Tekken 7 will (hopefully) explain why Heihachi is so mad
Talk about dysfunctional
Tekken 7 was just announced at EVO 2014, and already Namco Bandai is revealing more about this fighter's story arc finale. If you didn't catch the latest trailer, you can watch it below for a recap, but the jist is that Tekken 7 will finally conclude the saga of the Mishima clan. No footage of the one-on-one, Unreal 4 engine gameplay has been shown yet, but fans who've following Tekken for years should be excited by these new plot details.
The sordid history between Heihachi, Kazuya, Jin, and Kazuya's mother Kazuni will finally be divulged in Tekken 7, leading up to a climactic battle between Heihachi and Kazuya on the lip of an active volcano. Game director and producer Katsuhiro Harada confirms that Tekken 7 will tie up a lot of loose ends in the story leading up to this point, and answer questions like: Why did Heihachi throw his own son off a cliff? Similarly, why is he trying to kill his grandson? What spurred Heihachi have to kill his own wife? Who is the origin of the Devil gene? Answers to these questions and more await in Tekken 7, but it's pretty clear that the Mishima family dynamic is pretty f'ed up.
Harada also announced that Tekken 7 will feature character designs from renowned guest artists, a tradition from other Namco Bandai games. Among these artists are Mari Shimazaki (Bayonetta), Yusuke Muzaki (Fire Emblem Awakening, No More Heroes), Ninnin (Duel Master, Card Fight Vanguard), and Kenichiro Yoshimura (Anarchy Reigns). Harada showed off some of Ninnin's mock-up costumes for Lars, focusing on a design that looks like a prince's regal attire combined with the Crysis nanosuit. Meanwhile, Shimazaki will be designing the look of Kazuni, who's clad in an ornate kimono (with a mysterious tiger crouching behind her in the concept art). Huh!
Check out the following screens for additional info!
Harada threw the fans a bone by confirming that yes, Tekken X Street Fighter is still in development
Though he didn't offer any details, Harada says that Tekken 7 will have new characters and new mechanics, as one would might expect from another installment of a fighting game franchise
The trailer has English dubbing, but Harada assures fans that all characters will speak in their native languages
Lucas Sullivan is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. Lucas spent seven years working for GR, starting as an Associate Editor in 2012 before climbing the ranks. He left us in 2019 to pursue a career path on the other side of the fence, joining 2K Games as a Global Content Manager. Lucas doesn't get to write about games like Borderlands and Mafia anymore, but he does get to help make and market them.