Weird, it looks like I’ve got better access to AE here in Australia than most in the US.
I’ve played a bunch of games and Honda is mostly the same, but overall weaker. Just noting a couple of specifics from memory -
LP headbutt:
Any fireball invincibility appears to be the same, but I’d leave this at “inconclusive”.
I was hoping to see lower body invincibility become a tool to anti-meaty jab opponents but it doesn’t seem to work out like that. It’s still as slow to start up as ever, would definitely prefer he kept upper body.
Headbutts vs Yoga Fires:
He’s lost front of body invincibility and I haven’t been able to trade at any time, with any timing, from any distance. This adversely affects the matchup as its much harder to get in and you have to become even MORE random and unsafe to try and catch him out. The change to the Ultra 1 means from even a little further than half screen you can react to the startup of a yoga fire and hit him.
Unfortunately, this is not always enough to turn a match and Dhalsims will soon learn to watch their mid distance fires.
In short, this matchup alone destroys honda as a competitive character.
Ultra 1:
As mentioned, no different in any way except full fireball invincibility. This is a help, but the slow startup and uncombo-ability of the move makes it a pale shadow of most character’s ultras.
Ultra 2:
The ability to jump out outweighs the usefulness of a quicker command input. You can’t catch people with it, you have to use it as a punish. Shame. If you’re good at baiting people to reversal you or like mashing during blockstrings, it might be ok but I don’t see much in the way of reliable setups. The opponent has time to just jump out.
Standing Fierce:
I haven’t been checking for its damage specifically, but its hitbox is the same. It’s no faster and you still have to space very carefully to use it as an anti air. Anecdotally, I became wary of using it in footsies with Zangief as it didn’t trade equally. Also, his stupid LP piledriver range reduces its usefulness. Good thing neutral jump HP is still good.
Jumping MP:
very noticeable loss in usefulness against awesome anti air characters like guile. Just have to play a risky buttsplash or walk forward game to get in. You can’t use it early like before with the same reliability.
In short, Honda has taken a step back and its left me hoping for further balance changes before AE becomes DLC. As a charge character he has natural disadvantages, but they’ve taken the best properties of his LP headbutt among other moves and so you have less opportunity to get opponents off you and getting into zoning characters is actually harder.
