First up to bat is Kenshi, a warrior who was betrayed by Shang Tsung using a powerful sword that left him blind. But this misfortune is as much gift as it is curse, because this weapon makes him quite a force to be reckoned with. And after Ermac rekindle his telekinetic abilities, the lack of sight was no longer a burden. Playing as Kenshi is incredible, and his ebb and flow as a character becomes natural pretty quickly. From the get go I could tell NRS really made a show piece fighter, who doesn’t seem to have a real glaring weakness.
Damage is good, combos chain together fluidly, and the range-y Telekinetic attacks are solid. While he definitely isn’t as fast as a Sonya or Liu Kang, speed is pretty average and doesn’t hinder his more effective attributes. And there is also a nice “brawler” quality, as Kenshi can hang “toe-to-toe” with most if the match comes to mindless blows. The set of moves that really make him a top tier fighter are the Telekinetic strikes. Sure, his punch/kick-to-sword combos are good enough to overwhelm a novice opponent. But anyone with solid skill can simply wrap up in the Philly Shell and time good counter attack opportunities. So mixing in range stuff is key to break up the predictable monotony. The real advantage, though, is the speed at which these distance strikes take place. Normal projectiles have a good amount of telegraph to them and takes a second or two to reach the destination. Kenshi’s long distance is almost instantaneous, and can dish out good damage. Yes, they may not reach as far as most of the aforementioned, but close/mid range distance is optimal territory for his attacking wheelhouse. And his repertoire of moves reflects just that.
The newest edition to the MK roster comes in the form of Rain. Originally from Edenia, he once fought in his home realm’s army to resist against the infamous Shao Khan. But when he didn’t attain the rank he felt was so rightfully his, he betrayed his fellow Edenians and became part of Khan’s forces. For this, the dark lord has promised Rain eventual control of his army in return for loyal service. His core move list stays true to his moniker, as most are hydro-inspired. On his own, Rain is a mid tier fighter. Not particularly outstanding, but not useless either. The style that would behoove you to employ is one of deception and movement. It is very easy to teleport from one side of the opposing character to the other (D, U). So a few quick pops from the right, followed by a fast flip into a combo can definitely frustrate your fellow “kombatant.”
Rain’s hands are pretty weak, but kicks are pretty solid and the leg combinations are delivered fast. And the Super Roundhouse sends the other guy flying across the screen and positions them to the other side to further the dizziness and confusion. One pretty nifty move is the Water Bubble; a projectile that traps your adversary and affords you about four seconds to move them anywhere on the screen before it bursts. I often used it to hover someone off the ground and come with an aerial assault, set up with minimal effort. At first I wasn’t too impressed with how he played in practice. But in the middle of a match, I got into a pretty good groove, and even won a few without throwing a single punch. Rain can really shine in tag, especially with another deceiver like Noob. With all of the shifting, fast tags, and quick combos from a pair like that, you could give a really aggressive player fits, particularly with a well timed combo break here and there, or Noob’s incredible X-Ray.
All in all, a good pair of fighters. I was highly impressed with Kenshi’s abilities and “feel” right out of the gate, and his splendid balance ranks him right up there with the best in MK. Rain definitely isn’t as explosive, but with a little time you discover what he does best and could add quite an interesting dynamic when teamed up with another character.
