Heihachi’s Surprising Return In Tekken 8 Rights The Fighting Game Roster’s Greatest Wrong

When it launched close to the beginning of the yr, Tekken 8 was praised for its dazzling visuals, over-the-top storytelling, gameplay give attention to aggression and offense, and excellent forged of characters. Although lots of the collection’ mainstays had been current at launch, Bandai Namco ignored just a few heavy hitters. The first season of post-launch content material is steadily remedying that, because it kicked off with fan-favorite capoeira grasp Eddy Gordo being added to the sport after which adopted that up with the addition of relative newcomer and Polish karateka Lidia Sobieska. Nevertheless, a Mishima-shaped gap remained within the Tekken 8 roster.

And it is sensible. In any case, Heihachi, who has served because the collection’ fundamental antagonist, canonically died on the finish of Tekken 7’s story. Or so we thought. It seems he one way or the other survived being tossed right into a river of lava by his son and Tekken 8 antagonist, Kazuya. Provided that Tekken takes place in a world the place characters can journey bikes up skyscrapers and right into a helicopter, survive the following explosion and crash into the bottom, after which emerge with no scratch and rework right into a satan to punch their opponent via buildings, we most likely needn’t overthink how Heihachi might have survived his lava-snorkeling expedition.

Nevertheless, should you simply must know the way the collection’ dangerous man is again, you are in luck, as–in addition to including Heihachi to the roster–the model 1.08 replace brings an all-new aspect story referred to as Unforgotten Echoes, which fits into explaining how the large dangerous has returned. Heihachi and his stage, Genmaji Temple, be part of the roster as a part of the paid Character 12 months 1 Go, however the model 1.08 replace is free to all gamers. That replace additionally provides new collaboration gadgets with Nike and Light Monster, and extra quality-of-life updates like on-line apply and fundamental menu customization.

“I keep in mind the preliminary discussions once we had been speaking about what to do for the thirtieth anniversary of the franchise, we had been considering, ‘That is actually arduous to do with out Heihachi, who’s such a central determine to the franchise,'” recreation director Kohei “Nakatsu” Ikeda mentioned.

Unforgotten Echoes focuses on the three post-launch characters Tekken 8 has obtained to this point–Eddy, Lidia, and Heihachi–in a story that takes place in parallel to the principle Tekken 8 story. As a result of it is free to all gamers, it is an opportunity for many who have not bought the 12 months 1 Go to strive the brand new characters. If gamers aren’t acquainted with Eddy’s capoeira combos or Lidia’s karate-focused assaults, they’re going to have an opportunity to discover ways to play them and familiarize themselves with their tales. However the spotlight is actually the circumstances surrounding Heihachi’s return.

“As a result of Nakatsu and I made it look so convincing that he died in Tekken 7, we will not simply throw him within the recreation and say, ‘A-ha! We fooled you!'” recreation producer Michael Murray says. “It is a factor we frequently discuss with the franchise: There’s acquired to be some type of motivation and feeling of believability to the situation, to some extent. It was actually necessary to point out individuals why he’s not lifeless, and to make it really feel real and genuine. So, we actually wanted to have that story to point out that backdrop earlier than we launch Heihachi.”

I performed via the whole thing of Unforgotten Echoes, although I can solely speak concerning the first 5 chapters. Whereas the next textual content will comprise some minor spoilers, I’ll do my greatest to maintain them to a minimal. The first two chapters star Eddy as he re-enters the fray with Tekken Pressure on a mission to South America. After fights in opposition to a few of the fundamental roster, together with just a few fights in opposition to a number of opponents in succession, the attitude shifts to Lidia.

The Polish Prime Minister has developed a repute for saving New York within the wake of Kazuya’s assault, and he or she is quickly approached by Reina. After all, the 2 discover a cause to struggle, however after the mud settles, Lidia remarks that one thing smells off as spears plant within the floor and launch smoke round her. The Tekken Monks seem as obvious hallucinations as a voice emanates from the smoke.

The voice tells Lidia to seek out him, which kicks off Chapter 4. Lidia travels to Genmaji Temple, the place she meets the Tekken Monks head to head. This group is dedicated to restoring the purity of the Mishima Type, which they really feel has been corrupted. They consider a stability of thoughts, physique, and approach is of utmost significance, and on this ultimate chapter starring Lidia, that’s her aim.

In the final chapter I will discuss, you lastly take management of Heihachi, who has been residing with the Monks for the final six months. Heihachi misplaced his reminiscence after the occasions of Tekken 7, and his look and persona are rather more subdued because of this.

“The dev workforce felt it was vital in portraying Heihachi and the way he got here again from being just about lifeless […] it was, like, if we simply introduced him again and he is up and working, he is evil, and he is slugging it out with Kazuya once more, it is not as fascinating as having him lose part of himself,” Ikeda says. “And ‘”What would he seem like if he is only a good individual?'” which we have by no means seen prior to now. That is most likely extra intriguing to the participant base as they comply with that journey, that story arc of Heihachi.”

(*8*)

His sometimes pointy hair lays flat throughout his shoulders, and he dons apparel extra befitting of a Monk than a warrior martial artist. Nevertheless, concern not: His iconic look is an choice, and Heihachi’s fashion is much more overbearing than earlier than. This performs completely into the offensive gameplay of Tekken 8.

“We needed to make him extra aggressive and extra highly effective than previous iterations, like much less poking, et cetera,” Ikeda says. “We targeted on his mid and excessive assaults, the place he had quite a lot of robust choices to start with, however to make them even stronger on this iteration, and in addition by including these two stances–the Thunder God and the Wind God–those strategies that got here out of which might be simply far more highly effective than you’ve got seen in previous iterations, and so they could come much more aligned to that idea of being aggressive and happening the offensive in opposition to your opponent.”

After Chapter 5 closes out with a mysterious point out of a vow of some kind, I performed via the remainder of the story mode to comply with via on that narrative thread. Sadly, I am unable to speak concerning the remaining chapters, so with that, I transfer on to Versus matches.

As I get to know Heihachi’s fashion a bit extra, I begin feeling like he would possibly turn out to be one among my mains. His powerhouse fashion embodies that sense of stability the Tekken Monks are striving for within the Unforgotten Echoes storyline, with thoughts, physique, and approach informing his actions and combos. I liked studying his combos and methods to greatest leverage his devastating Warmth Smash assaults, and pulling off stance switches, which open up new strikes. Heihachi additionally incorporates a new Warrior’s Intuition mode, which makes him extra highly effective, however can solely be triggered after three makes use of of Warmth in a match, which means it could solely be utilized in Spherical 3 or later.

I spent my whole time in Versus on the beautiful new Genmaji Temple stage, which is a mountain temple with Japanese structure. If you first step into it, it has a nightfall autumn setting, whereas later rounds transition to a nighttime winter backdrop. In case you desire a much less moody model of the surroundings, you may choose a plain daytime variant of the stage as nicely.

After enjoying via a number of Versus matches, together with just a few in opposition to Kazuya (you get a particular animation between him and Heihachi in the beginning of a match if the 2 are dealing with off), I made a decision to take a look at the character customization. Tekken is thought for its zany customization choices, and Tekken 8 actually carried ahead that custom. I used the tip of my time to create a youthful model of Heihachi with lengthy, black hair and a scruffy beard, in addition to a model rocking a Freddy Krueger sweater and a loaf of bread round his face. Irrespective of how cool or hilarious you wish to make Heihachi look, you could be certain he’ll nonetheless play it 100% straight-faced.

For the reason that collection’ inception, Heihachi has performed a serious function within the Tekken storyline. Whereas his presence was actually felt in the principle story via characters like Reina, it is good to have the franchise’s large dangerous again on the roster-select display screen. And once you add in a brand new aspect story and a ravishing new stage, this fall’s replace is trying to be Tekken 8’s most substantial but.

Heihachi, the Genmaji Temple, the Unforgotten Echoes story mode, and the remainder of model 1.08 arrive on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X|S, and PC variations of Tekken 8 this fall.