Reiko seems like he needs to work harder than everyone else to play the game.
I'll break these down one by one because I strongly disagree BUT I thoroughly understand the feeling.
Reiko plays a DIFFERENT game than most characters in MK1. Maybe different than all (I lack the full roster knowledge to properly gauge that). He is VERY good though from what I've seen in higher level play at the moment and what I see on paper, etc. Please take what I say with a grain of salt though because I am not some uber player. I'm just breaking down what I've seen and I'll go over why I think his 'feel' is creating that sense in you.
His 1 has about 4 inches of range so it seems to have connection issues. His pokes are utter trash. D1 is -8 on block and he doesn't really have any great hit confirmable strings. Not to mention his grab seems to be inconsistent with the range at which it works.
A couple things...
D1 is not like D1 was in MK11. It is not a go-to. Reiko can use down 4 which has fantastic range and can go right into shurikens to stuff quite a bit. Reiko applies pressure with 2,1 (which is +2 on block). It is high but you need to make people TERRIFIED of crouch-blocking because of Reiko's F+2 as an overhead. It SMASHES people and eats other attacks alive while putting you in near-optimal position for Reiko afterwards. You want people to be afraid to block because of brainbuster. Crouch block? Get smashed (or maybe MB thrown). Stand block? Get 2,1'd (or maybe thrown). Attack? Maybe get smashed, maybe get 2,1'd. Do they have meter where they can use armored wake-up? Block and punish for 30-40% damage. Oh and if you have bar? Yeah maybe you just MB Tactical Takedown and beat out almost anything they do to put them into the situation all over again. Their options SUCK getting up and once you train them that their options suck, Reiko gets even stronger (more on that later).
Regarding general scramble stuff...
Reiko should be poking with devastating hits from mid-range (that NO character seems able to match). F+4. B+3. Anti-Air 3. His red aura is his hit box on attacks like these and not only is the range IMMENSE but the attacks do big damage and knock opponents on their ass. F+4 knocks people back which lets Reiko start applying shuriken pressure (probably the best projectile in the game) OR go in with dash for a low slide if you get the opening.
Anti-Air 3 lets you combo off of it with the 3, 4 route. 3, 4 -> MB Slide -> 3 -> Brainbuster -> Darrius -> 3 -> Brainbuster is 39%...off an anti-air that beats out almost everything in the game. Even without Darrius it's 28% and without MB or Darrius it's still 18%. Also EVERY SINGLE OPTION puts them in just about the worst possible situation on their back with Reiko ready to maul them from basically optimal range once again.
Oh and keep in mind this also all ignores Reiko's parry option db1.
These ranges also let you go with F+1, 2 string which has great damage output.
Meanwhile, 3 or B+3 on hit is confirmable into 26->63% damage depending on resources available to you. So one of the best attacks in the game for range and priority (Reiko has ZERO hurt box in his red aura hit box at max range) has just about the highest dump-it-all damage in the game with B+3->Knee Dash->3->MB Brainbuster->Darrius->3->MB Slide->Dash->3->Fatal Blow. That's 63%..all for using one of the
best attacks in the game to stuff what they're doing. Even with ZERO resources, B+3 or 3 stuffing someone lets you do B+3->Knee->3,4->Tactical Takedown for 26% damage. Skies the limit up from there all the way to that 63% depending on what you have to spend.
Personally, I hate the bdf over the traditional nrs dbf or dfb inputs.
This one is personal preference but I've definitely found the motion is WAY less finicky for BDF than DBF ever was.
The command grab requiring two bars seems like a bit much to me as well. It doesn't even grant armor so you can just get poked out if you weren't able to adequately jail."
It's 21% for 2 bars. If you spend nothing else. Got Darrius? CONGRATS! You just got 40%. MB Brainbuster->Darrius->3,4->Tactical Takedown. Got 3 bars? Go crazy. MB Brainbuster->Darrius->3,4->MB Slide->3->Brainbuster. Over 48%. Nearly half their life because you got a grab on them.
Maybe I'm just salty, but I feel like most of my matches are won by one combo + a few projectiles and some F2 fun. He seems to be too honest, which makes no sense for a character with a grab.
I do agree that Reiko is 'honest' in that he's not about BS. He isn't doing what a lot of other characters are doing by fishing for high/low mix into combos. He's supposed to be dominating the pace of the game.
Far away? Shurikens all day.
Mid range? He's king with his kicks which can often lead to stupid damage.
Close up? They have to respect your multiple ways to put them on the ground on their back in the worst possible wake-up situation (Reiko might have the most advantageous oki stuff in the game).
That honesty is going to keep Reiko good. As people figure out gaps in other characters and learn their mix-ups they are going to get worse by virtue of shear knowledge gained. Reiko? He stays honest and stays strong. He is good at every range and when he has resources he becomes the hardest hitter around. Keep in mind that in ANY round where Reiko has Meter, Kameo and Fatal Blow, your opponent has to respect that they are DEAD if they open themselves up to a single brainbuster or a single (b)3 when they have ~60% or less life.
If you want less damage and more dirt with Reiko, just swap to Stryker. Now you're covering your approaches and retreats with grenades and jailing off of handcuffs while also getting an option for a low attack with baton that gives some good options for Reiko.
It's totally understandable if you don't like his style but if you play into it I think you'll find he's very strong.
