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The bar in the fighting game genre has reached astronomical heights in recent years. Exceptional one-on-one combat remains the main focus, but other series have supplemented their packages with robust sets of destinations, from cinematic story campaigns to full training dojos. While Tekken 8’s combat remains a delight thanks to some neat tweaks to its strong formula, the rest of the package, while respectable, falls short of some of its contemporaries.
Check out our Tekken 8 review:
The Heat system is the big new thing, adding a new gauge that, when activated, adds chip damage to attacks, improves your blocks, and even adds follow-up moves to extend certain combos. My favorite use is to spend the entire meter to unleash a powerful unique combo attack, and weaving this into an assault can be devastating. Heat offers a fun and effective new trick that rewards aggression while providing a solid counter to the opponent’s relentless onslaught. Combined with the returning Rage system, it’s another way to help turn the tide of a one-sided battle without feeling like a protective crutch—pure skill still wins the day.
Rage Arts has been intelligently simplified to one universal button for easier execution and more spectacular finishes. Another nice tweak is that the health bars are split into sections that show recoverable and non-recoverable HP, the former of which is replenished by attacking (even if blocked). I like to see when I should turn up the heat to get a few health back. I also like that they encourage me to finish off an opponent before they can heal, again encouraging aggression in a way that speaks to my playstyle.
Tweaks aside, for the basic meat and potatoes, if you want good old-fashioned Tekken, this eighth entry delivers. The 32-character roster feels as good as ever, and new faces like the enigmatic Queen or the coffee-obsessed Azucena are fun additions that I enjoy mastering. Tekken 8 also takes a win in the lookout category. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, our favorite fighters have never looked or animated better. The settings are pop and full of detail, whether you’re fighting under the neon lights of a city square or amid Peruvian ruins with roaming alpacas. As cute as they look, they crumble even more when you throw opponents into walls or slam them into the ground.
Tekken 8’s cinematic story mode, which focuses on the final showdown between Jin and Kazuya, is a step up from Tekken 7. Admittedly, it’s a low bar to cross; the fact of not having a monotonous reporter to narrate the tale already raises it several notches. Absurdity is the name of the game, thanks to the narrative onslaught of laugh-out-loud action scenes, culminating in a final showdown that takes the series as high as it’s ever been on the “outrageous” meter. While it’s more fun than Tekken 7’s story, Tekken 8’s story is still an uneven experience. A tournament arc pick your fighter in the middle is a nice idea, but your pick is pointless. A gigantic battle that remembers Avengers: Infinity War it plays out as a generic, poorly designed brawler where players run into waves of enemies in a way that’s reminiscent of Tekken 3’s Tekken Force mode and feels so dated. The final showdown, while epic, drags on for so many rounds that it becomes a problem. It almost feels like a parody of climactic boss fights while playing it completely straight.
While the main story mode is a solid starting point for Tekken 8, Arcade Quest offers another narrative-driven quest that’s better suited to teach players the ropes. As a customizable Xbox 360 avatar, you and your Tekken-obsessed friends travel to various galleries to climb the ranks of the competitive scene while learning the power of friendship and having fun. It does a decent job of providing thorough tutorials on new mechanics like the Heat system and teaching useful combos and general fighting psychology, making it ideal for newcomers and returning veterans alike. The downside is suffering from an extremely bland story that feels more like a saccharine lesson in fighting game etiquette (ie let people play however they want and not be a jerk) for kids.
Offline offers are underwhelming. Character episodes are still concise ladder climbs to see Tekken’s signature humorous fighter endings. Tekken Ball returns as a nice addition, but nothing worth revisiting after a round or two. I enjoyed trying my hand at Super Ghost Battle, which pits you against a learning AI that reflects your behavior and tendencies. While the practice mode includes solid breakdowns of stats such as frame rate, a more guided experience would have been welcome. You’re still largely left to trawl through menus for desired lessons (which boil down to entering commands without much context as to why it’s effective and when to use them) and sifting through tons of combo lists. The gallery is disappointingly slim compared to 7’s, leaving most of the fight money spent on unlocking new parts for the popular character creator.
Hardcore players are likely to spend their time trading blows in the largely soft online mode. Bandai Namco has enhanced online play with an explorable hub to showcase your Arcade Quest avatar while challenging players to combat. This presentation is mainly for show; you still access the same menu options available elsewhere. But it does add some flair to the tried and true fun of gaining ranks and fight spectators.
As a complete package, Tekken 8 doesn’t reach the heights of recent rivals like Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1. But when the match starts, and you’re taking advantage of openings to unleash flashy combos and aerial juggling, it’s still exciting. , if it is very familiar, individual experience. The latest King of Iron Fist tournament still has some work to do to feel fully satisfying or innovative, but it’s still a fun arena to test your mettle against friends and rivals.
Source: gameinformer.com