It would seem obvious to say that the last chapter of historic Tekken fighting game saga is the best, but the history of video games has taught us that this is not always the case. Technological progress, graphics or “improvements” do not necessarily lead to the creation of a good video game and it takes very little to destroy a historical saga in a very short time. Luckily for us this is not the case with Tekken 8, the latest effort by Bandai Namco which brings us back to the scene once again the story of the Mishimas and of theincredibly charming Tekken character roaster. Perhaps we have already spoiled the judgment of this review on Tekken 8 but let us tell you why and above all let’s discover what the new chapter has in store for us.
Our review of Tekken 8
Compared to its predecessor, Tekken 8 takes a step “backwards” and returns to give great attention to the single-player modes. The first and undoubtedly the most interesting is “The Awakening of the Darkness” which carries forward theeternal family dispute between Jim and Kazuya. After the passing of Heiachiwho does not currently appear among the Tekken characters, the father-son fight has become more intense than ever and with Kazuya at the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu, the world is preparing for a period of struggle and war.
Kazuya’s obsession with power will in fact lead him to call a new one King of Fist Iron Tournament at which the best fighter from each state on the planet will present themselves. The winners will have a role in the new World created by Kazuya while the losers will have to pay the consequences. Meanwhile Jin, aided by Xiaoyu, Lee and the other characters, will resume his personal struggle against his father but above all against himself and the demon that accompanies him.
A truly surprising story begins for the “campaign” of a fighting game full of twists, interesting cinematics and breathtaking battles to say the least, in that exciting exaggeration typical of the Tekken that we have learned to love.
Although the story focuses on the holders of the demon gene, it is structured in a way that makes us meet all the available characters in a fresh and intelligent way.
The new Heat mechanics
Tekken’s gameplay is exactly as we remember it. A roaster of 32 characters, including old glories and new entries, will color the Tekken ring and only the best will manage to triumph.
The more interesting news and undoubtedly the most debated even before Tekken 8 came out, concerns that ofHeat System. This is a new mechanic indicated by a bar placed under the character’s life bar which will allow him to perform a series of powerful moves at the press of a button. Activating the heat bar will also guarantee greater power to the blows and will also guarantee a small damage to enemies who try to block the blows.
The heat only lasts a handful of seconds and can only be activated once per match therefore it is of fundamental importance to choose the right moment. This is a mechanic designed to reverse the situation in the event of a difficult clash which will offer us animated sequences during the clash and moves never seen before and unique for each character.
To this is also added the Rage Art, a devastating move that can be activated when our character’s life reaches a low level. At that moment, flames will envelop our fighter’s life bar and we will be able to reverse our bad situation with just the press of a button (if the move is successful, of course).
Not just online
The big one Pay attention to the single-player modes we also find it in the modality Character Episodes, the most classic of Tekken. It is a unique parallel story for each character of the roaster in which we should face five opponents. At the end of the fights, preceded by short dialogues between the characters, we will witness cutscenes of each warrior which will briefly delve into their story or, as usual, will offer us seconds of great entertainment.
We also find a completely new mode called Arcade Quest. In this mode we will take on the role of our avatar around the arcades of the world to fight the best Tekken players. It is a mode completely detached from the main story, at times didactic, at times particularly funny. In fact, it abandons the graphic wonders of Unreal Engine 5 (except for the clashes) to give us a chibi world where you can breathe the fascinating air of the arcades of the good old days. Nothing sensational but undoubtedly pleasant.
Pleasant return too glorious Tekken Ball mode, appeared for the first time in Tekken 3, certainly among the most played and appreciated chapters. In this mode the combat arena gives way to a beach volleyball court led by a giant fluttering ball. To hit the enemy you will need to deliver powerful blows to the ball which will launch wildly from the opposite side. A mechanic as simple as it is effective that will deliver last-ball-in-the-face games and undoubtedly a great throwback that long-time Tekken players will appreciate.
…e l’Online?
Obviously the online component still has its importance. In the Lounge Online we will find the style and the avatar we created in the Arcade Quest mode with which we will be able to interact with the other avatars of players from all over the world. Online moves exactly like the previous chapters with multiple ranks to climb (in ranked) and promotional encounters. The difference is that the matches will no longer be played in loops but limited to “best of 3” sets.
The input-lag ratio for online has undoubtedly improveda major flaw in the previous chapter, although the situation inevitably varies according to the connection available to you. This chapter will allow us to choose three settings:
- Response priority
- Standard
- Prioritize fluidity
As per the name, each setting refers to how the game will react depending on the inevitable moments of lag caused by the connection. With Response priority, we will see micro-shots in case of lag, while with the other two modes the compensation will take place through a slight delay in commands. This is certainly not the definitive method, but certainly a step forward.
The power of Unreal Engine 5
Last but not least, we seriously need to talk about the graphics of this Tekken 8 which makes use of the innovative for the first time Unreal Engine 5. The graphic performance is nothing short of spectacular, both in the Cinematics and in the gameplay and during offline play (on Xbox Series S) we never encountered any problems or graphics. Everything moves perfectly and thank goodness! Because between the character animations, the environments and the special effects, Tekken 8 is a pure visual spectacle that you absolutely won’t want to miss.
We are also faced with the first truly next-gen fighting game that takes all the potential of the new generation consoles to merge it into a single powerful punch.
The Tekken 8 review
Tekken 8 is the most satisfying, adrenaline-filled and aesthetically pleasing fighting game on the market today. Bandai Namco’s attention to detail is touching and although the online component is still struggling to get going, the modes and characters available will give you a lot of satisfaction.
The King of Fighting Games is truly back and better than ever!
