I have always loved the Tekken series since I used to frequent arcades. The pre-release content for Tekken 8 didn't sit well with me, and I found some of the character introductions to be a little too cheesy.
I'm happy to report that, after more than 30 hours, my worries were unfounded and that Tekken 8 is quickly turning into my favorite game in the series.
The King of Iron Fist Tournament welcomes you.
The unenviable task of attempting to create one of the most difficult fighting games available to beginners falls on the Tekken Team. For the most part, they were successful, and Tekken 8 is a whole product that gamers of all stripes can enjoy, from the most passionate button pushers to the most ardent strategists.
The majority of Tekken fans, even sweating ones like myself, will enjoy themselves most online, but not all of them are interested in engaging in player-versus-player combat. If you fall into that category, Tekken 8 still has a lot to offer, beginning with the plot.
In the epic narrative mode of Tekken 8, you take control of characters in pivotal bouts as the game unfolds a huge story. The characters seem to be taking off their martial arts gloves and more resemble superheroes with strength comparable to that of the Avengers. For a long now, Tekken has been on the verge of something, and I'm here for it! Although you may play as many other characters as you choose in the narrative mode, Jin is the main character and you'll spend the bulk of the game as him.
Although I completed this mode in about three hours, it's really brief and has the sensation of a true coming-of-age anime arc.
After you've got enough of the Jin/Kazuya rivalry, there are endless amounts of "ghosts" to fight in addition to individual character tales and Arcade Quest mode. There's a decent lot of material for an offline fighter who loves taking on CPU opponents; I'll talk more about the Arcade Quest later. Interesting thing about the Super Ghost Battle mode is that it's intended to learn your playstyle and let you battle against yourself. Since I seldom had problems defeating my ghost, I'm a bit skeptical about how well this works (maybe I'm just lousy). Even so, it's a pleasant addition to a range of modes and activities that is already quite strong.
Diversity's strength
There are warriors from all around the globe on the Tekken roster. For instance, Jin is Japanese, Hwoarang is Korean, and Lili is French. Therefore, it is rather energizing to hear each character spoken in their native tongue. Fighters converse in their original languages even in narrative mode, therefore the player must read the subtitles. Even if this suggests that every Tekken fighter is a linguist extraordinaire, I still love it.
Never has your main looked better
Given that Tekken 7 was released over ten years ago, the noticeable graphics enhancements in Tekken 8 should come as no surprise. Tekken 8 runs very smoothly on Ultra on a fairly powerful PC, and the graphics are amazing. The warriors are stunning, and some of the most realistic filth and grime I've ever seen are the ones they collect after a fierce bout.
The levels themselves have equally amazing imagery. For instance, in Fallen Destiny, there is a burning forest on one side and a tornado on the other, both towering above the water. Particle effects abound; the warriors' clothing billows in the wind and it is pouring outside.
Tekken never passes up the chance to enhance assaults with visual flare, and this instance is no exception. I know I sound like a crazy fanboy, but Tekken 8's visual appeal is amazing.
A strong frame rate is crucial, as any competent player of fighting games can attest to. particularly in Tekken, where frame data is essential. I'm happy to report that Tekken 8 feels very PC-optimized. I have nothing but praise for the visuals, even with them turned up.
Having said that, there are plenty of choices for color blindness; nevertheless, I have no clue what it's like to be color blind. I can't really comment on it, but accessibility features like these are usually beneficial.
It's time to raise the temperature.
If you're used to 2D fighting games like Street Fighter, the 3D fighting game Tekken may be disorienting. Movement and fighting seem even more fluid than in Tekken 7, and there's a noticeable change in playstyle toward aggressiveness. I'm shocked by how difficult the new Heat mechanic is, especially given how friendly Tekken 8 attempts to be. Heat has a ton of freeform usefulness and may be used to lengthen combos and improve certain skills.
Combos are a series mainstay; they're rewarding to execute and as painful to be struck by. The gameplay of Tekken 7 remains mostly unchanged, despite the fact that several characters have a ton of new moves.
Friend, it's time to get to the lab.
Fighting game fans often agree that once new players take them up, they get beaten up online and move on to more promising games. This applies to Tekken 8 especially since the internet is a carnage. It's unfortunate that I've had people rage-quit against me even in unranked matches when they began to lose. Although I believe this will always occur, Tekken 8 offers a ton of options to lessen the impact for inexperienced players.
Similar to Capcom's Street Fighter 6, there is an option for more straightforward controls. You could get different results, but it doesn't feel as powerful as it did in Street Fighter.
Practice mode is excellent and a significant upgrade over Tekken 7. "Punishment Training" is available to teach you how to profit from stopping an assault. I like how movements now include footnotes explaining key elements. The example combos go so far as to clarify when you would need to switch between inputs, which is something that the original Tekken 8 much missed.
Frame data is provided and activated by default for players who want to study more complex things. For novice gamers, I would have preferred a more thorough explanation of this. It's a start, even if I still feel like my understanding of it is limited to what I've seen on YouTube.
The Replay system is my go-to practice tool; it's definitely the most useful fighting game feature I've ever seen. All of your matches are kept, and you may replay them as the game makes suggestions for possible improvements. For someone who previously recorded every game in an effort to become better, this is an incredible training tool.
Consider going to the arcade if you're not ready for the internet.
In summary, the Arcade Quest mode in Tekken 8 is essentially an enhanced instructional including a brief narrative and adorable character designs. This level teaches you the fundamentals of Tekken 8, including how to organize air combinations and use the new Heat mechanic. The lessons are tailored to your character, however the explanations avoid technical topics such as the frame data boogeyman.
I always assumed a Yu-Gi-Oh! Friendship speech was going to happen because of how corny the Arcade Quest plot is, but it was nothing serious.
While it's commendable that Namco has included so many amazing features, I'm not sure whether this will have an impact on player retention. Tekken 8 is .complex, and in my opinion, using other resources is a must if you want to become better. This is not a problem if you appreciate learning how to play "good Tekken." You are no longer a casual player, however, at that time.
Get on the internet, where your true rivals are
Players who thought Tekken 7's netcode wasn't up to the job often vented their frustrations and criticized it. Although it's still too early to tell how the netcode will operate generally, all of my online Tekken 8 battles have gone well. I've seen a few missed frames, but nothing compared to some of the slowness that made me furious while playing Tekken 7.
I don't had many issues with Tekken 8's online ecology, even at busy periods. My seamless experience could be explained by the fact that I don't use WiFi, but it appears reliable and just what's needed.
Into the old, and out of the new
Tekken 8 is an amazing game in so many ways, but Namco Bandai has erred on the side of caution this time. The 32 combatants on the roster are a fantastic tribute to Tekken's past, and they will occupy fans for many hours. Nevertheless, only three of them are entirely new—a meager quantity in contrast to the eight that were shown in Tekken 7.
The majority of fighters now have significantly altered command lists. For instance, Jin seems like a different guy, but it wouldn't hurt to have a few more new faces.
Tekken 7 even has a Jukebox, a PlayStation-only feature that allows users to hear soundtracks from earlier games. You may create your own playlist with the music; there are some very great songs to choose from. I'm not afraid to say that I've been fiddling with my Tekken music for at least two hours.
It's also great to see Tekken Ball, a popular mode that often appears at local Tekken tournaments, return. The problem is that this mode has previously been seen in Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Something new would have been nice to go with Tekken 8's gorgeous new visuals.
I've played a lot of fighting games this generation, and Tekken 8 is the greatest, despite a few little complaints. Taking into account the fierce competition, this is an impressive accomplishment. Similar to its predecessors, Tekken 8 is a challenging game, but efforts have been taken to make it accessible without sacrificing the intricacy that has made Tekken so well-known.
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