The latest addition to the Tekken franchise, Tekken 8, has announced its release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. After six to eight years of success with Tekken 7, fans are eagerly anticipating the latest edition of the popular fighting game series. The game is built from the scratch using Unreal Engine 5 and promises a larger-than-life gaming experience with new gameplay mechanics and accessible control schemes.
Enhancements in Tekken 8
The developers have revealed that Tekken 8 is loaded with new features that improve upon the game’s previous iterations. Enhanced lighting, intricate stages, detailed character models, and gorgeous particle effects cater to more stunning visuals than ever before. The theme-based on aggression stimulates players towards a more visually appealing spectator experience.
Gameplay Mechanics
In terms of gameplay mechanics, the Rage system returns from Tekken 7, giving players a cinematic “breakglass-in-case-of-emergency” move once they have low health. The Heat system further revolutionizes the gameplay by supplementing heat stocks that offer spectacular attack opportunities. By using signature moves called Heat Engagers that add two stocks to the gauge and activate Heat Dash, players can unleash powerful Heat Smash moves that steadily deplete their meter.
Different control schemes in Tekken 8 cater to different skill levels. Arcade Style provides typical Tekken gameplay mechanics, while Special Style eases players into a more casual playstyle. Besides this, there’s a comprehensive command list of various characters that helps players identify moves and their properties.
Storyline and Characters
Tekken games are known for their storyline modes that weave different character stories into a single arc. The trailer showcased Kazuya aggressively taking on Jin against an apocalyptic backdrop. From what we understand from the announcement trailer and promotional material, the return of some old and classic characters is significant in building the game’s character roster loyalists.
Tekken 8’s New Roster
Tekken 8 boasts a robust ten-character roster consisting of Jin, Kazuya, Jun, Law, Nina, Jack8, King, Paul, Lars, and Xiaoyu. The Heat system makes it more challenging to design and balance characters; therefore, the team focused on balancing the existing cast of veterans favorably. Apart from this, other enhancements like recoverable health in each stage add an entirely new layer of strategy during combat.
Special Style Control Scheme
Special Style is designed to cater to new players with an accessibility-first approach. While automatic attacks strings are enabled by default, the special move option allows players to have better control over what they do during a fight. Inexperience or players who aren’t comfortable fighting competitively online are likely to benefit from this.
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In conclusion, Tekken 8 is among the anticipated releases this year, improving upon its predecessors with advancements that appeal to new and old fans alike. Its gameplay systems such as Rage and Heat showcase more aggressive gameplay mechanics than before. Tekken 8’s release date hasn’t been announced yet, but we should expect it to come out sometime this year.
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