrella herself did not experience any hitstop on block. Reduced frame advantage on block.
  • The very first grind (left or right) is now buffered like other grinds.
  • Reduced max time allowed between grinds before Hungern automatically spits the opponent out.
• Tongue Twister ([Back], F + LP + LK)
  • When starting Tongue Twister in SATIATED or OVERSTUFFED, a 25% and 50% damage penalty is applied on follow-up chomps, respectively.
  • When used as an assist, grinds now have a flat 25% damage penalty, and this replaces previously implemented assist damage reduction, for clarity. This damage multiplier stacks with the damage reductions above.
  • Increased recovery on Tongue Twister whiff by 7F.
  • Fixed a bug where characters could be hit briefly when Hungern chomps his own tongue pile to begin chewing, if Umbrella was not the point character.
  • Lowered hitbox on the tongue while rolling to prevent it from interacting with certain projectiles.
  • Slightly tweaked character wall bounce velocity.
  • Reduced recovery on success by 2F.
  • Fixed a bug where comboing into Tongue Twister would incorrectly advance the combo stage more than intended.
  • Fixed a bug where you could call assists in the middle of the grab while the tongue was retracting.
  • Added a normal buffer after Tongue Twister ends to help time corner combo follow-ups.
• Hungern Rush ([D], U+HP)
  • Hungern Rush is now strike invincible (can be thrown), instead of fully invincible.
  • Fixed a bug where blocking Hungern Rush grab while rising would not display the new shield block effect, even if you blocked due to rising unblockable protection.
  • STARVING version jump height slightly reduced.
  • OVERSTUFFED version jump height and active frames increased. Removed super cancel window on landing during this version.
  • RAVENOUS version now scales to 55%, like all hit grab style attacks.
  • As an assist, the first hit while rising scales to 55%, instead of scaling to 55% on the second landing hit. (... This reduces the damage to be more in line with other DP assists.)
• Retina Reflector (QCF + PP ... DP + PP)
  • "Retina Reflector: Projection Lens" is now known as just, "Retina Reflector". The physical hit version (DP + PP) is now known as "Retina Reflector: Contact Lens". For clarity, our hope is that referring to them as "Retina Reflector" and "Contact Lens" separately makes it easier to discuss and differentiate between the two moves.
  • Retina Reflector now vanishes if Umbrella is hit with a physical hit or thrown, but not when hit with a projectile.
  • Removed logic where L+M version of Retina Reflector would always shatter if Umbrella was hit briefly after the start up, due to the above.
  • Retina Reflector now vacuums opponents towards the projectile if they are grounded, to prevent them from falling out of it.
  • Various improvements to the reliability of reflecting projectiles as the projectile is spawning.
  • Increased L+M version start up time before active frames begin after the projectile has spawned.
  • Retina Reflector (but not the Contact Lens version) is now projectile invincible on startup. L+M version has more projectile invincibility after spawning the shield. (... Can be used to reliably counter various projectile attacks while leaving Umbrella safe.)
  • Reduced gap between hits against opponents for the ground and air versions.
  • Against airborne opponents, Retina Reflector bounces opponents lower than before.
  • Retina Reflector: Contact Lens damage reduced from 2000 to 1750.
  • Retina Reflector eyeballs now always show veins when they're about to explode, if they're attached to the opponent. (Bug Fix)
  • Fixed a bug where the eyes shooting off Retina Reflector could get stuck on other projectiles and fail to reach enemy character.
  • Increased size of hurtbox (for reflection) and hitbox (for hitting).
  • Adjusted and polished other non-gameplay related eyeball behaviour.
  • Retina Reflector (and sHP) can reflect additional projectiles. More projectiles will be reflectable in the next update!
    • ALL projectiles for Annie, Painwheel, Double, and Fukua. If you can't reflect one of their projectiles, it's probably not going to be reflectable in the final version.
    • Valentine - Air / Ground Checkmate Incision.
    • Robo-Fortune - JHP and Headrone RAM.
• Under The Weather (QCF+KK)
  • There are eyeball(s) inside of the bubbles, and they are looking respectfully. This is just a visual change.
  • No longer uses any randomization for Bubble placement and pathing. It is now the same each time to help set ups stay consistent.
  • Chip damage on regular bubbles reduced from 100 to 75.
  • Damage reduced on regular bubbles from 200 to 175.
  • OVERSTUFFED version now produces larger bubbles that knockdown. Less bubbles are spawned in this version. (12 9)
  • Bubbles now interact with other projectiles and pop when touching them.
• Cutie Ptooie (QCB + LK)
  • There are eyeball(s) inside of the bubbles, and they are looking respectfully. This is just a visual change.
  • Total animation length reduced.
  • The projectile will no longer vanish when Umbrella is hit.
  • OVERSTUFFED version has had its size and hitbox increased slightly.
  • Frame data (which has always scaled based on how long the bubble has traveled) improved for all versions.
  • Bubbles now interact with other projectiles and pop against them.
  • Adjusted launch angle.
  • OVERSTUFFED damage reduced from 650 500.
  • If LK is held throughout the entire animation up to the point where the projectile is created, the butterfly will not be eaten. (... You can use Cutie Ptooie more freely while still trying to increase Hunger, if desired.)
• Bobblin' Bubble (QCB + MK)
  • Drastically reduced animation length.
  • The bubble now vanishes if it goes off screen, or Umbrella is hit. (... This only happens midscreen, since it slides back on screen if it touches the corner.)
  • Slides back on screen faster than before, if it is touching the corner.
  • No longer puts the opponent in preblock.
  • Default damage 850 500. OVERSTUFFED damage 1000 650.
  • OVERSTUFFED hitstop on hit reduced from 24 18.
  • Fixed various visual bugs related to the bubble being inside of Hungern's mouth when created.
  • The projectile will vanish when Umbrella is hit. If Umbrella has already hit it, it won't vanish and continues to pop.
  • Added a normal buffer after Bobblin' Bubble ends to help hit the bubble as fast as possible.
• Wish Maker (QCB + HK)
  • Wish Maker will now pop when touching assist characters, but it will not capture them.
  • Wish Maker will now pop when touching other projectiles.
  • Wish Maker (all versions, before capture) travels a shorter distance before popping.
  • The projectile will vanish when Umbrella is hit, unless it has already captured the opponent.
  • Fixed a bug where Wish Maker would fail to capture opponents if they were too high up when touching the bubble.
  • Fixed a bug where Umbrella would create another bubble as an assist even if one was already out. She now leaves immediately if a Wish Maker bubble is already active, like her other bubble assists.
  • The bubble now vanishes if it goes off screen.
  • Captured opponents will no longer be pushed into the corner, if the corner is already occupied.
  • Fixed a bug where hitting the opponent at the same time the capture naturally ended would cause the hit to not function correctly. (Applies to air throw capture bubble as well)
• sHP (Reflection)
  • Will no longer interact with projectiles that are not reflectable.
  • Removed projectile invincibility on start up.
  • Fixed a bug where projectile reflection continued even after Umbrella was hit or interrupted.
• sHK
  • Damage reduced to 975.
  • Start up decreased by 5F, and she runs and jumps slightly faster.
  • Fixed a bug where under some rare circumstances the follow-up slam hit would not connect.
• Puddles
  • When Umbrella interacts with multiple puddles at once using J[MK], sMK or cMK, only a single splash is created for one source of damage.
  • Fixed a bug where splashing a puddle in the middle of a string could activate Undizzy.
  • sMK puddle splash damage reduced from 600 400.
  • sMK puddle splash range slightly increased.
• Feeding Time (QCB + PP)
  • Fixed a bug where it would not pause the match timer.
  • Fullness increase from chomping reduced from 3 pips to 1 pip. Swallowing the opponent no longer grants any fullness. (... This is meant to help keep Umbrella closer to the hunger state she wants to be in when finishing off a character and preparing to fight the next one.)
  • Bonus RAVENOUS threshold increase granted per eaten character is now 2, instead of 1. This still caps at 3.
  • Added extra water visual effects.
  • Umbrella slides backwards a little bit when firing the opponent out of Hungern.
• Miscellaneous
  • Fixed a UI bug with Umbrella's hunger meter on P2 side.
  • Standardized visual effects on Umbrella's eyes when she activates any Blockbuster.
  • JMP - Hitbox improved, again. In RAVENOUS, it is one frame faster (11F 10F startup).
  • Added VO to Egret Soldier during her timeout animation.
  • JHP - Reduced landing hit frame advantage.
  • Improved visuals on backdash wind twirl.
  • cMP - Increased hitstun by 2F when SATIATED and STARVING.
  • Various other visuals and audio tweaks.

ANNIE

Annie is getting some of her powerful tools back that were adjusted in the last beta update. However, her DHC damage potential is drastically reduced, and her Star Power mode will require more meter commitment to activate.

• JMP behaves as it does in retail, but with two extra frames of recovery.
• Dash speed reverted back to retail values.
• Re-Entry hitstop adjusted from 10 back to 13 on the first two kicks. (... This was just meant to speed up combos, but people preferred the oomph it had before.)
• Expanded air dash backwards collision box to fix a bug where Annie could air dash backwards through a crouching opponent, while technically being grounded.
• Pillar of Creation (QCB + KK)
  • Bonus DHC scaling on the first hit reduced from 70% 40%.
  • Hitpause on the second hit (fist clench) increased from 10 25, when not used as a DHC. (... Enables Annie to confirm at long distances when using Pillar of Creation on point.)
  • Hitpause on the second hit (fist clench) reduced from 10 5, when used as a DHC. (... Annie can't convert easily from fullscreen when this is used as a DHC.)
  • Knockback reverted to retail values, leaving the opponent slightly closer.
• Meteor Strike (QCF + KK)
  • Now applies the same amount of super hitstop regardless of if the opponent is in hitstun or not. Increased hitstop value to 4, up from 2 in the last update. (It is 6 in retail) (... This super can hit characters from longer distances without them having a chance to block or reversal, again, but it's still not quite as good as it is in retail.)
  • Applies bonus damage scaling (45%) when used as a DHC.
  • Damage reduced from 2250 2000. (... These changes are required to prevent Meteor Strike in the corner from being the new DHC Pillar of Creation, in terms of damage.)
• Star Power (D, D + KK)
  • Star Power requires that you have at least two bars of meter to activate. Even to use it as a DHC, you must still have two bars of meter.
  • When Star Power activates, it consumes one bar of meter immediately, up from zero.
  • Since Star Power uses meter to activate, you can now DHC out of it.
  • Stars from Star Power now deal chip damage. (!)
  • Gravity Collapse (D,D+KK in Star Power) now deals a lot of chip damage. (!)
  • Annie displays in front of Crescent Cut when performing the activation animation.
• North Knuckle now performs the follow-up slam on block, on all versions, when used as an assist. However, the H version slam has reduced blockstun and blockstop as an assist, like Big Band's H Brass assist, or all DP assists.

ELIZA

Eliza receives some buffs and quality of life changes. While the power of Sekhmet is reduced, base Eliza's power is increased as a trade off.

• Sekhmet now has a generous buffer when her supers are ending to perform a fast as possible return to the anchor. When returning to the anchor using this buffer, she won't lose life as she retreats.
• Extended the DHC window for Crimson Scourge after Sekhmet dismounts from the opponent.
• Forced scaling applied from Crimson Scourge adjusted to 45%, from 55%.
• If Sekhmet's Carpenter's Axe is blocked (grounded H), she cannot perform Sekhem Rebound (backflip). (... This opens up punishes from previous versions of the game when Sekhmet attempts her fast overhead and it fails. A very well timed throw will grant you a scaled combo (or a counter hit JM in the face if mistimed), or you can attempt an Outtake for a lower risk punish with damage scaling. Sekhmet can still get numerous mix-up attempts or simply retreat to safety using her low (2L) combined with Sekhem Rebound. She can also still use Sekhem Rebound after the slower overhead option, (JM) Ptahxe)
• sHK start up reduced by 3F.
• sHP start up reduced by 3F. (... Note, the above two changes also allow Eliza to chain lights into heavies)
• cHK armor against projectiles starts 4F earlier.
• Fixed a bug where Weight of Anubis (QCF + HK) and Nekhbet Breaker (J.QCF + KK) incorrectly scaled to 50% instead of 55%.
• Throne of Isis (QCF + LK)
  • Hitpause increased by 2F on hit only.
  • Reduced knockback by 20%
  • Slightly reduced the extended hurtbox on the chair, making it less likely to be nullified by opponent attacks.

ROBO-FORTUNE

• Theonite Beam (H) reverted back to retail functionality. It's no longer pulled harshly with the camera.
• Fixed a bug where Robo-Fortune couldn't perform Homing Directory after sHK hit Ms. Fortune and her head at the same time.

PEACOCK

• Reverted all changes back to retail, except:
  • Shadow of Impending Doom (level 2 charge) still has 20 extra frames of recovery, from the last update.
  • Four extra invincible frames from the start up and four extra invincible frames from the recovery of all versions of The Hole Idea (Teleport) are now vulnerable.

DOUBLE

• Cattelite Lives length when used as a DHC lasts for 33F longer.

MS. FORTUNE

• Reverted all changes back to retail.
• Fixed a bug where headless "rekka" moves (Cat Scratch, El Gato, Cat Slide) would not auto correct to face the opponent.

FILIA

• Expanded air dash backwards collision box to fix a bug where Filia could air dash backwards through a crouching opponent, while technically being grounded.