TGS Trial Play Report: "Tekken 8" Play Report!　The new "Heat" and "Rage" systems that change the way the game unfolds will keep everyone from beginners to experienced players on their toes! TGS2023 Special Edition

Although the show had been scaled back since 2019 due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus, this year, for the first time in four years, all of Makuhari Messe, from Halls 1 to 11, the Event Hall, and the International Conference Hall, is being used for the show, and all of Makuhari Messe is being colored by games.

In this article, we will report on our play of "Tekken 8," which we were able to try out at the Namco Bandai Entertainment booth.

Even with a series of button presses, "Heat" and "Rage" make for cool matches!

Tekken 8" is the latest title in the popular "Tekken" fighting game series. In this trial, we played the 1P and 2P match mode.

Both the author and Director K, who accompanied me, are almost amateurs in fighting games. We had to frantically check the tablet terminals placed on either side of the tablets to see how to operate the controls and the combo charts for each character, but when we actually played the game, we found that the system was designed to make the matches exciting even for those with limited knowledge of fighting games.

One element of the system is the "heat" action, which can be activated only once per round with the R1 button, and includes "heat burst," a 15-second heat state while attacking the enemy, and "heat smash," a powerful attack that consumes all the time in the heat state. Heat Smash," which consumes all the time in the heated state to launch a powerful attack. Both of these are offensive moves.

When activated, the screen is lit up with a spectacular effect of red sparks, so even if you just use heat-related techniques, the match will become a flashy spectacle.

I played with a variety of characters with different play styles, such as Jin Kazama, a karate fighter; Lili, a young lady who fights in her own way; and Jack-8, a humanoid weapon, and they all have the same powerful heat smash. When a basic attack such as a left-right punch using the □ and △ buttons or a left-right kick using the × and ○ buttons is connected with a heat smash combo, it is enough to inflict massive damage on the opponent. It's not a particularly advanced technique, but it makes you feel like you're a little better than you are.

Along with "Heat," the new "Rage System" is a new system that adds to the excitement of a match.

This system is triggered when the fighter's energy drops below a certain level, which increases the attack power of all techniques. The "Rage Arts," activated by pressing the R2 button, are great moves with the potential to turn the tables on your opponent and take a large chunk out of his or her energy gauge.

The lower your health, the more powerful the Rage Arts will be, so the more one-sided the match becomes, the more pressure you can put on the superior side.

The trial play strongly impressed us that one of the important elements of this title is the one-shot reversal element, in which even a beginner can win against an expert depending on his or her rage arts.

The tactics of using the heat and rage system, while simple, add a sense of urgency to the flow of the game, and even beginners such as myself should be able to play a "good game" against experienced players to a certain extent.

Therefore, I felt that all players will be able to face the battles with a certain sense of tension. Tekken" has a history of nearly 30 years since the first game was released, and this game is one that is open to a wide range of players, from old-timers who have been playing since the beginning to new players.

Product Information

Tekken 8

Compatibility: PS5/Xbox Series X|S/Steam

Genre: Fighting game

Number of players:

Offline: 1-2 players

Online: 1-16 players

CERO: D (for ages 17 and up)

Release date: January 26, 2024

Price: 9,600 yen (tax included)