I've been going through Akihiko's challenges trying to learn combos for the character and man, No.23 killing me. It seems like an effective and relatively simple combo but the Kill Rush B seems like a total gamble on whether or not it will connect. Any tip would be welcome because I'd really like to know another combo beyond Akihiko's BnB.

I'm sure I'm not the only one have trouble with the challenge mode so here's a place where we can help each other get through this stuff.

All I know regarding Aki (from playing him probably 100 times) is that if your opponent blocks the first series of punches in the BnB then you have to end with your AOA high or low to prevent getting punished. And that's basically a guessing game with your opponent's psychology.

I hit about 20 for all the characters. I've done all the combos for Shadow Labrys, Labrys and Yu. It's like any other challenge mode for an arcsys game. Just fun to learn how to play certain characters.

I'm not good enough to say, but based on other fighters with challenge mode I'm gonna assume this game also follows the pattern of challenge mode combos being ridiculous hard and impractical.

I feel like some are even dependent on pixels of distance and frames of timing. Also it doesn't even tell you to jump between attacks, what's up with that?

The furthest I've made it in that mode is with Naoto. I managed to make it to 28.

I'm having problems with Chie 28 and 29. On 28, I can't get the Rampage B to connect after the 5B you need to combo off 5D. Sometimes I'll get it to hit, but they'll pop out of the rampage as soon as the first hit lands.

So I tried challenge 29. Which is super easy. Except for the last input...which I failed every single time for two hours straight. It's the first time I've raged at the game ever.