TEKKEN 8 Review Summary

Stunning, upgraded graphics and visuals: The game boasts significantly improved graphics over previous installments, with detailed character models, vibrant stages, and fluid animations. The upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 is evident, creating a visually stunning experience. This makes the game more appealing and immersive for players.

Excellent training and replay features: Tekken 8 offers robust training and replay features that are invaluable for both new and experienced players. The practice mode is comprehensive, and the replay system allows players to analyze matches, identify mistakes, and even take control to explore different options, making it easier to learn and improve.

Engaging story mode and content: Tekken 8 provides a wealth of single-player content, including a story mode that is engaging and cinematic. The game offers various modes and challenges to keep players entertained offline. This makes the game enjoyable for those who prefer solo play or want to practice before going online.

Accessible, deep gameplay mechanics: Tekken 8 is more accessible to newcomers, with simplified controls and mechanics that make it easier to pick up and play. The game still offers depth and complexity for experienced players, rewarding skill and knowledge. This balance makes the game enjoyable for a wide range of players, regardless of their skill level.

Great, customizable soundtrack and music: The game features a diverse and customizable soundtrack, including tracks from previous Tekken games. The music complements the atmosphere of each stage and moment, enhancing the overall gaming experience. This allows players to tailor the audio to their preferences and evoke nostalgia.

Severe character/system imbalance issues: The game is unbalanced due to overpowered characters, moves, and systems like Heat, leading to repetitive gameplay, limited counterplay, and a focus on aggression over defensive options. Many reviewers feel that the developers have homogenized the cast, removing unique identities and creating a frustrating experience for both new and veteran players. Some reviewers feel that the developers are not listening to community feedback and are making changes that are detrimental to the game.

Excessive 50/50s, weak sidestepping: The game relies too heavily on 50/50 guessing situations, diminishing the importance of skill and strategy. Sidestepping, a core Tekken mechanic, is often ineffective due to excessive tracking and homing moves. This leads to frustrating gameplay where players feel like they are gambling rather than engaging in meaningful combat.

Lacks depth, repetitive, unrewarding: The game lacks depth and meaningful interactions, with matches often feeling repetitive and one-sided. The removal of features from previous games, such as tournament mode and team battle, further limits the game's replayability. Many reviewers find the game mentally exhausting and unrewarding, leading to a desire to quit.

Homogenized characters, lost identity: Characters have lost their unique identities due to homogenized movesets and the removal of weaknesses. The game's design emphasizes aggression and easy execution, diminishing the importance of skillful play and strategic decision-making. Many reviewers feel that the game no longer feels like a true Tekken title.

Flawed, frustrating ranked system: The ranked system is flawed, with issues such as inflated ranks, inconsistent matchmaking, and inadequate punishment for disconnects. Comeback mechanics and unbalanced characters allow less skilled players to reach high ranks, devaluing the competitive experience. Many reviewers also report encountering cheaters and experiencing long queue times.

Knowledge and strategy are crucial: Success in Tekken 8 requires strategic thinking, precise timing, and extensive knowledge of frame data and character matchups. The game rewards players who can predict their opponent's moves and capitalize on frame advantage. Information and knowledge are key elements for success.

Easy, high-damage combo system: Tekken 8's combo system is a core element, with easier execution compared to some other fighting games. However, combos can inflict excessive damage, leading to matches decided by only a few interactions. Some players may rely too much on easy combos, hindering the use of other techniques.

Rage Arts: easy comeback mechanic: Rage Arts are now easier to execute, serving as a comeback mechanic at low health. However, some players find them frustrating due to their hyperarmor, high damage, and cutscenes, reducing the game to spacing. The Rage system is considered uninspired by some.

Fast-paced battles, limited rematches: Quick matches can match players based on their highest rank in ranked, leading to intense matches even when trying to play casually or learn new characters. The game limits rematches in ranked mode, reducing the time to learn opponent patterns compared to Tekken 7. The game features fast-paced battles.

Arcade and Ghost Battle modes: The game features an arcade mode with a series of battles culminating in a super-boss fight. The Super Ghost Battle mode allows players to fight against AI recreations of other players' fighting styles, including preset ghosts like the game director Harada. These modes provide offline content and opportunities to learn from other players.

Inconsistent PC performance and netcode: The game suffers from inconsistent performance and optimization across different PC configurations. Many players report experiencing frame drops, stutters, and crashes, even on high-end hardware. Online matches are plagued by lag and connection issues, especially when playing against opponents with weaker PCs or Wi-Fi connections.

Graphics vs. resource usage: The game's graphical fidelity and resource usage are subjects of debate. Some players find the graphics impressive, while others feel they are not justified by the game's performance. Some players report that the game runs worse than Tekken 7 on older hardware, despite improvements to their systems.

Frequent crashes and disconnects: The game experiences frequent crashes and disconnects, particularly after updates. This issue disrupts gameplay and prevents players from completing matches or rematching opponents. The daily online player count has dropped, potentially due to these stability issues.

Lag during character selection: The game experiences lag during character selection and the initial minutes of gameplay due to shader compilation. Character models may also lack the expected level of detail. The game server can also lag and disconnect.

Gameplay bugs and glitches: Players have reported various bugs and glitches that affect gameplay. These include camera glitches, animation problems, and inconsistencies in hit detection. There is also an unnecessary watermark on the screen during active gameplay.

Mixed feelings; wait for fixes: Many reviewers express mixed feelings, with some recommending the game with reservations, while others suggest waiting for sales or significant improvements. Concerns include balance issues, aggressive gameplay, and monetization practices. Some reviewers even suggest playing older Tekken titles or other fighting games instead, indicating a general sense of disappointment or unmet expectations.

Strongly negative; not true Tekken: A significant number of reviewers express strong negative opinions, with some calling it the worst Tekken game or even 'garbage'. These reviews often cite balance issues, a departure from the series' core identity, and a focus on casual players at the expense of experienced ones. Some reviewers are quitting the game or the series altogether.

Great entry; series benchmark: Many reviewers praise the game's graphics, accessibility, and overall quality, recommending it to both newcomers and long-time fans. Some consider it the best Tekken game to date or one of the best fighting games on the market. This positive sentiment is often contrasted with concerns about balance or monetization.

Buy on sale; avoid DLC: Many reviewers advise against purchasing the Deluxe or Ultimate editions and recommend waiting for sales on the base game. They suggest that the game is worth buying at a discounted price, but the full retail price may not be justified due to the lack of content or the presence of microtransactions.

Rewards learning and improvement: The game rewards players who are willing to learn and improve, with plenty of in-game and online resources available. Some suggest that the high skill ceiling may deter some players, but approaching it from a learning perspective makes it enjoyable to learn each character and how to counter them.

Extensive single-player content provided: Tekken 8 offers substantial single-player content, including a story mode, character stories, Arcade Quest, and Tekken Ball. Reviewers appreciate the variety and depth, especially compared to previous installments. This makes the game more appealing to both newcomers and veterans seeking offline experiences.

Large character roster at launch: The base game includes a roster of 32 characters, primarily returning fighters with updated designs and the new Heat System. This large initial roster is seen as a significant offering, providing players with plenty of options without needing immediate DLC purchases.

Effective crossplay and matchmaking: Tekken 8 incorporates cross-platform play and a ranked system that effectively matches players of similar skill levels. This ensures competitive and balanced online matches, contributing to a positive player experience.

Season 2 reactions are excessive: Some reviewers feel that negative reactions to Season 2 are excessive for a patch. They acknowledge that it's early in the new season and things are subject to change.

Cosmetic monetization is present: Tekken 8 features a battle pass and in-game shop with cosmetic items purchasable with real money. While some find the monetization aggressive, others view it as optional and crucial for the game's ongoing support, similar to other modern fighting games.