TEKKEN 8 (Xbox Series X|S)

Game description:

Tekken 8 is a 2024 fighting game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Arika and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the eighth canon release (and tenth overall entry) in the Tekken series and the first one to debut on home systems instead of arcades. Game tests were held starting in July 2023 before the final game was released for the PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on January 26, 2024.

The base game's story mode, titled The Dark Awakens, takes place six months after the events of its predecessor and focuses on the final confrontation between protagonist Jin Kazama and his father Kazuya Mishima, as well as the introduction of Heihachi Mishima's adoptive daughter, Reina. Jin's mother Jun Kazama also appears in her first canon appearance since Tekken 2. Meanwhile, an additional story mode titled Unforgettable Echoes focuses on Lidia Sobieska, Eddy Gordo, and Yoshimitsu on uncovering the Mishima Clan's ancient history, as well as the resurrection of Heihachi himself.

Gameplay:

Tekken 8 follows the same fighting game format as previous Tekken games. Katsuhiro Harada, the game's producer, stated that Tekken 8 will be "more aggressive" than its predecessor, indicating that the system will reward players who are proactive in attacking rather than those who are defensive. To achieve this, the game introduced a new system known as "Heat". When a character unlocks the "Heat" state, they cause not only chip damage and additional movesets, but also changes the properties of some of their moves, such as a heavy guard break. These fighters can also dash cancel their moves while in the "Heat" state. Heat's timer can be stopped if fighters' movesets are used. Fighters will also receive chip damage when guarding against a normal state's heavy attack or Heat State characters, allowing them to regenerate their health bars. Unlike the Tag mode-only health bar regeneration system from the Tekken Tag Tournament games, fighters' recoverable health can only be restored by attacking their opponent.

Game review:

Tekken 8 is an amazing new entry in the long-running series. Interesting tweaks to its classic fighting systems, a full suite of fun offline modes, great new characters, incredible training tools, and a vastly improved online experience all add up to a fighting game I will be playing for many years to come. By honoring its legacy, but continuing to move forward, Tekken 8 manages to stand out as something special.