King of Fighters XV Kyo Guide: How To Play Kyo
Kyo is the main character of the King of Fighters series, and here is what you need to know to play him.
Want to know how to play King of Fighters XV Kyo? Then you've come to the right place. King of Fighters XV is a brand new entry in the legendary fighting game franchise, and series protagonist Kyo Kusanagi returns. Kyo has been the hero of the series since day one, appearing on more King of Fighters covers than not. To learn more about this iconic character, check out our guide on how to play King of Fighters XV Kyo.
- For our thoughts on the game, check out our King of Fighters review.
King of Fighters XV Kyo: Who Is He?
Kyo is to King of Fighters what Ryu is to Street Fighter. In many ways, he is the lynchpin of the series, both mechanically and in the story. Kyo is a Japanese youth, who is more interested in fighting strong opponents than anything else. He is the descendant of the Kusanagi clan who are responsible for sealing away an evil entity called Orochi. Kyo has little interest in ancient prophecies or traditions, he just wants to fight for what is right.
Kyo is every anime protagonist, basically. As well as being a skilled fighter, his family lineage gifts him with pyrokinetic powers. Kyo can generate fire from his strikes to make his attacks more powerful - and also look pretty cool when he does it.
- To learn more on another classic character, check out our King of Fighters XV Terry guide.
King of Fighters XV Kyo: Playstyle
Although on the surface he seems like the Ryu of King of Fighters, in King of Fighters XV Kyo is more like Ken. Which is to say, Kyo is a rushdown character, the type of fighter who wants to get in close and deal as much damage as possible. He does not want to attack from range, in fact, his ranged attacks are designed to reduce the distance between himself and his opponents.
The number one weapon in Kyo's arsenal is his Rekka series. This is a series of combos initiated by his quarter-circle forward with punch special move, Shiki Aragami. This move can be followed up with a litany of other special moves to form some hard-hitting combos. These can vary between high, low, and overhead attacks. Mix these up to really keep your opponent guessing.
To get right up in your enemy's face, use Kyo's R.E.D. kick to close the distance rapidly. Use his Rekka series with a mix of command moves, like his low heavy kick, to keep the pressure up. If your opponent tries to escape, Kyo has an excellent uppercut to punish them off with. Use these simple steps and you will be fighting right with Kyo.
Those are our tips for success when using Kyo in King of Fighters XV. To learn more, check out the our guide to the best King of Fighters XV characters or how to play online in King of Fighters XV.
About The Author
Dave McAdam
Dave is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon, after several years of freelancing across the industry. He covers a wide range of games, with particular focus on shooters like Destiny 2, RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, and fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8.
