Tekken 8 (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC)

The world of Tekken 8 is one that has garnered a massive amount of hype and attention surrounding its latest release. With our review of Tekken 8, we hope to highlight the franchise, which has seen not only an evolution in many regards but also an advancement of the core Tekken formula. Whether you are a seasoned Tekken veteran or a newcomer, there is plenty to love within the franchise's latest iteration. This is great, as it manages to bring together the two opposite sides of the fanbase. Appealing to both of these sensibilities can be rather difficult.

However, this title manages to pull it off incredibly well. New players are able to learn the ropes comfortably. All the while, older players feel right at home within the game's new systems. Additionally, these new systems not only bolster an already fantastic offering but also give players a chance to enjoy Tekken in a bold new way. That said, this title does a multitude of things right. This strength of direction also leads to an overall incredibly polished experience for fighting game fans. So, with all of that out of the way, we hope you enjoy our Review of Tekken 8.

A Fantastic Foray of Fists

One of the strongest aspects of Tekken 8 that we hope to highlight as part of this review that stands as an improvement is its combat animations. The combat animations in the game feel much more weighty yet fluid. This gives the overall gameplay experience more of a visual sense of polish and impact. This gives the moment-to-moment gameplay a sense of grounding. This makes the utterly insane combination of game feel and technique feel incredibly satisfying. Players have always been able to dissect these titles down to the most minute details, such as digging through frame data and the like, but the visual fidelity of the game allows for a better understanding of each action in the game.

Coinciding with these new features is a wealth of new players for players to learn the game with. This ensures that no matter the level of experience you have with this beloved franchise, this game has you covered. You can delve into the game's Practice mode, which now has more features than ever before. This makes it easier for players to find the aspects of the game that they enjoy. For players who enjoy learning their games alongside friends, this game has several phenomenal features to utilize.

Practice Makes Perfect

One such feature is the feature that allows players not only to review their gameplay but also replay it. This not only allows the player to delve deeper into their mechanical mistakes but also introduces the practice in a way that feels intuitive and sleek. Super Ghost Battle, for example, allows players to download the AI data of a player's friend. This makes it so that even when friends aren't online alongside one another, you can still get some practice rounds in. All of these features, coupled with the game's new, improved sense of fluidity, make Tekken 8 a joy to play in the moment as well as over time.

This not only makes a phenomenal testbed for new players to grow but also for more seasoned players to hone their skills. Also, for players who enjoy story-focused experiences but still want to brush up on their Tekken skills. The Arcade Quest mode is a great place to do so. This mode, as the name would imply, allows the player to delve deeper into the world of Tekken while still practicing the game's core fundamentals. Players are able to take a created character through this mode, which feels bold and ambitious in its own right.

In typical Tekken fashion, with an emphasis on fashion, players are able to collect cosmetic items by playing this mode. This not only does a phenomenal job of incentivizing new players to try it but also rewards them for doing so. Added to this is the incredibly fleshed-out cosmetic system. This is sure to keep players busy customizing their characters for quite some time. All in all, the practice mechanics, as well as the core mechanics within Tekken 8, support both veterans and newcomers without getting in the way of one another.

A Rousing Roster of Familiar Faces

For our next section of this review of Tekken 8, we would like to highlight the stunning work that has been done to revamp the game's character models. Each of the thirty-two characters present in Tekken 8 has a ton of love and detail poured into their models. These models serve not only to revamp and refresh designs from the past. But each design also takes the game's overall aesthetic in a bold new direction. This is a brave move, but one that pays off in its own way. This is especially true when coupled with the game's new fighting animations, which are all marvelous in their own right.

These models, especially when coupled with the new environmental destructibility system, as well as the malleability of the new replay features, make this one of the most visually stunning entries in Tekken history. Players are able to use these destructible stages to their advantage, which is fantastic to see. Also, the game adds new mechanics to incentivize more offensive play. These two features go hand-in-hand in a way that feels natural and rewarding.

The roster of characters present in the game also each has their own distinct way of interacting with these systems. This makes every use of destructibility and ring changes feel dynamic. Additionally, this adds more inertial weight to each of the player's blows. This makes the act of weaving together combos a work of art. When coupled with the cinematic nature of the game's Story mode, these visuals pop off-screen in a way that was simply not possible before. For these reasons, we cannot praise the graphical fidelity of this title enough.

A Story Well-Fitting For The Franchise

As anyone who is familiar with the storylines of past Tekken titles, there are, as always, tons of things going on. Players will be witness to not only fantastical battles and struggles for power but also quirky, quieter moments that punctuate these experiences. The timeline behind this game is one that runs rather closely after the events of Tekken 7. In this world, players are following the actions and path of one Jin Kazama. This is a character who, after the events of the previous title, must confront his father in order to confront their relationship with the family lineage.

Along the way, players are greeted with a narrative that manages to feel interconnected through its wide array of characters. But also a narrative that manages to feel emotional, immersive, and rewarding for the player to enjoy without giving too much away, we can confidently say that this story is one that the Tekken faithful will enjoy. That said, it is also one that newcomers can enjoy as well, even without the context of the game's events. All around, if you are someone who enjoys the Tekken campaigns or fighting game story modes as a whole, then this title certainly has a phenomenal offering for you to enjoy.

Marvelous New Mechanics

In the next section of our review of Tekken 8, we will cover the new mechanics implemented in Tekken 8. These mechanics, in many ways, not only shape the player's experience but offer their own spin on the classic Tekken formula. Perhaps the largest change to the overall gameplay is the implementation of the Heat system. For those unaware, the Heat system allows players to build up momentum through their offensive actions. This not only rewards the player by recovering some of their health upon successful hits but also makes the game a bit less punishing.

Now, that isn't to say that this is an easier Tekken title or one that allows players to whiff their mistakes, far from it. This new system simply allows players just that little bit extra room for error to work with. In the hands of a skilled enough player. They can still absolutely dominate and trap your opponent completely. However, now, there are simply more options for their escape. A feature that has been carried over from the previous title is the Rage mode. This mode allows players to harness their energy and launch massive attacks. This can be dodged and anticipated by more competent players. This makes this feature a useful one for new players but a predictable ditch effort among veterans.

Additionally, the game has now implemented Chip damage. For players who don't know, Chip damage, as the name would imply, allows the health of a player to be chipped away at slowly. This makes managing your health not only more interactive but also important. But it also gives players a multi-pronged approach to attacking their opponents. This is wonderful, as the more tactical options are rewarded to the player, the better in most cases.

A Clashful Conclusion

In fitting with Tekken fashion, Tekken 8 manages to boldly move into the future of fighting games. The game carries with it many features that not only serve to improve the core experience but shape it wholeheartedly. This makes it a title that both new and old players can get behind easily. The level of polish that has been shown within the game's development leads us to believe the franchise will continue to improve for quite some time.  We consider Tekken 8 a stellar experience, and our review of Tekken 8 supports the game as one that fighting game enthusiasts should no doubt try for themselves.