One particular chapter in the story is textbook filler content, disrupting flow with an awkward third-person lock-on combat style for the side-fighters’ token cameos. One notably laughable story moment between Feng and Leroy introduced and ended Feng’s goal of becoming a Dragon God in a single fight.

The neglect of other fighters in the main story wouldn’t be as upsetting if the attention was given to Character Episodes. An improvement on the almost offensive offering in TEKKEN 7, yet these five-match miniature campaigns feel rushed, with no more than a short intro and roughly minute-long cutscene as a reward. Most of the stories themselves don’t do anything exciting or fun, either. Character Episodes aren’t as engaging as they could be, missing the heart and charm from much earlier instalments.

While I’ve been hard on the story, it’s indisputably bombastic. It’s the silliest TEKKEN in all the fun ways. If it was constructed with more care and thought in the final half, with more effort put into Character Episodes, this would be a fan-favourite narrative for many.

Back on the more technical side of mechanics, recoverable health’s interaction with chip damage during an opponent’s Heat activation creates a dynamic ebb and flow, encouraging you to be always mindful of health. The white section in the health bar represents recoverable health, which gradually replenishes over time. Once health drops below a certain threshold, you enter the Rage state, amplifying damage dealt and reducing chip damage taken. The inclusion of Rage Arts becomes a potential game-changer, offering a strategic response to opponents spamming unsafe moves or Special Style combos. While not as powerful as TEKKEN 6 Rage damage, tactical thinking and health management are crucial in competitive fights with this update.

All the mechanic changes lean on faster and more hostile playstyles for all characters. A handful of fighters on the roster still allow for a more considered approach, such as keep-away fighters like Jack, but there’s also so much more advantage in rushing down an opponent. While there are admittedly no surprising crossovers at this time, the roster still has heaps of range with returning characters and a handful of newbies who are soon to be favourites. I’m interested to see how the meta evolves when professional players get decent time with the game.

The return of TEKKEN Ball after a decade brings more value to the package. Fans have been yearning to play volleyball with a deadly twist since its last appearance in TEKKEN Tag Tournament 2. While it is not a full campaign or going to provide hours of content, it is a fun distraction that you and your friends can mess around with for a while. All these additional modes are nostalgic, almost reminiscent of TEKKEN 3’s massive range of game modes to play.

You will unlock customisation rewards by playing through TEKKEN 8’s several modes or challenging Arcade Quest avatars with treasure icons. In customisation, you can now adjust certain objects’ size and position on characters for a little more creativity in the unique looks you make. Personalising your fighters, Arcade Quest avatar and game music selected from prior TEKKEN entries is great value. While the customisation options don’t feel much larger than TEKKEN 7, there’s still lots to play around with to create unique looks.

Game Director Kohei Ikeda emphasised the importance of achieving high graphic quality and the responsiveness of the game combined in early interviews. The PlayStation 5 has incredibly short load times which gets you in and out of fights quickly. The haptics of the DualSense controller makes you feel the impact of attacks, especially with the use of the Heat system. TEKKEN 8’s visual and sensory elements synergise to create a remarkable TEKKEN experience.

The series has a storied history of incomparable soundtracks, seamlessly blending genres to complement the intense fighting gameplay. As you’d expect, the game opens with a blood-pumping intro cinematic with exciting music to match. The music continues to be brilliant with so many different moods, from drum and bass to distorted electric guitars, for each stage and character. While the game hasn’t given me an earworm like Yoshimitsu’s theme from TEKKEN Tag Tournament, I’m sure that you’ll find something to love sonically. Each instalment has built upon the legacy of its predecessors, offering a diverse musical selection that caters to a wide range of tastes.