Tekken 8 is Bandai Namco’s latest entry in the Tekken franchise where they continue the Mishima saga. Read on to learn more about its story and gameplay.
Everything We Know About Tekken 8
Tekken 8 Story Plot
Tekken 8’s plot will continue the saga of the Mishima bloodline and its cycle of father-and-son showdowns, as this time it will be Jin Kazama facing off against Kazuya Mishima. Jin must accept his inner demon to be able to end his father’s reign of terror. In the Story So Far trailer, they summarize and recap the events of all the previous mainline Tekken games which lead up to Tekken 8's story.
Tekken 8 Gameplay
Tekken 8 is shaping up to be the most unique iteration in the series. The new Heat resource adds more flavor to each fighter and has proven to spice up the game’s already deep gameplay. The game also features universal system overhauls to throws, parries, Rage mechanics, and many more.
Tekken 8 Adds Three New Characters To Their Massive Roster
The Tekken franchise has been known to have a very diverse cast of characters as well as having a massive roster of over 45 fighters spanning more than 10 installments. In Tekken 8, they add 3 brand new characters into the mix with Azucena, Victor, and Reina, making the total usable characters in the game to 34.
Azucena "Perfect Blend" Castillo
Azucena Milagros Ortiz Castillo, or known better as the "Coffee Queen", is known for her innocent personality and fighting style as a mixed martial arts champion. Hailing from Peru, she is the daughter of the family who owns Ortiz Farm, which is a coffee plantation located 2000 meters above sea level. Azucena grew up observing her father's trade and business and dreamed of being the best coffee farmer in the world. In the official story trailer, it's definitely a surprise that she is shown to be allied with Kazuya and solely motivated by her coffee business improving that she doesn't care about her affiliation with a tyrant.
Victor "Refined Violence" Chevalier
Victor Chevalier is regarded as a living legend who founded the UN's independent forces as well as the special ops force called the "Raven Unit". He is Tekken's first ever French representative in the historic series (Lili Rochefort is actually from Monaco, despite speaking French). Victor was trained in the French Navy and was looked upon with both fear and awe in the military, earning himself the codename "Phantom Raven". He uses 4 different weapons during combat and employs his own style of fighting named as the "Super Spy CQB". He is one of the game's more flashier combatants sporting a fashionable suit, a sleek elegance, and a flair of deadly moves.
Reina "Purple Lightning"
Perhaps the more mysterious addition of the Tekken 8, arguably even the most mysterious one. Not much is known about Reina other than being a student of the prestigious Mishima Polytechnical School. At a glance, She has a mix of Taido and a lot of Heihachi references in her moveset. She also has a multitude of stances that allow her to move in a unique way similar to Soul Calibur's 8-Way Movement scheme. While we can only infer who she really is, we can make subtle connections to her being connected to Heihachi in some way. Seeing as the old man was always looking for immortality during his time, she may be some sort of reincarnation to Heihachi but we can't necessarily confirm who she really is.
Season 1 Playable Characters
Eddy Gordo
During the Tekken World Tour 2023(TWT2023), lots of new information were revealed for Tekken 8. One announcement that caught the attention of many was the unveiling of the first playable character coming to Tekken 8 Season 1, Eddy Gordo. Many have been heavily anticipating the arrival of Eddy for the longest time, as his iconic fighting style of Brazillian origin, Capoeira, has captivated many fans over several games. He was revealed alongside the Opening Movie trailer, where they debuted his new look, accompanied with behind-the-scenes motion capture footage to render Eddy's movements.
Tekken 8 Review
Tekken 8 First Impressions
Being able to play all three different test versions of Tekken 8 (Closed Network Test, Closed Beta Test, and Demo), the game has given more avenues for offense as compared to the previous version with Tekken 7. The game also changed the way people use more of their character’s moves with changes to throws and power crush moves. Visually, Tekken 8 is in a league of its own, it’s the best-looking fighting game to date.
Tekken 8 Trailer
Opening Movie
The Tekken 8 opening movie was released during the TWT2023 event, wowing many fans in attendance and online. It heavily features Jin Kazama fighting with his father Kazuya Mishima across the entire trailer. It also hows brief glimpses of all the participating fighters, ranging from returning characters from the previous games, to the new arrivals. A clear focus was intended to be put on Reina, as she sits upon a throne cross-legged, elegant and full of confidence.
Official Story Trailer
In this official story trailer, Jin Kazama must stop his father, Kazuya Mishima, from destroying the world. Kazuya announces that only the strong will have a place in his world, and this leads to his reign of terror where most of the previous Tekken combatants must band together to save the world from annihilation.
Tekken 8 Product Information
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| Title | TEKKEN 8 |
|---|---|
| Release Date | January 26, 2024 |
| Developer | Bandai Namco Studios Inc. |
| Publisher | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Supported Platforms | PC(Steam), PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Genre | 3D Fighting Game |
| Number of Players | 1-2 |
| ESRB Rating | PEGI 16 |
| Official Website | Tekken 8 Website |
