So, Tekken 8 has been out for about 2 weeks and it’s been a whirlwind of excitement for one of the best fighting game series ever made. We always tend to be excited for the newest version of our favorite fighting game because of nostalgia but after you play it for awhile you kind of realize it’s what it’s always been just a new game. This sentiment holds true for the most part but for me, Tekken 8 seems so much different from Tekken 7 and in the best way possible and I’ve been playing it on average 4 hours a day. I can say it might be the best fighting game you’ve played in quite some time. I wanted to put some time into the game before I gave it my review and what I said about being the best fighting you’ve played in years is not hyperbole.
WHAT MAKES TEKKEN 8 SO GOOD?
When you start Tekken 8 for the first time, cutscenes aside, you can see how much effort went into the overall look of the character and stage design. This game is stunningly beautiful. While I’m normally against high resolution gaming, I feel like it’s a must to play Tekken 8 in the highest resolution possible to you. There are a plethora of game modes and ways to play Tekken 8 that make the game more inclusive to more casual fighting game players because make no mistake, Tekken let alone Tekken 8 is for fighting and you ain’t gonna put in that work to be a better fighter then this isn’t for you but as I said. The beauty of this game is that there are game modes that anyone can get into.
Tekken 8 embodies everything you’ll love about a fighting game in that you have multiple characters, multiple styles and multiple ways to play. Of course, this essentially every fighting game but for some reason Tekken 8 just did it differently this time around with Tekken 8. The fun factor in this game is at a high and you’ll find yourself devoting hours upon hours into this game to master your character that you’ve chosen and your fighting technique.
FIGHTING AND MATCHES IN TEKKEN 8
This is why you play Tekken 8. I personally am just about average at Tekken games and fighting games in general if I’m being honest. However, with all of the fighting games that came out in the past year Tekken 8 feels the most improved and the most fun. This is a subjective thought but the GSG gang spent hours on this fighting game longer than we’ve played any other.
Tekken 8 is extremely fast paced as its always been and typically if you weren’t fast enough then Tekken would be hard for you as Tekken 8 in particular is extremely based in offensive prowess. You can gain benefit by timing blocks, chaining attacks and using punishing combos but even with that you better come prepared to fight. There are some additions to the fighters that based on how you perceive things are much needed or are too helpful in ending matches. The new HEAT system is one of those things. It’s basically a system that rewards you with a HEAT METER based on the more you connect with attacks or take damage and you can easily turn a fight that you were losing into a fight that you can bounce back from and essentially win.
There’s also a version of SF6’s modern controls which condenses combos and attacks into a few buttons so for the most part you’ll be button mashing matches which I don’t love at all as a purist but it’s there to make you feel better about playing Tekken 8 and in some weird way it makes want to play in standard controls and really learn those buttons. Regardless my feelings it’s there and you can use it.
Fighting is the essence of this game of course but angles, timing and character selection all make the difference in this game. You’ll find that just sticking to one character may not be the best tactic especially if you plan on playing ranked matches. They are intense and you’d want to mix it up to get those wins.
PRACTICE MODE
If you’re planning on getting into ranked matches or playing the game in a more player vs CPU aspect then the practice mode is where you want to start. It’s a staple of Tekken and it’s the place to practice your timing for juggle combos, combos and the ever popular but harder than ever to pull off 10-hit combo. You’ll learn everything here and THIS is where you should start right away.
In Practice Mode, you’ll hone your skills offensively and defensively with modes like PUNISHMENT TRAINING which has returned but may be new to some. This is where you’ll learn about your opponents’ most damaging moves and how to counter them.
The move list is still there and there is now a COMBO CHALLENGES mode which gives you a series of challenges that help you learn the best and most effective combos in the game depending on your character that deal the most damage. This is probably the mode you’ll find yourself engaging in the most if you’re like me because getting those combos off and quickly is the way to win matches in Tekken 8. You will get punished if you don’t work on your combos, juggles and chains. USE THIS MODE.
REPLAY MODE is the best feature of practice mode because it allows to not only watch replays of your practices but you can download and watch the replays of other players and their matches. It’s all designed to help you improve your Tekken game and for me the Practice Mode is easily the best part of the game feature wise and you won’t be successful in this game without spending quality hours here.
STORY MODE AND CHARACTER STORY MODE
The Tekken story mode and character story mode is for the players that want Tekken lore with their fighting experience. I won’t lie to you. The story mode in Tekken 8 for me was as confusing as can be for me but the cinematics are top notch and you can tell that quite a bit of writing went into it. It’s impressive and for most players it’s a great show aside from the mash up of matches and a 3rd person fighting mode where you’re fighting off a mob of Jack’s. If you’re into the general story mode it is fun so check it out.
Character story mode is a little bit different. They’re just snippets of each character’s role and experience in the overall story. Again, it’s fun to play a variety of match types and keep you on your toes in different situations and yes, there’s cutscenes. Story mode in Tekken 8 is what story mode is supposed to be. If you care for cutscenes and an elaborate story with a little bit of fighting, it’s great. That’s my take on story mode.
FIGHTING LOUNGE, AVATAR AND PLAYER CUSTOMIZATION
Tekken 8’s fighting lounge is where you’re going to go to find matches to fight if you have a little sado masochism in your DNA. In all seriousness, this is best place to get your fight on and it’s as simple as walking up to someone’s avatar and requesting a match and boom! Tekken 8 does a very good job of allowing players to jump in and out of matches seamlessly and I can’t recall a time where the servers were ever an issue. Fighting in these matches is another thing as the competition is fierce and the players in these matches did not come to play around (no pun intended).
Avatar customization is always cool as a feature and I was able to design a cool avatar for Tekken 8 as it does offer a wealth of options that help make your character look just the way you want but not only that the more fight money you earn the better you can tailor your look. Just a fun mode. Nothing special.
TEKKEN 8 IS THE BEST VERSION OF ITSELF AND I LOVE IT
Not since Tekken 2 have I been this excited about a Tekken game and wanted to put as much time as I have into the game. I’ve been playing it now for a little over a week and I have a ton of hours devote to it, albeit mostly practice rounds and arcade battles but even still I haven’t been bored at all. The combat is smooth, the fight are engaging even though they can be frustrating because they can end so quickly but that’s all the more reason to focus on working on your fighting ability, strategy, and combo use.
The stages/landscapes in the game are gorgeous and interactive thus wanting to pull off the right move to break shit depending on what stage you’re on is priceless. The fighting lounge makes having 1v1 battles with other gamers online very easy, simple as just walking up to them and choosing to fight. Avatar and player customization is cool if you’re into that. Tekken 8’s best quality is just how well made it is and it as I reiterated hasn’t been this good since Tekken 2. Tekken 8 is the best fighting game that you’ll play this year and I stand on that.
