Tekken 8 has what it takes to challenge Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 for the fighting game throne

With each entry, the Tekken series has always had a way of affirming its place within the pantheon of great fighting game franchises. Along with being one of the genre's most significant and longest-lasting 3D fighting games, Tekken also has a history of setting a certain standard for what players can expect with the at-home fighting game experience.

With Tekken 8, the series returns to the King of the Iron Fist Tournament and the chaotic Mishima family saga, boasting some new combat mechanics and a greater context into Tekken's brutal yet equally bizarre world. I recently got to play several hours of Tekken 8, experiencing the new solo story campaigns, the return of Tekken Ball, and diving deep into the revised fighting gameplay that aims to give Tekken vets just what they want while allowing newcomers a taste of true combat mastery.

Push it to the limit

Following 2017's Tekken 7 and its creative breakthrough for the series, the developers stated they took extra time with the follow-up to develop and redefine some of the core tenets of Tekken's combat and style. Speaking with game director Kohei "Nakatsu" Ikeda and producer Michael Murray, the pair talked about completely redesigning the roster of 32 fighters, adding new combat mechanics to up the intensity of brawls, and how the new solo modes help to not only flesh out the Tekken universe but also pay tribute to the fighting game community itself.

"For Tekken 8, we really focused on trying to follow up on the expectations from fans for a new game in the series," says game director Nohei Ikeda. "For a Tekken game, we tried to include as much as possible into this one so that people feel confident about buying a fully packaged game. Along with the story modes, we also have the regular features fans can expect, and we also have the return of Tekken Ball and other things we've wanted to do in Tekken 7 that we weren't able to do then. So we tried to put all of that into Tekken 8 to ensure it's the best in the series."

What's made the Tekken series such a popular fighting game franchise is its mastery of 3D fighting action, which rides that fine line of over-the-top, brutal action and graceful combat mechanics that reward players who adapt to each battle. From my hands-on with Tekken 8, there's an overall sense that the series' intricate yet still approachable combat is being elevated alongside the increasingly intense stakes of the main story – with each fighter pushing their limits and accessing new techniques to keep up with the growing conflict.

One of Tekken 8's most significant additions is the Special Style mode, a streamlined skillset for each fighter that can be activated with a single button press. Like Street Fighter 6's modern style, the Special Style allows for fewer inputs for advanced techniques to apply pressure faster, coming at the cost of more limited skills and being much easier to read for opponents. It's an excellent option for newcomers looking to jump into the action, but interestingly enough, it's also viable for vets who want to apply pressure in a pinch and catch foes off guard.

There's also a greater focus on mixing up skills and being aggressive in Tekken 8. Along with the return of the Rage Art super moves, there's also a new Heat System, which is a temporary state to give you enhanced moves, more significant damage, and a way to rush down foes. It was a bit tricky to get a handle on it, but once I did, I appreciated how Tekken 8 gives several ways to turn the tide of battle quickly. The enhanced capabilities of the fighters play well into the more intense conflict of the main saga, with each brawler stepping up to meet the heightened stakes.

Tekken's New World Order

Set right after the brutal finish to Tekken 7's campaign, which saw Heihachi Mishima finally meet his demise at the hands of Kazuya Mishima, the protagonist turned villain continues his takeover of the world with the G-Corporation and the Devil gene powering his ambitions. With all roads leading him towards his equally powerful son Jin Kazama and other fighters around the globe, Kazuya begins another King of the Iron Fist Tournament that will decide the world's fate once more.

Tekken 8's main story focuses on the journey of Jin Kazama and his allies while fighting against Kazuya and his army – which feels like a surprising yet intriguing mix of Dragon Ball Z and The Hunger Games. The opening chapter starts the game with Jin and Kazuya engaging in a brutal fight, both using their Devil gene powers against one another that levels parts of Manhattan's Time Square. From there, Jin travels the world to understand his connections to the Devil gene and his bonds with other fighters looking to compete in the tournament.

While the Tekken series has experimented with story modes before, Tekken 8's primary narrative mode feels like Mortal Kombat 1's character chapters. This gives the game a more focused plot and presents a more personable and interesting way to get to know the roster of fighters, and many of the series' key players manage to get some time to shine.

It seems only recently that fighting games have managed to figure out how best to present a core narrative, and so far Tekken 8's approach is shaping up to be a tighter and more fulfilling take on a story mode for the series. One of my favorite newcomers to Tekken 8 is Reina, a skilled brawler who mysteriously possesses Heihachi's skills and strength. She plays off well with Jin and his allies as the plucky and ambitious new fighter, and I appreciate that Tekken's take on a mystery is still in play here despite how completely over the top the game's story has gotten.

The joys of playing Tekken

Much like previous entries, Tekken 8 also boasts a robust suite of activities to keep you busy outside the usual arcade ladders, online and offline versus, and training modes. This aspect of offering a complete package has been something that the Tekken series has especially been successful with compared to other fighting games, and I was happy to see what Tekken 8 offers. One of my favorite modes from Tekken 3 was the goofy, volleyball-inspired Tekken Ball, which returns for the upcoming game with local and online play.

However, one of the more surprising modes on offer is the new Arcade Quest, Tekken 8's secondary story mode that takes place in a stylized world where people bond and test their skills by playing Tekken 8. The Arcade Quest feels like it could have been its own standalone game and is a surprisingly meta mode that centers around fighting game culture that's charming and upbeat in the spirit of Pokemon and other optimistic adventure stories about the joys of competing and the friends you make along the way.

Playing as a newcomer to a city where arcade gaming is a city-wide pastime, your created character makes a name for themself in the solo adventure and online world, which sees them climb the ranks to increase their reputation and open up fights with the city's top players. It's a charming, cute mode that adds a nice contrast to the darker story of Tekken 8. It is also a fun tribute to fighting game culture, which the game's director wanted to portray in Tekken 8.

"It was really important to recreate that arcade culture that we all experienced as we were younger, like 20 years ago or so," says Ikeda. "You can't really find an arcade like that these days, so the idea was to present that in the Arcade Quest mode to learn the game and then advance into the story or online modes when ready. We're introducing this human community that you can interact with, then join the online community to make even more friends and broaden your horizons. So you hopefully get hooked on what makes the fighting game community so special."

So far, I am most impressed with Tekken 8. It not only upgrades the base fighting mechanics and flow, which has consistently been great, but it also puts a much-needed focus on the characters and bizarre world of fighting within the Tekken universe – which I appreciate. It's shaping up to be a fiercer and more compelling sequel for one of the longest-running 3D fighting games out there, and I can't wait to see what's in store for this wild and increasingly chaotic series.