Last weekend I got my hands on the Closed Network Test of Tekken 8 on my Xbox Series X. I’ve been playing the Tekken franchise since the PlayStation One era so needless to say, I was curious to see how a new entry would play. It’s been eight years since we had a new Tekken but after spending the weekend dusting off my Hwoarang skills I can only conclude that Tekken is back at full force!
A great first impression
When I started the Closed Network Test, I was welcomed by some modern beats and a flashy-looking character roster. It all fitted perfectly in the Tekken atmosphere while still taking things to the next level. Of course, a test like this is limited in options so I was only able to play on a couple of stages with a limited character roster. I went with my classic Hwoarang main to dust off my skills. I didn’t really play as other characters but I faced a lot of different characters in the online battles. I love how the visuals got improved and every character feels familiar yet modern. The designs are massively improved and the love for details in the stages is notable, to say the least. Tekken 8 really looks like a modern fighter but keeps true to its aesthetics of the past. Expect the classic flashy Tekken moves in better graphics. Visually speaking, Tekken 8 is here to impress and left a great first impression.
Amazing gameplay
Gameplay-wise it’s Tekken as I know and love it. The combos feel as tight as ever and using the stage to your favor is still a decent way to win your rounds. I won 60% of my online matches which was most likely thanks to the years of playing as Hwoarang in the past. It felt like welcoming an old friend as I was able to block and string combos together just like in the early PlayStation days. Playing Tekken 8 instantly took me back to those long evenings filled with Tekken matches and I loved it! It’s fantastic to see that the foundations of Tekken are still there and still impress compared to other, more modern, fighting games. New in Tekken 8 is the Heat mechanic, an interesting new attack that can be activated once in each round and if timed correctly, it deals a lot of damage. Heat moves can be blocked but when they land, they deliver some massive damage. What I like most about the Heat attacks is the way it forces players to be more aggressive. Gone are the days of needless blocking and keeping a safe distance from your opponent. After more than a dozen of online matches it’s clear to see that offense is the best way to go in Tekken. If you don’t allow time for your opponent to use the newly introduced Heat or returning Rage mechanic, you’ll always keep the upper hand.
I had my doubts about the new Heat mechanic, certainly in combination with the returning Rage mechanic, which allows you to perform a killer move if your health reaches below 30% but after playing the Closed Network Test, I can only conclude that everything feels balanced out. Yes, both moves can inflict a deadly amount of damage but if you time your defenses right or if you keep the offensive as high as possible, you can easily win the round. Learning the strength and weaknesses of your character is crucial and although I only played as Hwoarang, I saw my chances of winning go up with every new fight. Timing your blocks and mastering your combos is the way to go and feels like more. I can’t wait to dive back in later!
