From the murky depths, he arises! Energy Boomerang buzzing in his hand, this fallen child of corruption takes no prisoners. Come on puppets, drink deep of the darkness!
Dark Reize
Dark Reize commands an oppressive playstyle which combines sweeping moves with a wide array of tricks. While his other side prefers open air for bounding attacks, Dark Reize excels in confined spaces, where platforms and walls are plentiful.
Wall Cling
Hold down your directional pad toward a wall while making contact in the air to cling to it!
From here, you can release the direction to fall, begin an attack, or even jump into the air! Make the most of the arena walls to stage an unexpected attack, or recover from an attack yourself.
You can only cling for a short amount of time, and only a limited number of times before needing to touch ground again. If you see a shake, that means you’re about to slip! If you see a flash, that means you’re on your last cling.
Dark Slash
Do you feel it, the dark pit in your stomache? It’s probably because you still remember getting hit by this move in Specter of Torment! Pressing attack will unleash a sweeping swipe which reaches high above. Perfect for catching all kinds of shovel drops, down thrusts, dash slashes, dive kicks, and just about anyone foolish enough to stand in your way. Dark Reize isn’t one to hold back!
In exchange, this slash has a little more startup and recovery than other attacks in the game. Make each swing count!
Dark Dive Kick
This downward move has some kick to it! Press down and attack while in the air to plummet down with panache!
Once in motion, you can’t alter its course. The attack is pretty easy to see coming… but sometimes your true motive is to miss…
Darkness Rising
After reaching the ground with a Dark Dive Kick, Dark Reize will hold a crouched position. Press attack again and you’ll spring upward with a rising cut!
If you really want to get in the head of your opponent, try holding this pose for a while. Just like the Dark Dive Kick, you can’t alter the course of Darkness Rising. Avoid being too predictable, or you’ll become a puppet of the enemy!
Dark Boomerang
Press the Special button to toss out this spinning projectile. Combining Dark Reize’s boomerang skills with a newfound overzealous fury allows him to really cast it with intensity… but he lacks the focus needed to change up where it goes.
When on the ground, the boomerang will be thrown horizontally.
When in the air, the boomerang will be thrown at a downward angle.
Unlike other wimpy characters, Dark Reize doesn’t have to worry about his projectile. This energy based-boomerang will disappear once it returns, and Dark Reize can continue with attacks regardless of its path.
If the boomerang crashes into the wall or floor, it will stick into place! Still burning with evil energies it will damage enemies foolish enough to touch it.
Dark Boomerang Pulse
When embedded, pressing the Special button will cause the boomerang to emit a pulsing wave! Use this detonation to build more pressure on the opponent.
A boomerang sticking into the ground will emit horizontal projectiles, while a boomerang sticking into a wall will emit vertical projectiles!
Teleport (Dark)
Another Dark Reize signature! Hold down attack, then release to disappear into the void… only to appear somewhere else in mere moments!
Make a strategic retreat, appear at the last moment over a game winning gem, or teleport behind your victim for a surprise attack!
You can teleport in 8 directions by holding a direction on the controller. Keep the opponent guessing by changing up your location frequently. Once you have the enemy chasing ghosts, you can add one more layer of deception by teleporting in place!
Bringing It All Together
Dark Reize has many powerful moves that demand attention on the battlefield. The imposing threat of any of his moves, be it a slash, boomerang, pulse, or divekick can be a real menace when left unchecked.
The trade off is that Dark Reize has very little ability to control these moves. You don’t have a double jump for reliably lining up that dive kick. You must find flat ground to toss out your boomerang horizontally, and lining up a rising cut requires that the enemy stays put long enough for you to dive kick into place!
Instead your creativity for carnage needs to come from your movement before you begin to attack. Use wall clings to attack from an unexpected vantage point, use your teleport to disorient the state of the battle. Here are some tips for using them together.
When you are emerging from a a teleport, you can begin your next move before you become fully visible. Use this to mask moves that normally have a long start up.
Dark Dive Kick and Darkness Rising can both cancel into Wall Cling. Not only does this shave off a lot of risk from the recovery, it also allows you to begin setting up your next attack.
The obvious and fixed paths of your attacks can be used to your advantage. Condition your opponent to begin anticipating your sudden angled attacks, then suddenly let up to bait a parry.
But enough stalling! All the words in the world won’t prepare you for the tortures that lie ahead! You can read some other character highlights if you want… but they aren’t gonna do you any good!