By Dean Moses
Game: Tekken 8
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC
Rating: T for Teen
Cost: $69.99
Tekken 8, the classic fighting saga, has returned for its eighth iteration with fan-favorite fighters and a few new faces to boot. Developer Namco first released this fist of furry arcade video game back in 1994, and now it has returned in epic fashion much to the delight of gamers. Tekken has always been a global game, so it’s a nice treat that the characters each speak in their native languages—such as French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and more—with subtitles to help translate their playful jousts. Joining the battle are three new characters, Victor, Azucena, and Reina. Another highlight to Tekken is that Jun Kazama once again rejoined the roster as a playable character after 25 years.
Story
Players are once again thrusted into the family drama that is the Mishima bloodline with Jin Kazama, Heihachi Mishima, and Kazuya Mishima. The saga begins with Kazuya defeating his father, Heihachi during his quest for world domination. It is up to Jin Kazama to take down his own father, Kazuya and in the process find his long-lost mother as they attempt to stop this reign of terror.
GamePlay
Tekken 8 returns with clean-cut character designs, fresh visuals, and grand-slam stages all while maintaining Tekken’s signature atmosphere. The cinematic features in the story mode are stunning, with action-packed cutscenes that seamlessly flow into battle sequences. The fighting mechanics continue in the same vein as previous outings; however, with new aspects like a Heat System and recoverable health (having to fight back in order to regain health). These two systems create a new dimension to the game, allowing players to strategize on when to use their combos and attempt to regain health and earn the win. Game developers also implemented Special Style, so you can customize your favorite movies in one button press, enabling you to get out of tight spots quickly. However, it will not be a secret to your opponent when you are about to use this move, since the Special Style screen will pop up on both of your screens when activated.
Conclusion
What’s great about Tekken is that it’s always intertwined multiplayer battles along with a strong story component creating hours of single player fun. When playing online, there is a new component that has players gather in a virtual lobby where they can create their own avatars, interact with people around the globe and battle. Through these fights you can earn in game money, allowing gamers to buy new outfits for their avatars and the fighters.
