Within the seemingly endless stream of fighting games that have released in the last few years… none can match the magnitude of Tekken, and Tekken 8 is without a shadow of a doubt the best instalment that Bandai Namco has released thus far.
Had you asked me whether I was optimistic prior to its release, I’d have probably told you that my hopes weren’t particularly high, as I was disappointed with Tekken 7, which felt barely like an improvement to 6.
Graphically, 7 had marginally changed from its predecessor, and at times, looked even worse than the 360/PS3 instalment. However, for Tekken 8, Bandai has made drastic improvements to its visuals, all thanks to their switch to Unreal Engine 5 – and by building the entire game from scratch. I can confidently say that the graft that the developers at Bandai have tirelessly put-in over the last 9 years has truly paid-off.
Admittedly – on day one, online servers were atrocious, and I couldn’t play in ranked game for more than 3 matches before the game would freeze. But, as of writing this a week after release, I can confirm that the issue’s been fixed and multiplayer is smooth as butter – until I get my ass handed to me by a random player… then I blame the game’s “trashy servers”.
With 32 fighters to choose from – the base roster is smaller compared to previous entries. And though fans have complained about the lack of certain fighters, will we realistically play ALL 32 characters, or just main a few of our favourites?
The character designs are, as always, stunning, and they all look fresh and new with a couple outfit tweaks here and there – while still remaining true to their classic looks. And honestly, just looking at Jin would make anyone want to immediately jump off of the sofa and hit the gym.
I guess if you had a favourite character that didn’t make the cut, I can understand your frustration, but the likelihood is that they’ll be released in the future (which, I know – the dreaded DLC and microtransactions), but at this point it should come as no surprise that we just have to accept that they’re in the game in order to fund maintenance and updates.
Frankly, I prefer a couple non-essential maps and character DLC packs throughout the games’ life cycle, rather than a seasonal battle pass or cosmetic shop.
On the topic of cosmetics – God, do you have a selection! I main Lili, and have done for about 12-13 years since the Dark Resurrection days back on the PSP (which makes me feel very old now), and to see that I can practically make her appear unrecognisable to her default, makes all my dreams for character customisation come true.
I’ve made dozens of different outfits for multiple characters now, which I can switch between whenever I choose. Not to mention the addition of an in-depth avatar creator, and even the choice to change the background music in-game with any tracks from previous Tekken games (and whoever came up with that idea at Bandai needs a raise ASAP).
Unlocking specific items for characters is so much more straightforward compared to 7, too, as now you simply have to fight a specific CPU-Ghost in the Arcade, which makes life much easier, as you don’t have to endlessly grind in Treasure Battle back in Tekken 7 in the hopes that you MIGHT get an item for a character that you want to use.
The formula hasn’t changed radically, except for the addition of a Heat system which, if timed correctly, can get you out of pretty tough spots and works well alongside the classic Tekken gameplay, and the flashy Rage Arts.
The story mode is also there, for anyone who particularly cares. You know, it’s the usual Mishima Zaibatsu this, G Corporation that – and you’ll expect someone to be thrown off of a cliff at some point for the 100th time in the series. But it’s there, and it’s pretty enjoyable, alongside the entertaining and zany character stories you can unlock when you finish, which is also a fun little addition.
In short, Tekken 8 is amazing, and I could go on for ages about every marvellous detail – but unfortunately that’d require more ink, and more paper.
But it is hands-down the best fighting game I’ve ever played, and has finally satisfied the itch that I’ve been painlessly trying to scratch since 2006.
I hate to rate a game so highly, as I love a good nit-pick, but Tekken 8 is honestly perfect.
5/5