REVIEW: ‘Tekken 8’ Continues The Fighting Game Renaissance (XSX)

Now in firm control of the Mishima Zaibatsu, Kazuya Mishima seeks control of the entire world. But numerous parties are prepared to resist his domination. Chief among them, is his son, Jin Kazama. Now, the world holds its breath as the power of demons, cyborgs, and martial arts masters will clash once more in The King of Iron Fist tournament for the fate of the world in Tekken 8, developed by Bandai Namco Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The Kazama bloodlines converge, offering top-tier action, next-gen visuals, and individual stories for each character.

Fighting games are having a moment right now. Last year saw the latest entries in the acclaimed Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat series released to huge critical and fan success. Now, powered by Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 looks to step into the ring to stake its claim as the king of fighting games for the current console generation. And it just might succeed. The latest entry into the legendary fighting game franchise, Tekken 8, brings the series’ signature moves but also new additional playable characters to the Tekken series

Let’s start with the core building block of any great fighting game: the gameplay. Firstly, it feels great. Every character is responsive and brings a unique quality to the fast-paced fights the game challenges players to overcome. What makes the gameplay in this iteration of the classic franchise shine though, is its fixation on offense.

Tekken 8 emphasizes overwhelming your opponent with skillfully executed attacks. Much of the push to be aggressive comes from the new Heat System. At the beginning of each round, both players start with a full Heat Gauge. Pressing RB activates the gauge, sending the player into Heat Burst and launching a powerful attack. While heat burst is active, the player does increased damage to their opponent. They also deal chip damage whenever they are blocked.  

However, it’s important to note that you cannot KO an opponent with chip damage. Pushing RB again while Heat is still active delivers a powerful Heat Smash. Heat Smash consumes whatever is left of the gauge. This rewards players who maximize their time in Heat before triggering their Smash to increase their damage.

The returning element to Tekken 8’s gameplay that encourages players to take some risks is the Rage system. Once your health drops below a certain point, the player enters the Rage state. Once there, they hit harder and take less chip damage. They also gain access to their Rage Arts. This once-per-round special move is activated by a single press of RT. If it lands, it does massive damage, allowing comebacks to occur with ease. This creates an exciting level of tension as a clear lead can evaporate into a loss if a player opens themselves up to one of these powerful attacks by getting cocky as their opponent’s life gets low.

While having the Rage Arts tied to the health bar makes for exciting finales to matches, it also has a second property many amateur players will appreciate. If someone is running away with a victory, they can’t add insult to injury by making their fallen foe sit through an elaborate cinematic to punctuate their loss. Since Rage Arts are tied to health, an opponent can’t access them till they are close to death, ensuring they only appear when a match is close. It’s a small thing, but one of several elements Tekken 8 brings to make the game more friendly for new and casual players.

The importance of pushing the attack in this game is further emphasized by the Recoverable Health system. Sometimes, when a player takes damage, a white bar will remain where the health total was previously. If the player can land certain attacks, they can recover small amounts of health up to the white bar. Taking more damage resets the bar’s placement, however. So rushing in blindly will yield few results.

Tekken 8 sports multiple elements to help new players acclimate to the game’s complicated controls and fast-paced battles. The biggest of these elements is the optional Special Style control scheme. This control scheme streamlines combat, making combinations, throws, and other moves simpler to execute. Players can focus on things like timing and placement within the arena instead of intricate button presses. This control scheme is also togglable during fights. This allows players to test the waters with the standard control scheme and then switch back if they decide they aren’t ready yet. While this is a great tool overall, it is important to note that some characters adapt better to this scheme than others.

Further adding to the high-octane excitement of every match are the arenas themselves. A bevy of interactable elements allows players to slam foes off walls, as well as send them plummeting through floors, over ledges, and even into new dimensions.

All of this skillfully crafted, blisteringly fast mayhem is delivered through several different game modes. The Story Mode tells the newest chapter in the series narrative as the world rushes to confront Kazuya. While much of this mode is spent playing as Jin, other characters also step in, making the main storyline experience a fun and challenging place for players. There is even a series of short, musou-style encounters to break up the core gameplay. While not challenging and a little clunky, this sequence does deliver some fun as it highlights how tough the fighters are compared to normal soldiers. Dishing out punishment to waves of enemies showcases just how powerful these characters are.

The only significant stumbling block Tekken 8‘s story has is with the ending. No spoilers, but you end up fighting the final boss a few too many times. These fights, coming one after the other, become grinds as the player soon just wishes for the battle to be over with.

While the Story Mode is the meatiest single-player mode in the game, it’s far from the only one. The new Arcade Quest mode has players design an avatar for themselves and travel between numerous arcades. Fighting for ranks, the player strives to gain entry, and eventually win, the Tekken World Tournament. The player is accompanied by a group of friends that cheer them on and offer useful tips. This mode is where the tutorial elements of the game can be found, although they are optional.

The final story style mode the game offers is separate character episodes. These short, five-match series deliver a quick intro video, as well as a full CGI cutscene ending for the character the player has chosen. These scenes are mostly ridiculous fun, showing goofy moments for the character. A handful are a bit more serious, creating a nice variety for the player to enjoy.

Tekken 8 delivers a new tool for players to hone their skills offline called Ghost Battle. Once players participate in a certain number of matches with a character, the AI crafts a ghost for the character based on how they play as them. As the player plays more, the ghost learns. This creates an interesting cycle of learning as players get to experience both their weaknesses and strengths from the other side of the fight.

With numerous fights in this mode under my belt, I can honestly say that this system seems to work incredibly well. I could identify how the AI ghost’s behavior differed from other computer characters I’d fought. The tendency to rush in and overextend, which I always struggle with, was clear. What’s more, it allowed me to fully appreciate how to exploit these tendencies, teaching me in ways normal fights against the AI never have.

Computer Ghosts can also be challenged, along with other downloadable player ghosts. Any player can upload ghosts, allowing others to train against them. This seems like a great way for players to hone their skills against challenging foes without the fear of public failure till they feel confident enough to step into the online multiplayer.

Along with these modes are the expected VS and Practice Modes, as well as the return of Tekken Ball. This beach volleyball-inspired game serves as an interesting distraction but suffers a bit from awkward controls. Lastly, the game has a robust replay option for players. This mode not only allows players to rewatch recent matches but the game also offers tips about their performance and can take them straight to relevant tutorials about elements of the game that are pertinent to specific moments.

A key component of any fighting game is online PvP. During the review period, Bandai Namco turned on the servers for a few hours to let reviewers get a taste of how online matches will function. The gameplay itself felt as smooth as when playing offline. Players can set restrictions on who they fight based on connection, so those worried about lagging games can minimize the chances of it as much as possible.

While players can log into online fights straight from the main menu, Tekken 8 also offers players a more immersive online option with the Tekken Fight Lounge. Here, players send their avatars to a sprawling, multi-room structure where they can run around and interact with other members of the community. Rooms are themed for different styles of matches, including a beach where players can lounge between matches of Tekken Ball. Like every other element of the game, the Tekken Fight Lounge wraps every element in a thick layer of cool.

The final element of the game’s robust offering is a deep character customization suite. With options to alter characters’ looks, the player’s avatar, as well as UI elements like their health bar appearance, this game offers tons of ways for players to tailor the look of Tekken 8 to fit their style.

All of these features are delivered through gorgeous visuals thanks to Tekken 8 harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5. Character models are detailed and stunning. The arenas themselves are equally intricate, as they deliver a wide range of environments, from lush jungles to ornate palaces and city streets. Combined with the gorgeous visual designs are intricately choreographed moves that deliver all the power and skill the cast is billed as wielding. Every throw, every rage art, and every combo is brought to life through fluid animations that highlight every painstaking detail of each motion the characters execute.

Tekken 8‘s cinematic camera work and Hollywood-grade cutscenes also magnificently enhance the game’s visual appeal. Close-ups and pivots around characters at key moments pull players into the fight while never clashing with the clarity of what is going on. No matter how much one plays it, the game never ceases to be cool to watch, thanks to the many gorgeous elements of its visual presentation.

The audio also does its fair share of work pulling players into the game’s world. Fantastic, upbeat tracks pulse with energy, enhancing the sound of each battle while never clashing with it. The cast is also brought to life thanks to a set of strong multinational performances. Each character speaks in the language of their home region, giving the game a truly international feel to it. And with notable voice talents like Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex), Asami Seto (Jujutsu Kaisen), and Beau Billingslea (Cowboy Bebop) highlighting the cast, Tekken 8 manages to deliver its over-the-top narrative and characters with all the punch one could ask for.

Tekken 8 offers great gameplay through precise controls, gorgeous visuals, and audio that energizes the player. Combined with a bevy of play options, this game offers a tremendous amount of gameplay to both new and old fans of the series, as well as the fighting as a whole. With only a couple of minor hiccups, Bandai Namco has unleashed a monster onto the fighting game scene. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for fist to meet fate.

Tekken 8 is available now for Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC.