You've got the correct strategy; personally, I don't bother with the stun, simply because if a group of enemies is a frame or two off, I'm stunning people, but once I'm on the ground, I get attacked immediately and if the attackers are Axl or Slash (who tend to block a lot of the flying stuns), you're in for a world of hurt, as they are the strongest of the mooks that don't have weapons. As well, keeping diagonally helps, as you can generally hit enemies, but they won't attack you. Smart!
Special is definitely being used by you, in the correct situations, however if you are in a potential combo loop by an enemy (getting stabbed by Hollywood/ElGato, punches from the low mooks or J/TwoP and punches from the Andores), use your special after just one hit; it will attack every time and hit, every time, not to mention that the health you lose from that, is equivalent to the health of the lowest attack, so it's more worth it to lose the same health, but get an attack in and live to fight another day.
But yes, when playing with guy or Cody, it's, "punch combo until the final blow-grab-knee-knee-throw," unless there's only one enemy on-screen, then I'll do 3 knees, as it would technically cause the most damage.
To answer your questions:
1. You cannot get up quicker, however if the Andores are going to splash/leg drop you (as he is a wrestler, using the appropriate terms
), just spam the special until you do get up and you will be ok.
For the Molotovs, since the weak Hollywoods only appear on-screen on their own, without enemies (save for 2 instances, right before the Sodom/Katana fight in Subway and after the bathroom, when 2 Js appear on-screen in Bay Area), it is best to stick on the same plane as one that runs onto the screen and either jump+kick or punch (kicking is easier, I find) the Molotov in the air, so that you are in the clear. For Industrial Area's fire, you need to stay on the plane you start the level with, then jump through the first set and simply walk through the second set, as the middle fires extinguish after a few seconds; if you don't do it in 1 sequence, however (IE: don't get hit and get there on time), the middle fires will not extinguish in a pattern and you'll lose chunks of life, guaranteed.
2. Boss Breakdown:
- Damnd/Thrasher: Indeed, very simple. All you need to remember is after he whistles, wait about 7 seconds or so and then when you see him on-screen, quickly move up or down a few panes; also, stay as far away from him as possible, in order to get enough time to move.
- Sodom/Katana: IMO, the hardest boss after Belger and it isn't particularly close, even with being one of 2 bosses that isn't a flunky (uses mooks to aid in the fight), out of the 6. Planes come into play here, more than any other boss; what you want to do is try to be a few planes below or above him initially, then grab him. Knee/Headbutt him until he drops one Masumune then before the third attack, throw/piledrive him so he drops the other and immediately, pick up one of the Masumunes. Then, stay just as far as you can range-wise and the second eh gets up and you're aligned, attack. NEVER GET TOO CLOSE, otherwise he'll charge you and immediately pick up a Masumune. If the timing is not on your side and you get up before he picks up the second one, he WILL charge at you with the one Masumune, which is his strongest attack. This strategy works well, however if after being knocked-down, he doesn't stand up right away (he's still hunched over and his model looks weird), just freeze until he charges you (because he will and he cannot be attacked while hunched over) and when he does charge at you, special him. I tend to lose a life against him every time, but I have probably gone about 25 times where he hasn't touched me.
- Edi E: The key is to get him running around BEFORE the mooks show up, which is not too difficult to do, but can be an issue if you aren't quick on your feet; unlike with the first two bosses, you need to constantly be moving, as when Edi starts running, he only uses his gun and if you are too far off the screen from him, you're pretty much dead meat unless you flukily time specials/attacks and there is a long line of mooks in his LOS. Start out by going after him immediately, doing the three knees/headbutts. Then move down a few planes and back up, a second or two AFTER he stands up (because if you are aligned with him when he gets up, he will get a hit in every time, guaranteed) and repeat the attack(s). If you get him into any part of yellow, he starts running and here is where you need to keep moving; he will only take out his gun and shoot, if you are about 2-3 characters away from him or farther, thus you need to constantly walk diagonally, wherever he goes on the screen. Luckily, he's not hard at all and he's the only boss that has a health pickup, during the match (his gum; only eat it when you need it!)
- Rolento: Many people consider him the toughest boss, but he is only as difficult as you play the previous section; if you are able to make quick work of the ElGatos, (pipe or Muramasa will do it) and get them to drop a bunch of knives, you just need to pick up knives and chuck them, until Rolento get into yellow. If you don't have a lot of knives, you need to grab him when he is stationary; if he is moving, he will stick you, jump off the wall or (worst), grab you. You don't want him to grab, because it puts you the most distance from him and if he moves, he will attack. Once in yellow and he does his fast-man shtick, just walk up an down on the same part of the screen (just changing planes), until he runs into you, then attack. Of course, avoid the grenades, but try to stick on the same line at all times.
- Abigail: My favourite boss!
He's arguably the easiest boss in the game, after Damnd/Thrasher. There is only one rule to him: STAY ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SCREEN AT ALL TIMES. When he turns red and charges, just move a few planes up, when he is 1/4 of a screen away from you and he'll swing and miss every time (he doesn't follow you if you move late-enough). Then grab him, attack, rise and repeat. Just stay as far away from him as possible and he won't grab you, ever.
- Belger: The hardest boss by far; the only chance you have for a clean, "grab and 3 attacks," is from the outset, in his wheelchair; after that, you need to have reflexes better than a cat, to attack him with a grab, because the grab literally lasts for (what seems like) a millisecond. He will never shoot his arrows unless he is on the same plane, like Edi E, so unless there are mooks in the way, just wait for him to come down to your plane and.. you can punch combo him! The first boss since Damnd/Thrasher that you can just sit back and pummel! When he does this, however, he shoots his arrows up and they WILL come down and hit you, thus after a few initial punches, move up a few planes and repeat. Sometimes, if you are enough frames away from him, you will be able complete a full combo and the arrows will miss you, but it's not worth the risk.
Good luck and keep trying; eventually, you'll break the walls down
