Depending on how you look at it, TEKKEN 8 will be a game-changer for fighting games, thanks to a mode that seems like a significant advance in training the next generation of TEKKEN fighters. Not bad, considering the franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a flagship series for Bandai Namco and a celebrated exponent in the highly competitive fighting game genre.
Recently, we visited the city of Los Angeles, California, to play TEKKEN 8 and experience what an average player of the renowned fighting game might go through, starting with the story mode like many others. What does it have to offer this year? A mythical battle that bears the motto "The fist meets destiny." Let's see what this means.
TEKKEN 8: the fist of destiny
As you can imagine, the main story of TEKKEN 8 features the family that lives "the fight for the largest grounds in the history of video games," following the epic saga of the Mishima clan. Before continuing, we'll avoid spoilers, but we'll briefly discuss the game's early missions to maintain the campaign's mystery, allowing you to fully enjoy it upon release.
TEKKEN 8 opens epically with a god-like confrontation between Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima, who follows the path of power and global conquest. It's a cataclysmic drama that shakes the foundations of the world. Jin is forced to confront his destiny to stop Kazuya's reign of terror. Immediately, we notice dramatic elements that clearly indicate character development, as Jin strives to avoid becoming what he swore to eradicate. Next, Kazuya summons fighters from around the world to a tournament of biblical proportions, where, naturally, surprises are hidden that you'll have to discover for yourself. Ladies and gentlemen, this is TEKKEN in its prime.
Above all, TEKKEN 8 looks absolutely stunning. As we know, the game was built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, and it shows. The opening sequence, where Jin duels Kazuya, features shadow and lighting effects that infuse realism into the Urban Square stage, inspired by the iconic Times Square in Manhattan, New York. To start, the outstanding particle work is evident every time the fighters land blows, sending all sorts of debris flying across the screen. Additionally, the level of detail is unprecedented; the amount of debris, junk, and twisted rods abounds in the background of the stage. This enhances the impact of every blow and special move while fueling the characters' fantasy of absolute power. Undoubtedly, a quantum leap befitting the current console generation.
VIDEO: TEKKEN 8: Impressions and Gameplay
From noob to pro with the power of friendship
Our gameplay session during the event, according to the developers, was designed similarly to an average player's experience. What comes after completing the campaign? Trying out the Arcade Quest mode. As previously mentioned, Arcade Quest is a mode in which you can design a caricatured avatar to relive the glories of mid-90s arcade halls. Undoubtedly, a love letter to the competitive scene that flourished without knowing how far it would grow. The development team advanced that the mode was built with the prevailing arcade culture in mind.
However, one of its attractions is that it's a miniature campaign in itself, portraying the experience any player can go through when deciding to become the world champion. Thus, Arcade Quest depicts the warrior's path, one that will put the arcade hall bully in their place in the final of the TEKKEN Champion Cup, of course, with the power of friendship. It's a mode designed to capture those who are not so familiar with the game and its mechanics, as part of its progression involves completing skill challenges with the characters.
Naturally, Arcade Quest offers numerous opportunities to customize avatars with all kinds of outfits that you can acquire with in-game currency and modify with your preferred color to show off your unique and distinct personality. This level of customization also extends to the confirmed roster of 32 characters, keeping TEKKEN as the game with the most character customization on the market.
VIDEO: TEKKEN 8 - Character Gameplay Trailer "Reina"
Ghost in the shell
One of the most interesting features of TEKKEN 8 is hidden within the seemingly harmless appearance of Arcade Quest; it's a mode that has the potential to change the face of fighting games forever, and it's called Super Ghost Battle. This exciting mode goes beyond offering typical battles against the CPU. As you know, a CPU can be easily defeated if you know its attack patterns; sooner or later, you figure out how they operate. It's a rule in every video game.
Thus, the essence of Super Ghost Battle is to offer a version of yourself as a ghost built from a large number of offline and online matches, accumulating countless learning data fed to the ghost. This means that you will gradually build a version of yourself in a ghost that you can challenge at any time, not only emulating your behavior but dynamically adapting to different situations.
What makes this mode special? The fact that you can upload your ghost to the internet. This means that it will be possible to download and face ghosts of players from around the world, providing valuable practice and analysis opportunities.
Precisely, this quality of the ghosts is one of the most exciting parts. This means that if a professional player or an international personality from the fighting game community (even your close group of friends) uploads their ghost... you can challenge them from the comfort of your home! Just imagine the possibilities this implies. You can have a specialized challenger at your disposal. Even think about particular scenarios where a ghost is trained with specific techniques to help a player overcome those special moves. As they say, the sky's the limit for Super Ghost Battle.
According to a development team member, this mode was the responsibility of a team of engineers who implemented the artificial intelligence model and required considerable time and resources to bring the AI to its current state. However, he added that it's excellent for improving player skills, as you can compete against your own ghost character.
[imgid_image="827415" caption="Vibrant and colorful stages" width="832" height="?" crop="true" alignment="center" target_url="null"][/img]
The interpreter of the development team member explained that the ghost memorizes your tendencies, and this, in turn, makes it easier to observe you from a third-person perspective, so you can identify areas of improvement in your playing style. He added that the better you become, both you and your ghost character improve their skills. As a result, this motivates you to strive harder, delve into the game, and practice combos extensively.
Undoubtedly, Super Ghost Battle stands out as one of the most charismatic features of the game and a must-try within TEKKEN 8 when it debuts on January 26, 2024, on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
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