TEKKEN 8

Bandai Namco is definitely Tekken things seriously

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When Street Fighter 6 burst onto the scene, it not only proved itself one of the best entries (the best entry?) in Capcom’s legendary series, it managed to remain one of the best games released in a year that saw a quite frankly ridiculous number of top-quality experiences. This fight’s not over yet, though; if any series can steal Street Fighter’s claim to the title of best beat-’em up of the generation, Tek-kan.

Tekken has always been a slightly slower, more weighty experience, and our time with the beta proves that there are no plans to change this. The slower pace is part of the charm; mistakes are more glaring, counters more satisfying, moves with extra frames of animation before impact more risky. It’s immediately familiar to series fans. Still, there’s plenty that is new.

One addition to the core experience is the Heat system. Heat can be activated once per round, lasts for ten seconds, and is a new way to potentially turn a seemingly inevitable loss into a win. While your character is in Heat – erm, while Heat is active, all attacks deal recoverable chip damage. This is one way in which the system is designed to encourage aggressive play.

You can instantly consume all Heat with a devastating Heat Smash attack, which might be enough on its own to win you the round. Alternatively, you could surprise your opponent by cancelling an attack or guard into a Heat Dash, rushing them in an attempt to make the most out of your Heat gauge before it runs out. It’s a new trick to pull out of your voluminous trousers, in addition to the returning Rage system, which gives you access to a super-powerful move when your health is almost fully depleted.