Kenshi was originally conceived as a substitute for Ermac in the series in regards to possessing telekinetic powers, the difference being that he also integrates a physical weapon—his sword—into his offensive arsenal. GameSpy's "Deception" guide described Kenshi's specials as similar to Ermac's but "not as comboable," while citing his sword as his most potent attack in the game. He is the only character in the game who commits a literal Hara-Kiri, in that he slashes himself across the stomach with the sword. According to the site's "Armageddon" walkthrough, Kenshi is a midrange attacker whose special moves are best utilized at that distance, as anything closer makes him "vulnerable to counterattacks." In "MK2011", Kenshi's powers enable him to create a temporary psychic image of himself that was described by Michael Rousseau of VentureBeat as similar to that of Noob Saibot while comparing his projectile reflect to that of Nightwolf, but added that the character "is much more than the sum of his parts, and though he shares similarities with other cast members, he definitely has his own charm." Julian Williams of VG Chartz said that while "Ermac's abilities rely on pushing, pulling, and throws," Kenshi's offense "relies on long-range invisible punches," and he is "all about combo potential at a distance."