Tekken 8 preview: Fun for all the Mishima family

By the time Tekken 8 releases the series will be approaching its 30th anniversary, which must be mind-blowing for anyone who has been with the series since the very beginning. However, for me, that is not the case because I was born three years after the original Tekken was released and by the time I could hold a pad, we were already up to Tekken 3.

It’s no excuse but, for that reason, I have never even dabbled with Tekken before this preview. Like many, I am intrigued by the world and any game that has a playable bear and panda is a win in my book, but coming into any game where there have been so many entries before can be unbelievably intimidating. 

My lack of experience going into Tekken 8 meant I didn’t have any of the baggage of being a pre-existing fan -  I could see how easy this would be as a jumping-on point for anyone else like me. And if I am to be completely honest, I was pleasantly surprised with just how approachable the game is for a newcomer. 

Warm welcome for beginners 

There were plenty of details and intricacies that went over my head - finer details that I couldn’t possibly appreciate as a newcomer, but it didn’t matter. Somehow, Bandai Namco has crafted a Tekken game that felt easy to jump in and enjoy for someone who had no experience with this series at all - what was most impressive was you could even play if you had no previous experience with the genre in general. This was thanks to the new Special Style control scheme that has been introduced. 

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During the preview, we had access to the first four chapters of the story, Arcade Quest, the Ghost Battles, all 32 characters, and much more including the returning Tekken Ball. If you’re like me, then Arcade Quest will be the best place to start as it gently teaches you the controls, gradually weaning you off the Special Style by explaining the more advanced, and traditional, control scheme. If you’re an expert though, you can skip the tutorials sprinkled throughout completely and dive straight into the arcade-inspired mode. 

We only got a brief taste of what Arcade Quest had to offer as part of our preview but this mode looks to honour the heritage of Tekken by returning the player to a virtual arcade. We only got to see the first Arcade location, but it looks like these arcades will virtually take us all over the world, with cabinets inspired by the region they are in. Once in the arcade, multiple different people are dotted about for you to go and challenge, learn from, beat, and earn some cosmetic items for your customisable avatar.

It is hard to tell from the preview just how much longevity this mode has, but if it can keep players invested then it will be a great alternative for people who are growing in confidence, and getting ready to take the fight online.

Ready to fight 

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In the arcade I used one of the fresh faces of the series; Victor, who may be one of the suavest characters I have ever seen in anything, but on top of that he was so incredibly fun to use. By the end of the day, I felt confident enough with him to even try my hand against other players in local play.

Not only did I feel confident enough to play against other people, but I also moved onto the traditional controls - a testament to just how approachable Tekken 8 is. If you do find yourself beginning to struggle, you can always switch back to Special Style with L1 on the fly - even during a match.

The new Heat system adds another layer to think about whilst you’re fighting, complementing the Rage Drive system that was introduced in Tekken 7. There might be more to think about, but it all layers on gradually preventing it from becoming overwhelming. Heat buffs your attacks for a few seconds, but can only be used once, meaning you can risk it for big damage, or save it for emergencies.

As I said earlier, this was my first experience with Tekken but I have since gone back to play some of the earlier entries and these new systems not only level the playing field, offering some huge moments when used in the right way but also encourage you to be on the front foot. Tekken 8 feels faster, stronger, and more aggressive than before. 

I didn’t get the opportunity to try all of the 32 characters, as that would take a very, very long time but all of the ones I did play with felt unique and a worthy inclusion. On top of that, every single one of them looked fantastic - the amount of detail on offer was staggering and the redesigns for some of the classic characters also freshen things up. 

Plenty to see 

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Since the preview, I have gone back and played a fair amount of Tekken 7 and the difference between the two is truly mind-blowing, Tekken 8 is a huge step for the series. Not only do the characters look even better this time around, but the stages also look amazing and they’re more destructible. You can interact with certain sections, even plummeting through the floor if enough damage is done highlighting the power on display.

I also got to check out the first four chapters of the story, which once again does a great job of introducing newcomers to the series. From the moment it begins, it feels epic and grand, but it’s simple enough to catch what is going on. This is a family conflict that has spanned generations and now it is time for the son to take on his father (again).

Other characters are introduced throughout to play their role but this is Jin Kazama’s story to explore his powers and hopefully find a way to break the trend of his lineage. Even in those first four chapters, there is plenty of intrigue that has me desperate to explore what’s going to be on offer in the main story, with the new character Reina being at the heart of a mystery I can't wait to explore.

Final Thoughts

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So far, there is a lot of promise with Tekken 8, and with both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter having new entries in the last 12 months it feels like Tekken 8 will be the cherry on top of a great year for fighting game fans. Whether you’re a newcomer or someone who has been with Tekken 8 since the 90s, the upcoming game feels like it could be a great next step for the series and is incredibly welcoming to anyone who wants to play.

We still have so much to see from the game from the online mode to the story and a more detailed look at the Ghost Battles (an AI version of you that shows what you do wrong) but for now, Tekken 8 can’t come soon enough.