I rarely have a problem with Unlock Mechanics when you have multiple ways to unlock. Progression in a game like this is not "leveling"; it's seeing what each character can do, and then learning your niche after experiencing everything.
A little bit of patience to go through the ropes in a game you're potentially playing for MONTHS in order to get the proper value out of it isn't so bad.
Though I totally understand, having played the Beta, how annoying it is not to be able to get back to a character you like.
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Anywho, it was surprising even split screen partners need to go through the prologue solo in order to get the first unlocks. After I did prologue, took my splitscreen bro online with me, and he was stuck picking random select. It counted as him not having unlocked ANYTHING yet, lol.
I enjoyed the prologue, though. It's nice seeing a game where each character is animated in THEIR style, and not just using the same canned boring, personality-less animations that are shared between EVERY player character. This is so much more my speed than better stories with millions times worse characters. Of course, I have the rest to play though... lets see how much that changes things.
Enjoy how Melka has anime-fighter style triangle dash control potential, lol. Super Jump! Melee that has pushback! (Always reminds me of Baiken's air dust dragon cannon), Lunge forward with a claw... that can THEN also have pushback as an ability! I didn't get to play her in the Beta, so I've enjoyed getting introduced to her.
Also enjoyed how her secondary fire (her melee string) has 5 different hit animations. Along with her quick melee B button attack. AND she has a running slide. Just not the kind of attention to detail I expect in games that start off with 25 characters already, y'know?
And going through a prologue chapter with 2 very different looking women who both had athletic-looking builds and were well dressed! That happens in games? *shock*
It's a good first-time-with-full-game impression. I'm always glad I don't overload on 1st / 3rd person shooters or such saturated genres now-a-days, because I think it helps me appreciate the details in the ones I like much more.