Tekken 8 Season 1 introduced many new gameplay elements, bringing significant shifts in how traditional mechanics operate. While some changes brought freshness to the iconic fighting game franchise, others have stirred frustration among players. This article delves deeply into some core issues that have significantly impacted the game’s feel and balance, especially as Season 2 approaches with the potential for improvement.
Movement Issues and the Loss of 3D Identity
One of the most notable shifts in Tekken 8 compared to earlier instalments like Tekken 5 or Tekken Dark Resurrection lies in its treatment of the 3D aspect of the gameplay. Historically, sidestepping and sidewalking were vital to strategic movement, allowing players to evade predictable attacks effectively. However, Tekken 8 has significantly reduced the reliability of lateral movement. Sidesteps rarely feel intuitive or effective, forcing players into a playstyle that mirrors 2D fighting games more closely. Characters like Bryan and Nina exemplify this issue with moves that have an extraordinarily high level of tracking, making attempts to sidestep feel redundant. Consequently, players often choose to stand their ground and rely on blocking or guessing high-low mixups rather than engaging with Tekken’s once-critical 3D mechanics.
Moreover, sidewalking, the more deliberate lateral movement, is equally problematic, demanding precise timing and often resulting in awkward positioning. This not only complicates movement but also negatively impacts damage potential, as combos performed off-axis often yield lower returns. As a result, the 3D dimension, traditionally a cornerstone of Tekken’s gameplay identity, feels notably diminished in Tekken 8.
Chip Damage, Healing, and Rage Arts Mechanics
Another contentious feature introduced in Tekken 8 is chip damage combined with healing mechanics. Blocking has traditionally been a safe, reliable defensive option in Tekken, rewarding players for correctly anticipating their opponent’s moves. However, with chip damage, health continually decreases even when successfully blocking attacks, complicating the game’s defensive meta. Characters such as Kuma, Jack, or Heihachi exacerbate this issue with moves that cause substantial chip damage, making matches feel unpredictable. This unpredictability is intensified by the game’s healing mechanic, allowing characters to rapidly regain significant amounts of health through Heat moves and combos. Rather than leading to exciting, balanced comebacks, this mechanic frequently results in sudden, frustrating momentum reversals, penalising aggressive players who’ve worked hard to push their opponents to critical health.
The combination of chip damage and healing further complicates match dynamics when paired with Tekken 8’s Rage Arts. Rage Arts, powerful moves accessible below 30% health, were designed to provide an opportunity for comebacks. Yet, due to healing, players regularly exceed this threshold after activating Rage, maintaining access to these potent attacks despite regaining health. Consequently, matches often devolve into cautious stand-offs, as both players become hesitant to risk engagement. While Rage Arts can serve as satisfying combo finishers or whiff punishers, their role as defensive tools with invincibility frames disrupts the natural pacing and strategic depth inherent to competitive Tekken.
Misleading Visual Feedback
Additionally, the punishment mechanics surrounding Rage Arts reveal inconsistencies. Certain characters benefit from generic launchers, easily capitalising on punishing Rage Arts. In contrast, others like Heihachi and Bryan face difficulties due to slow recovery animations and visual stagger effects that mislead players into thinking moves are safe. This disparity further undermines the balance and fairness integral to high-level play.
Tekken 8 also presents issues with input consistency, exacerbating frustration during critical match moments. Players have reported frequent input errors due to the game’s sensitivity, particularly affecting execution-heavy characters reliant on precise frame inputs, like Heihachi with his electrics. These challenges often result in missed opportunities, costing players valuable rounds and discouraging technical playstyles.
Another dimension worth noting is the disparity between character balancing. Some characters clearly dominate due to their advantageous move sets and mechanics, overshadowing others who struggle significantly. This imbalance creates an uneven competitive landscape, limiting player choice and forcing competitive players into selecting from a narrow pool of viable characters.
Additionally, the visual feedback provided during gameplay occasionally contradicts actual mechanics. Punishable moves sometimes visually imply safety due to delayed animations, confusing players and making the learning curve unnecessarily steep. This inconsistency contributes to confusion, particularly among newer players, complicating their ability to learn and adjust effectively.
Tekken 8 Season 1’s gameplay decisions around movement, chip damage, healing, Rage Arts, input consistency, character balance and visual clarity fundamentally alter the game’s dynamics, challenging traditional Tekken gameplay. As Season 2 approaches, the community eagerly anticipates adjustments that could address these issues, potentially restoring balance, strategic depth and enjoyment to this iconic fighting franchise.
Leave a Reply