Bandai Namco
Tekken 8: We played with Heihachi Mishima, who returns stronger than ever
Just like in the comics, it seems that not many people stay dead in Tekken. We played with the mighty Heihachi and got a glimpse into the future of the game.
No matter that we’ve seen him thrown off a cliff or into a river of lava, or that Game Director Katsuhiro Harada himself has declared him dead, Heihachi Mishima is back in Tekken with the game’s third DLC character when Update 1.08 becomes available. During a preview event, we had the chance to play with the martial arts legend, who is back as strong as ever.
Death is good for Heihachi
Before playing with one of the most iconic characters in the Tekken franchise, we had the opportunity to speak with Michael Murray, Producer of Tekken 8, who also gave us a preview of what is to come in the next update.
The main course of the DLC will be Heihachi, who will be integrated into the game as the 3rd DLC character. Like all the characters in the game, he has a brand new character model and the use of the Unreal Engine is noticeable from his powerful muscles to his bushy eyebrows to the energy elements and the mysterious fist mark that sometimes appears on his chest.
The character is strong and has a number of attacks that make him very powerful. One of the character’s peculiarities is that if you connect a heat attack three times, you will accumulate a power that, when released, will make Heihachi slightly faster and stronger for a limited time. This power is well-balanced because you won’t be able to do it every round.
Regarding the balance, Murray told us, “He’s always been kind of strong, everyone says the Mishima are strong as a whole, right, but we never see them play high in tournaments because it’s very difficult to execute. The stance still takes a lot of skill out of it. It’s very powerful and very dominant, but most of those attacks are high or mid-attacks. So he doesn’t have a lot of good options like low attacks. So that’s another one of those weaknesses.”
As for his return, Murray mentioned that the decision to bring him back was “the reason for the timing is that this year, if you remember, Tekken, the arcade version came out in ‘94. This is actually the 30th anniversary. And when we were thinking of cool ways to celebrate the 30th anniversary, we came to the conclusion that it’s kind of hard if you’re missing Heihachi.”
Along with Heihachi, a new stage will also be coming as paid content, Genmaji Temple, a circular arena that will change during the day with the fall of the leaves, while at night we will be able to see the falling snow. This is a temple isolated in a mountain shelter, with what appears to be martial artists testing their balance and fighting techniques in the background. In addition, there is the option to play in a sunny environment during the spring, which gives a much warmer atmosphere.
The Future of Tekken 8 This Fall: Free Content and Partnerships
Update 1.08 will not only bring a new character and scenario, but will also include free content that will attract players’ attention. The first is an expansion to the story mode with new chapters called Unforgotten Echoes, which will allow us to play with Eddy Gordo, Lidia Sobieska and Heihachi Mishima for free. This is the first time that Tekken has expanded its story to include other characters, and players will be able to try out these 3 characters that came as extras without having to spend a penny.
On the other hand, the collaborations with real-life brands continue. First, Nike will release two sneakers inspired by Jin and Kazuya as part of the free Season Pass. On the other hand, Korean eyewear brand GENTLE MONSTER will offer Kazuya-inspired eyewear as a free in-store item for a limited time.
Tekken 8 and Heihachi Mishima update arrives on September 30 as Early Access and an official launch on October 3rd at 4:00 PM PT.