Work around didn't work for you? Still can't get Alice to block with the umbrella and want to throw the game out the window? Never fear!
The game fails to mention something important during the umbrella instructions. To use the umbrella, Alice must focus on an enemy, or just press focus in general.
So, Caps Lock + E, or which ever letter you have assigned for the umbrella block. Viola! You can now block attacks. Enjoy.
