Tekken 8 Closed Network Test impressions: More than a fresh coat of paint

On a spectrum of fighting games that have changed the most in their time to those that have changed the least, I would place Mortal Kombat as the most, and Tekken as one of the least.

This is not even remotely meant as a negative, just to say that it is rare in fighting games that you can jump decades between games in the same franchise and play the same characters in almost exactly the same ways.

When Tekken 8 was announced and snippets of gameplay started to release, the rhetoric of "this sure looks like more Tekken 7" started to do the rounds. Again, not really a negative point, as Tekken 7 is one of the most liked, well-received, and best-selling fighting games of the last decade.

• Does Tekken 8 have rollback netcode? We have checked it out for you.

Enter the Tekken

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The first thing to notice about Tekken 8 is that it is stunning to look at. It is easy to forget sometimes that we live in the future, and games are getting way prettier. Tekken 8 looks amazing, both still and in motion. The character models are exceptionally detailed, as are the stages. All of the wild hit and motion effects that Tekken is known for also benefit from the upgrade in visuals.

The extra clarity is well-needed, as this feels like one of the fastest and most aggressive Tekken games I have played. Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has stated that encouraging faster, more aggressive play is the goal with Tekken 8, and the game feels absolutely rapid to me. I'm not an expert, but I don't think I've ever hit so many of King's running powerbombs as quickly before Tekken 8.

This is all to say that the gameplay and the graphics, the look and the feel of Tekken 8 is a whole new beast from the last game. Anyone coming into this game expecting exactly what they have seen before is going to be surprised, and I would think pleasantly so.

• Check out everything we know about the Tekken 8 roster list so far.

 Select the one to fight with

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In the Tekken 8 Closed Network Test, we have gotten a look at a surprising amount of characters. All 12 of the characters announced for the Tekken 8 roster are playable in the Network Test, far more characters than most early or beta versions of fighting games have.

From playing the characters I know best (King and Hwoarang), it feels like changes have been made, but the moves and combos you know will still be in there, somewhere. I'm not much of a Jin player, but he does seem quite different, as those who follow the story might expect. This isn't unusual at all between games in the series, so returning fans don't have to worry about being left in the dark.

Heat up

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What is new is the Heat system. Every round, you will be able to use a Heat Burst to enter the Heat state, which will drain the Heat meter. Heat can have different effects for different characters, but the core mechanics of it are that your blocked attacks will do chip damage to your opponent, and while in Heat you can use a Heat Smash, an ultimate attack that does massive damage.

This new system comes in tandem with the returning Rage system, which allows you to use a Rage Art when your health drops below a certain threshold. These two mechanics add a fair diversity to your toolset. Rage Arts are a comeback mechanic for when your health is low, and Heat can be used to put pressure on your opponent throughout the round.

Heat especially plays a vital role in Tekken 8 matches, while learning the mechanics I often found rounds I was winning handily quickly swung out of my favour because my opponent made better use of both their Heat and Rage moves.

This can be a tad frustrating, as there were definitely times when I felt I had outplayed my opponent with the fundamentals, only for these new systems I wasn't yet familiar with to completely change the momentum of the match. That said, that just means I am playing the game like it is Tekken 7, and that is a sure way to lose.

• Will Tekken 8 have crossplay? Click here to find out.

Learning the ropes

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As these new systems are starting to sink into my brain, I am having more and more fun with Tekken 8. I have generally found Tekken to be a game about movement and defence, and I think these tweaks to make the gameplay more aggressive don't completely alter the style, so much as bring everything together.

Speaking of changes, something I was not aware of until I started playing is that Tekken 8 has two control methods, much like Street Fighter 6. You can either play Arcade Style, which is Tekken as we know and love it. Or, you can use Special Style, which evolves the assist features of Tekken 7 into a new way of playing that is ideal for anyone not familiar with fighting games.

Now I am all for these control modes, fighting games can be far too exclusionary to those who cannot perform the movements required by many of them. That said, I did feel a little cheaped out when playing against someone who I was absolutely beating, only for the little Special Style menu to pop up on their side, and suddenly they're busting out combos like they just hit a macro button.

I think Street Fighter 6 did a really great job of making a separate control system that encourages new players to try the game, I'm just not sure that Tekken 8 is accomplishing the same thing by having a button you can press mid-match that turns complex combos into mashing a single button.

Special Style is by no means the easy mode that some naysayers would tell you that these kinds of simplified controls are, but I think the implementation needs some finer tuning. Maybe when I am more familiar with the game, it won't feel so jarring.

• It hasn't been confirmed yet, but Tekken 8 could bring back guest characters.

The King of Iron Fist

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It wouldn't be Tekken if there wasn't an occasional misstep, but this is part of why the series is so beloved. If Street Fighter is the perfect, straight-A child of fighting games, Tekken is the kid that has all the potential in the world, but the occasional screw-up keeps them in the shadow of their sibling.

Tekken 7 succeeded in the void left by Street Fighter 5's failure, but it didn't succeed without its own merit, it is unquestionably an excellent fighting game. Now, Street Fighter 6 is working on reclaiming the place it held for so long at the top of the fighting game mountain.

Tekken 8 has serious competition, and based on what I have played so far, they know it. Tekken 8 feels like a ramp-up in quality and aggression, it knows that Street Fighter is coming for a fight and it is not backing down.

With Tekken 8, Mortal Kombat 1, and the recent Street Fighter 6, it feels as though we are entering a new golden age of fighting games. We already know that Street Fighter 6 can deliver on that promise, and right now, it absolutely seems like Tekken 8 can deliver the gold as well.

Code for Tekken 8 Closed Network Test provided by Bandai Namco.