Tekken 8 Review: The King Has Returned

Fighting games are in a great space right now, as many franchises returned with new entries last year, and now one of the big contenders has returned as Tekken 8 is finally here. Tekken is one of the key fighting game franchises fans have been drawn to over the years, as it helped to usher in the wider popularity of 3D fighting in general. But for as much as it has ruled at the top for many players, it also has been a bit alienating for inexperienced players; an aspect of the franchise that's only gotten more complicated over the years as its gameplay systems advanced. 

Although it might not feel like it because Tekken 7 has been around as a dominant fighter in the scene for such a long time, it's been nearly a decade since the last numerical entry in the franchise. That's nearly ten years of fighting games evolving and experimenting in different ways, and nearly ten years of hoping to see a Tekken that uses those learned tips and tricks from others in the scene to evolve in its own way. Thankfully, Tekken 8 does just that. Tekken 8 is undoubtedly the best Tekken has ever looked, and the best Tekken has ever played. 

Tekken 8 is the first in the franchise on modern consoles, and the first in the franchise to utilize Unreal Engine 5. All of these firsts also inform the approach for this new entry overall. It's built with first players in mind who might have never really dabbled in Tekken before, and Tekken 8 is sure to make a strong first impression with potential new players as it has a great way of onboarding them to figure out how the game itself is played. There are many options to get better with the game, and that's especially important with how technical Tekken can be. Although it's the eighth entry and is treated as such, Tekken 8 feels especially welcoming. 

Tekken 8 has an expanded Story Mode that feels like the biggest it has ever been for the franchise. Telling Jin's story across multiple chapters (with a few opportunities to try out a few other members of the roster), this experience lasts a few hours and can even get pretty difficult towards the end. It picks up right after Tekken 7's story as Kazuya is now expanding his power following Heihachi's defeat, and Jin is trying to fully embrace the Devil Gene power within him in order to take down this threat. It's not the most complicated tale, but it's also one that even new players can jump into without any real problems. 

It has some big reveals, new forms, and explosive anime-like battles that long-time fans will enjoy, but at the same time, its flashy presentation and grandiose tale will definitely hook new players. It's also a great way to get used to how Tekken 8 is played, and there are other great single-player options for new players to potentially expand on. The biggest of which is Arcade Quest, which is its own kind of Story Mode which tasks players with creating an avatar to take them through a series of arcade locations to rise up the ranks of the best Tekken players. 

It's built to be especially beginner-friendly as you can challenge increasingly difficult opponents, and choose any of the characters to really hone your skills with. This welcoming feeling just permeates the entire package, too, with the return of minigames like Tekken Ball, and most importantly, with the introduction of the Heat System and Special Style. The Heat System is likely the most noticeable change to how Tekken 8 plays, because while there have been a ton of smaller adjustments to the returning roster characters, the Heat System is a big addition that could really close the gap in particular tense matches. 

The Heat System is a special meter that can be activated with a button press (or by using particular moves in a combo) and gives you certain buffs for a brief time. This not only gives you access to a few different moves for certain characters, but it also does chip damage on a block. The biggest addition is the Hit Smash, which is a powerful move that uses the rest of the Heat meter to deal some big damage. If you have this active, connect with a Hit Smash, and then land a Rage Arts (which is a super move that becomes available when your health drops below a certain point), it could really bring a different end to a match than your opponent might expect. 

It's great to see that so much attention has been paid to single-player content to help get new players adjusted because Tekken 8 still feels as technical as the franchise has always been. While execution of certain moves is a bit easier than before, and the necessary timing to keep combos and juggles going feels less restrictive, Tekken 8 runs the risk of feeling unapproachable due to the large roster full of characters who all play differently. It's one of its greatest strengths due to variety, but almost can feel daunting just looking at the sheer number of combatants available. 

Still, this is a great problem to have and Tekken 8 does as much as it can to ease that process (though it's not always successful). Special Style is the second of the major new additions that help alleviate that fear of being technically proficient. It's a mode that you can toggle with a single button press during matches that gives you access to a set number of combos that show off some of the coolest moves with single-button activations. It's like the more approachable play styles seen in the recent Street Fighter 6, but can be toggled on and off whenever desired rather than be a style that you're locked into in a particular match. 

It's a great option to utilize without ever feeling like a potential crutch that could keep someone from diving even deeper. That's just Tekken 8 as a whole, too. So much of it feels so welcoming that there are plenty of options for single-player battles, and if you spend enough time, it will eventually build the confidence to take it all online. But like other fighting games, it's going to be necessary to grind your skills. The strength of all of these potential options will be put to the test long after release, but as of right now, Tekken 8 is the best Tekken has ever been. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tekken 8 releases on January 26th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review, and was reviewed on a PlayStation 5.