Tekken 8 Review – EMBRACING THE SMACKDOWN

It’s been almost a decade since the seventh entry launched in arcades around the world, hence it makes sense that fans have been clamouring at the bits for Tekken 8—and they better be excited. Because as soon as I slapped Kazuya into the air and heard those iconic impact sounds, I knew everything was going to be quite all right.

Accessible Destruction

Every punch, throw and aerial combo just feels stupendously satisfying to pull off in Tekken 8, and it’ll often compel you to go “Woah!” like an overzealous WWE commentator whenever you clinch a tough fight at the crucial moment. Battles will rage on as the environment gets annihilated up, down and around town, while certain characters will start going all Super Saiyan 3 when pushed to their limits. Talk about hype.

On top of the low-health Rage mechanic introduced in Tekken 6—giving fighters a damage boost and a Rage Art limit break—the once-per-round Heat system brings a brilliant tactical edge and aggressive offence to each bout, as the Heat gauge steadily drains after about 10 seconds of action. However, players can easily flub this temporary power buff and its strong, gauge-ending attack if they’re not careful, so knowing when to draw upon this strength is key. Especially since it can cause chip damage on blocks, quickly close the gap between fighters and open up exclusive Heat-only moves and combo routes. I can already see the Tekken vets collectively licking their lips in excitement here.

Just like Street Fighter 6 last year, Tekken 8 has really dialled up the approachability factor. Including an arcade hub, a healthy amount of tutorials and a Special Style, real-time control toggle which lets newcomers mash buttons for days until they’re comfortable with Tekken’s more traditional inputs. You know that meme about spamming buttons to win in Tekken if you’re a newbie? Well, now it’s official. In all seriousness though, it’s actually great for long-time fans who are keen on trying out other characters, as it deftly cuts through the feeling of relearning how to walk. Simply press buttons in and out of neutral position and Bob’s your uncle.

Feels Like Home

Speaking of old-timers, this entry has brought back the one and only, Tekken Ball! Being featured in a mere two games since its inception in Tekken 3, Tekken Ball can honestly be a lot of fun—for select people. Fighters essentially have to smack a ball between two sides of the court and try to hit their opponent or land the ball on their opposition’s side. Directly attacking a rival won’t cause any damage, but it will prevent them from moving. So there’s this cool trade-off of knowing when to approach and when to pelt the ball. That being said, while Tekken Ball is a neat little distraction, I’m rather sceptical whether it’ll hold your attention over the long term. You’ll at least get a good chuckle out of it regardless.

What I found surprisingly good is Tekken 8’s Story Mode. According to the Guinness World Records, this is the longest-running video game storyline in recorded history, and it is still going strong, folks! The focus is firm on the father-and-son feuding between Jin and Kazuya, but each of the 32 playable characters gets at least some time in the sun during this 4-5 hour campaign. If you’re a long-term Tekken fan, you’ll know exactly what to expect from this cheesy, yet melodramatic storyline. Although, (without spoiling anything) a few of the fights are extremely epic and are definitely worth the time investment.

Alongside the classic VS battles, Practice Mode and Online functionalities (which include a toggle for less frame skipping, faster responsiveness or a balance of both), some of the other, more notable modes include: Character Episodes, where each fighter receives a narrator-style lore dump before they’re thrust into 5 back-to-back bouts. Arcade Quest, an avatar-controlled story where the game slowly introduces players to more advanced controls and mechanics. And finally, Ghost Battles lets players take on AI-constructed fighters that learn from your past matches and other gamers’ tendencies. You can even download community Ghosts and those from the devs themselves. Pretty neato, I’ll say.

Decision

This final product has ticked all of the boxes and then some. Tekken 8 has taken notes from Street Fighter 6’s accessibility focus and has taken things up a notch with the new, once-per-round Heat system. Not only does it encourage clever strategic play, but it also effortlessly slots into Tekken’s core concepts of fast-paced, aggressive combat. The impact of each punch and kick has also never felt better before, as it really sells the weight and spectacle of each contest—and boy, there is a lot of it. While I still feel it needs a little something special to receive full marks, this eighth entry in the series is seriously difficult to put down.

By Anthony Culinas – Reviewed on PC

Excellent

Tekken 8 is undoubtedly one of the best games in the series. Whether it’s the tactical Heat system that raises the aggressiveness of play, or the noob-friendly, Special Style controls that make complex combos a cinch, Tekken 8 has almost everything you could ask for in a modern fighting game.

This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Bandai Namco. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.