The interview has been edited for clarity.
As the Guinness World Record holder for the longest-running video game storyline, the Tekken series has enjoyed 29 years in the storytelling and fighting game business – and counting. But there’s always more about the Mishima family legacy to explore, and that comes with a perennial problem: to bring something new to the narrative while also improving combat mechanics.
With Tekken 8, a handful of new elements lie in wait. Azucena, for instance, is a fresh face from Peru who specialises in mixed martial arts (MMA), while the Heat system encourages aggression by offering various benefits when activated, such as enhanced character-specific moves, and the opportunity to dictate a match’s rhythm. Then, there’s the matter of returning characters – many fan-favourites have emerged from the franchise’s robust roster, and part of the excitement for fans is seeing if theirs made the final cut.
Jun is the surprise addition here, becoming a dream come true for longtime enthusiasts. The mother of Jin Kazama made her debut in 1995’s Tekken 2, but has since been missing in action, only appearing in multiple cameos and references in every mainline game after. Suffice to say, her return as a playable character after 28 years holds great significance for the community, which sparks the question: Why now?
“We were satisfied with the outcome of Tekken 7’s story; people seem to like it. And then it’s more about, ‘Okay, there are certain story arcs that have been hanging for a long time, Jun being one of them, right?’” shared series producer Michael Murray in an interview held during Thailand Game Show 2023.
“We decided it was really important for her to come back to progress the story from where it ended in Tekken 7, especially since Jin and Kazuya are facing off against each other this time.”
The most important consideration in bringing back a character is, of course, whether they can fit into the story – just like how Akuma was brought back as a special guest in the previous title in a way that didn’t feel forced. Another is the representation of different fighting styles beyond karate, capoeira and other martial arts, such as Mishima’s bait-and-uppercut style, Lars’ speedy flair, or characters with simpler button inputs.
Naturally, popularity plays a huge part as well, even as it takes on a different form. “[When] we talk about popularity, there’s versus another player, but there’s also I-just-love-this-character-when-I-play-them-in-story-or-against-the-CPU,” added the jiu-jitsu practitioner.
“Some players just love to see a particular character and their development in the story arc, so there are different definitions to it.”
For series veterans and dedicated fans, the improved ghost system is also a cause for celebration. The feature is described to be “totally different” in Tekken 8, with the AI programming now much more intuitive and intelligent than before. While it would previously remember certain aerial combos and player characteristics, it can now learn the exact way an individual dashes, attacks, dodges, and the like. The way to learn, then, is for them to look at their ghost fighting other players, pick out their strengths, weaknesses, and unconscious habits, and improve.
In fact, this motivation to become better is so infectious that even the godfather of Tekken himself, Katsuhiro Harada, fell victim to its trappings. “In the dev environment, you can have a ghost versus another ghost. I made mine, Harada made his, and we’re like, who’s going to win? I won, obviously,” Murray laughed.
“And he was so motivated to play some more to get his ghost to learn better traps, better combinations, and other things that he wanted to improve as a player.”
For newcomers, Special Style is the way to go. This new feature allows them to execute over-the-top moves with simple button presses, which eases the transition into the technique-based expertise that fighting games often dictate. It can be turned off or on at will, too, so more experienced players won’t be robbed of the traditional manual button-input experience.
Don’t mistake it for a magical pill that instantly turns someone into an undefeated champion, though – the longtime Tekken producer is quick to highlight that Special Style makes the learning process more forgiving by bridging more of the gap between neophytes and experts.
“As far as testing goes, I think it’s the best balance we can achieve. It’s not something that’s going to make your average person who doesn’t know anything about Tekken become a pro player. But at the same time, it does its job because it allows people to at least play to a certain level of the game,’ explained Murray. “Special Style really makes you focus on the fundamentals a lot more than you might not, so I think we’ve done a decent job at opening the game up to beginners.”
He concluded, “It’s going to be a game changer, in terms of having individuals being able to play Tekken and understand why it’s a fun game, and then growing more motivated to turn Special Style off and learn the mechanically individually.”
The increased attention on accessibility comes at a time where it continues to be a hot topic among the fighting game community, following Street Fighter 6’s introduction of the Modern Controls feature. Similar to Special Style, it simplifies controls – here, the number of buttons for basic input is halved – and lowers the game’s barrier to entry, which will hopefully attract a greater audience reach.
Following feedback from the Closed Network Test, Tekken 8 ushered in various changes for its closed beta test, which took place over 20 to 23 October. Combos with Heat Dash, for instance, were dialled down, while Special Style now supports directional inputs. Alongside the mapping of the L3 and R3 buttons, armour has also been added to Heat.
Similarly, some of these may be further tweaked and fine-tuned in the lead-up to release, all done in the name of making Tekken 8 a delightful, unforgettable fight fest. The continued inter-generational conflict of the Mishima family will certainly help matters on the narrative front, and the other half of the job is already being done by the hyperrealistic visual revamp and clean controls. Between the crisp animation, a great attention to detail, and sheer exhilaration in pulling off combat manoeuvres, it seems Tekken 8 is well into punching its way to even greater heights.
Tekken 8 releases 26 January 2024 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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