Few joke characters in gaming are as legendary as Mortal Kombat’s Rain. Debuting in the “Attract Mode” of Mortal Kombat 3, the purple-hued ninja served as both a nod to rock icon Prince and a way to get arcade fans playing the game digging in for secrets.
Rain is finally entering Kombat again with Mortal Kombat 11's Kombat Pack 2, having not been playable in the franchise since he was a DLC fighter 2011's Mortal Kombat reboot. Suffice to say, fans are eager to get their hands on him. A newly released gameplay trailer highlights the Rain fans loved is back, and he looks to have gotten a significant upgrade.
Rain's not just fighting well, he's looking good, too. Unlike many of his peers, his costumes haven’t gone through much in terms of redesign over the years. His current primary costume is an updated version of his Mortal Kombat Armageddon style, but he also has looks based on his Mortal Kombat X look and a new, modern update on his classic ninja costume.
Fans of Rain will notice his trademark ninja teleportation skills throughout the trailer, hinting at what could be his gameplay style. It appears to be far more of a rushdown than any of his previous incarnations. Much of his gameplay appears to be speed based with longer combo chains to get the job done as opposed to other MK fighters, who are little more than brawling tanks throwing sparse strikes for massive damage.
While previous incarnations of Rain had a heavy emphasis on zoning, the new Rain appears to be more up close and personal. He's still got a bevy of water-based moves, though, including a sweet new electric effect to represent his use of lightning. His classic Super Roundhouse (renamed Super Kick for MK11) also plays a prominent role in the trailer, bouncing Kotal Kahn from one side of the screen to the other.
Much like other 'Glass Cannon' characters, it wouldn't be too far fetched to see the trade-off between his aggressive and speedy attacks being a somewhat frail health bar. This would likely result in online players being incredibly aggressive, focusing on landing huge combos and keeping opponents locked down to avoid taking damage.
His fatality seems to be something new, as well. It sees Rain using a water disc to form a saw blade, which he uses to dismember his opponents. From there, the sawblade flips horizontally to form a terrifying water geyser, flaying the opponent before depositing their removed eyes into a water orb in Rain's waiting hands.
Rain wields a unique weapon for MK11 also, a Jamadhar. These handheld scissor blades, which originate in India, seem a perfect fit for a regal character such as Rain. We see them used in the trailer, where Rain flies up to an opponent at high speed for violent strikes. Paired with his blistering speed and teleportation, these weapons should keep all but the savviest gamers on their toes.