Bandai Namco has released Tekken 8. Featuring a massive roster of 32 combatants, most are familiar returning faces paired with some fresh blood making their King of Iron Fist debut. Tekken 8 has more than enough characters to play, learn and master.
Offering a simplified control scheme, brand new players, players who require extra accessibility or even the younger sibling who can barely hold the controller can start pulling off combo strings, racking up a winning streak and enjoying the game with zero fuss. From the title screen, there are several options to jump into the content. Let’s go over them.
What’s on the menu?
Story
Tekken 8 offers a fifteen-chapter cinematic story mode to play through. While entertaining in its own way, it can be a little all over the place in terms of pacing. Luckily there’s a series of recap videos in the extras menu to catch you up to speed before you jump into the latest chapter. While on the short side of things, it mixes up gameplay modes at points and its use of the Iron Fist Tournament within the storyline is a welcome and enjoyable addition.
Arcade
This is where I spent most of my time for my review. You can create your own avatar and begin exploring the many different arcades around the city with your friends. Defeating all the local Tekken 8 players, gaining a reputation, unlocking custom outfits for the roster, learning and mastering combos to use in the game and making your way to the main stage to compete in the Tekken World Tour. Arcade is where the bulk of the vast customisation options are available in Tekken 8. The quick and fast ability to walk up to someone and challenge them fuels the “okay, just one more fight” in you and before you know it, it’s 3:00 in the morning and you’re up in four hours for work.
Ghost
Tekken 8 uses “advanced AI” to learn how you play. As you fight against your opponent, it gathers your inputs, style and strategy and then implements that data into its style of play. Additionally the option to fight the ghosts of others is there, so you can sharpen your skills before your next bout together.
Ball
Tekken × Volleyball is back in the form of Tekken Ball and I am still reminded how awful I am at this game mode. Regardless of my skill issue, the mode is here for you and a friend to serve up a game together.
Online
Sadly the servers were not yet active during my review of Tekken 8 so I cannot comment on the state of the gameplay online.
Fist Meets Fate
All in all, Tekken 8 was an absolute blast to playthrough, it’s gained a permanent spot on my PlayStation 5 and I’ll be dipping back in and out of the King of Iron Fist Tournament for the foreseeable future.
These back-breaking words were brought to you by Lewis Magee.
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