Tekken 8

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Kick! Punch! It’s all in the mind! Yes, the immortal words of Chop Chop Master Onion from the martial arts epic Parappa the Rapper still resonate today: it really is all in the mind. If you want to test me, I’m sure you’ll find that I try and review as many fighting games as possible because, well, it’s an awesome genre. Few games reward player investment and patience as much as fighting games, and the slow-but-steady process of improvement is a feeling that’s unmatched in much of the hobby.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the latest brawler that’s primed and ready for some player investment: Tekken 8, the latest in the long-running series of arcade fighters that helped make PlayStation what it is today and now competes with Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and other capable challengers for the championship belt. The King of Iron Fist has returned!

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Going into the specifics of Tekken’s lore and the intricacies thereof would be out of the scope of this review. It’d also be out of the scope of several additional reviews. They could offer a complete college course just on the dynamics alone. Instead, just let Brian Cox and his dulcet voice recap the madness for you – it’s the only way to do it.

We’ll summarize by saying that series protagonist-turned-antagonist-turned-protagonist Jin Kazama is back and he’s ready to punch some faces. Specifically, he’d like to punch the face of series antagonist Kazuya Mishima, the current head of the Mishima Zaibatsu corporation and all-around bad guy. Kazuya hopes to take over the world by holding a global martial arts tournament and also summoning an ancient god. As one might imagine, these problems get solved via plenty of punching, kicking, laser beams and more. At one point someone throws a motorcycle at a helicopter. Maybe video games are art after all.

That’s the kind of series Tekken is, and Tekken 8’s more than happy to lean into this wackiness. One of the story modes available takes the modern Mortal Kombat route of playing out events like a movie, allowing you to periodically control characters during fight scenes and quick-time events. It’s a format that works great for this kind of bombastic action-movie silliness, particularly considering how the battles work in cinematic moments as you fight your way through. Even newcomers to Tekken’s lore are sure to have a great time, thanks to a (clearly and hilariously tongue-in-cheek) series of recap videos covering the events of previous games. Take a drink every time someone gets thrown off a high place to their deaths only to come back five minutes later seeking revenge.

You might notice that I did say “one of” Takken 8’s story modes. The other, Arcade Quest, has more in common with Street Fighter 6’s World Tour mode, serving as a very extended Tekken tutorial. You’ll assemble your own Xbox Avatar-style character and travel from arcade to arcade kicking butt, taking names and learning the absolute basics about how to play Tekken. Naturally, you’ll collect new character customization options, titles and all manner of other bonuses as you go, encouraging you to keep progressing from battle to battle.

I’ll admit I got much more out of the tutorial side of this mode than I did from World Tour; I’m fairly familiar with Street Fighter and its gaming offspring, but Tekken’s a whole new ball game so far as I’m concerned. Arcade Quest wasn’t enough to make me a master, but the lessons it offered serve as a great foundation that I’ll be able to build on as I learn more about the game.

If those story modes aren’t enough for you, naturally, there’s more. Classics like Tekken Ball return, there’s story vignettes for every character, and, in a move that would make the launch version of Street Fighter V blush, there’s an arcade mode! Crazy, right? If you like Tekken you’ll have no shortage of it to sate your thirst for sweat, blood and laser beams.

From a fighting perspective, Tekken 8 introduces all manner of changes that series vets are probably more prepared to examine in depth than a (relative) newcomer like me. The most obvious change, though, is fundamental and plays a role in every fight – that’s the Heat system, represented as a bar found beneath each fighter’s health bar. Once per round, each fighter can activate Heat, giving them a variety of benefits including chip damage on all attacks, access to new moves and generally improved offense. Heat doesn’t last long, and there’s also the option of ending it early to activate a powerful Heat Burst special attack that can really lay down the hurt.

Properly timing when and how to use Heat is central to doing well at Tekken 8, so much so that it’s one of the first things taught to new players in Arcade Quest, so it’s important to get a handle on the system.

Naturally, you’ll want to take some new characters out for a spin while you’re messing around with new mechanics. We’ve got a few highlights, including French military man and cyber-samurai Victor, coffee aficionado Azucena and the mysterious and malevolent Reina. There’s no shortage of returning characters as well, with more to come via DLC – don’t worry, Eddy Gordo fans, he’ll be back soon. They’re all fully fleshed out characters from a fighting perspective, though personally I found myself drawn to use the incredibly goofy Lili, an heiress and cat lover whose combat style incorporates elements of ballet, much like my beloved Manon from Street Fighter 6. Oh, and this is Tekken, so of course you can customize each character and create whatever monstrosities you wish. Look forward to seeing some pretty crazy stuff online.

Fighting games have taken presentation to the next level ever since…well, ever since Street Fighter IV way back when, so it’s no surprise that Tekken 8 keeps upping the ante even further. It’s a gorgeous game that really pushes the latest generation of consoles while also looking absolutely fantastic on PC. The PC version in particular is a wonderful experience if you’ve got a nice screen and some pixel-pulverizing hardware, not to mention crossplay is available, so if you’re able to go this route it’s highly recommended. It’s hard to say what’ll bleed more, your eyes or everything else after you get pummeled.

At least you’ll enjoy the beatings you’ll receive, though. Tekken 8 is a fantastic fighting experience through and through, and if Street Fighter 6 seemed like the next evolution of fighters, it’s clear Capcom’s classic was just the opening salvo in the next stage of the war between the various punch-and-kick franchises. It’s a solid introduction to newcomers, offers an utterly insane amount of options and gameplay modes, and does it all in style. Dedicated fighting game fans really should consider adding this one to their roster.