IIt's been nearly 30 years since the original Tekken hit arcades, facing off against Sega's Virtua Fighter and starting a decade-long battle for 3D fighting supremacy. The game's smooth, detailed 3D visuals, engaging characters, and easy-to-access four-button control system brought a new generation of fans to the fighting game genre when it debuted on PlayStation. Subsequent installments in the series have built on that solid track record, although they haven't always had the same impact. . Tekken 7 was a subtle step forward that rewarded dedicated players, but Tekken 8 feels like the first version in a while that truly ups the ante and appeals to newcomers. The result is a thrilling and vibrant video game.

For the uninitiated, Tekken 8 is the latest in a series of fighting games from arcade legends Namco. In this game, a group of brilliantly flashy warriors compete to win the King of Iron Fist tournament in his one-on-one battles in a closed arena. Players fight against increasingly powerful computer-controlled enemies in arcade and story modes, and against each other in local and online competitive matches.

Unlike 2D fighting games such as Street Fighter, characters can not only move on a 2D plane, but also pivot around each other, which adds a sense of depth. The combat system is also very different. In Tekken he uses four buttons, each controlling a different limb, so his basic move set is his two kicks and his two punches, and pressing two at the same time gives you access to a throw. Masu. You can chain button presses into sequences to access more powerful combinations (combos), and pressing both the short and long sides of the D-pad analog stick adds even more force. Tactics range from attacking the opponent with quick jabs and kicks to drain their defenses, to juggling the opponent in the air like a deranged circus performer.

Each fighter has a unique style that combines real martial arts and quasi-magical attacks. There's a ridiculous backstory about the Mishima family during the war, and they're like the Roy family from Succession, but with more wrestling and throwing each other into volcanoes. One of his characters in the game is a giant panda. That's pretty much all you need to know.

If it sounds like a relic from a bygone era, it is and it is not. Tekken 8 is a graphic and technical marvel, and his 32 characters are exquisitely detailed, exquisitely animated, and packed with personality and dignity. In addition to veteran fighters such as the rogue American street fighter Paul Phoenix and the psychic wildlife warden Jun Kazama (returning after a long hiatus), there are also three newcomers: Victor, Reina, and nervous coffee genie Azucena. . Nina Williams in a purple dress with tassels, Sergei Dragunov in high-heeled biker boots, giant cyborg Jack-8 showing off his crushing telescopic fists, all looking incredible That's the feeling.

With so many characters, the characters might feel the same, but there's real diversity here, so whether you're flying through the skies as Alisa Bosconovitch, a beautiful jet-powered android, or Zafina's You can also crawl with creepy tarantulas. The combo gives her a stunning light show of flames and pulsating energy waves. The sound effects that accompany every movement, such as bone-crushing impacts and whiplash sounds, are also fun. The sheer nuclear force of a king suplex or a kick to Li Chaolan's jaw reverberates through the speakers like a crazy Shaw Brothers fight scene at maximum volume.

Critical to Tekken 8's success are two new features: Heat and Arcade Quest. Heat His system, accessed via the right shoulder button, supercharges the fighter for a short period of time, giving them devastating smash moves and ensuring regular attacks do damage even when an opponent is blocking. However, the Heat only have access to him once per game, so timing is everything. Do you activate it early to get a head start, or do you save it as a sort of “get out of nowhere” card for when you’re pushed into a corner?

In the latter situation, Tekken 8 also uses a new interpretation of the Rage system introduced in Tekken 6, which adds extra power to your moves when your health drops below a certain point. In this game, you can also use the character Rage's art. This is an epic super move that will destroy your opponent. My favorite so far is Brian Fury's absolutely crushing storm of mega-punch, culminating in a laser-guided haymaker capable of knocking the moon out of orbit. While Rage doesn't quite match the fighting sim Mario Kart Blue Shell, it does imbue you with a never-say-die attitude that lets you see matches thrillingly turned upside down on the brink of death. .

Then there's Arcade Quest, a sort of narrative role-playing tutorial mode. Create your avatar and travel through the coin-op palace, training key moves and combos while battling non-player characters who offer hints and encouragement. As you win matches and win certain challenges, you unlock new items and rewards, making this a really fun and highly effective way to learn.

It's also a great preview of the online multiplayer mode, which takes your avatar into a vibrant hub world known as the Fight Lounge (which seems like a lot of clubs I've been to), and where you can play with others. You can meet players and challenge them to a duel. There's also a chat system and a place to customize your character and play a light-hearted game of Tekken Ball, your answer to volleyball. I love the attempt to remind me of the arcade atmosphere of the 1980s and 1990s and emphasize friendly competition and camaraderie. Indeed, Tekken 8 producer Michael Murray said, called it “A love letter to arcade culture.”

As someone who has been playing Tekken since 1995, once smashing a PlayStation controller into pieces trying to beat Kazuya Mishima in Tekken 2, and as a young games journalist, I found myself writing for the official PlayStation Magazine. As someone who used to take countless screenshots of Yoshimitsu's helicopter in the game room, Stomp, Tekken 8 is a lot of fun. It's both familiar and new, quirky and intuitive, and accomplishes what all good fighting games do. It feels incredible when you pull off a series of elusive movements with almost ballet-like effect. Tekken was once looked down upon by Street Fighter and Virtua Fighter veterans as a flashy poser, with its combos seen as too automated and unexpressive. But subsequent Tekken titles have added subtle complications, and now in Tekken 8, everyone wants to see how it works.

The King of Iron Fist Tournament is being called. Once again, it's time to answer.