TEKKEN 8 Review

TEKKEN 8 is the latest instalment in the long-running series, and today I'll answer the question: is it a new peak for the series, or will it merely become another fighting game to fall in with the others?

To be blunt, TEKKEN 8 is an absolute masterclass in fighting game design that gets almost everything correct in my eyes. From the story and single-player content to the more competitive aspects, Bandai Namco didn’t skimp on a single facet of this game. When I first hopped into the game, the Story was my first port of call, and I was not disappointed. The Dark Awakens follows Jin in his attempts to rid the world of Kazuya Mishima — and, by extension, the Devil Gene. This simple setup works super well in the game's favour, allowing many of the series newcomers to be introduced flawlessly and still have meaningful plot implications (looking at you, Reina). The whole story mode gives very heavy shounen anime vibes, with obscenely over-the-top power-ups and huge fights, which I love. It’s not an original story by any means, but what it lacks in uniqueness, it more than makes up for in sheer hype. The character episodes are also highly entertaining if a little basic.

Arcade Quest is TEKKEN 8’s other big single-player offering, and while I haven’t put too much time into it yet, I did enjoy what I played, and I highly appreciate what it represents. Arcade Quest sees you take the reins of a custom avatar, who is a new TEKKEN player setting foot into the competitive world. As you grow and improve through the ranks, you can fight higher-level players and join tournaments to prove your skill. This is a wonderful homage to the classic arcade culture of fighting games, which is sadly dying, but it’s nice to see Bandai Namco show some respect to the origin of the competitive scene.

No matter the content offerings, though, a good fighting game is nothing if it doesn’t feel good to play, and in TEKKEN 8’s case, it feels incredible. It’s unmistakably TEKKEN, and the ancient knowledge of legacy players will still hold up, but the new mechanics and changes to characters spice things up nicely. The Heat system adds an additional level of depth to each character while also weaving into their kit seamlessly, making it feel like an extension of their abilities instead of a separate catalogue of moves. Not only is the game great for legacy players, it’s got a huge suite of options to help new players begin to learn the game, and while it is an uphill battle, it feels immensely rewarding. This is thanks to the fantastic training options and practice mode. There’s an insane amount to go into, which would take too long to discuss here, but on top of the more typical things, replays have an incredible amount of value. Not only do they allow you to watch other player’s games, you can rewatch your previous matches with added tips. These tips tell you where you went wrong, and some potential strategies to handle these mistakes in the future.

My biggest and only real gripe is a minor one, which is its relatively spotty netcode. After a near-flawless experience with both GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- and Street Fighter 6 online, the change here is noticeable, and while not game-ruining, it has diminished the quality of more than a few of my games. It’s seemingly the worst when in crossplay games, and it doesn’t help that the best settings for the rollback netcode aren’t set by default (change it to “Prioritize Responsiveness”).

TEKKEN 8 is also an absolute joy to just look at, thanks to its incredibly detailed visuals. Each stage is utterly beautiful, with some incredibly vibrant colours and lighting, along with a lot of attention to detail across the game in its entirety. I found myself particularly taken aback by the final fight of the story mode, with a crazy amount of weather effects on top of the wonderful character models. Not only do characters have flashy moves which look great, but also the models and animations themselves are fantastic.

TEKKEN 8 is an absolute masterclass in fighting game design. The characters all feel wonderfully varied, and the heat system adds a lot of depth. Without a doubt, this is worth your time, effort, and money if you want a satisfying and rewarding fighting game.