Tekken 8 Review (Midori)
I really can't endorse Namco in how they released this game with zero mentions of microtransactions only to release a whole store and battlepass weeks later. Eventually people will forget how fucked up that was.
The endless Tekken themed junk merchandise they're pushing makes the whole thing feel fruity, too.
I'm not strictly anti battlepass, but the items in there are utter garbage, no seriously, the sphere from blender is being sold to us alongside mostly recycled stuff directly ported from older games. Ugh.
Not to mention character stages not being part of the season pass, needing to be purchased separately with no prior indication of this being the case. Holy greed.
At least frame data is free, the game is mostly fun, it looks lovely and they are actively making changes and balance adjustments. The music is massively hit and miss as usual, but thankfully we have the jukebox now.
What do I think would be best personally?
- Overhaul the heat system, because at the moment it dilutes the game into a constant back and forth of lame 50:50s due to the massive plus frames.
- Use the money made by the game and battle pass sales to put worthwhile items in the battle pass
- OR scrap the battle pass and distribute the customisations items differently, whatever, just put effort into it please.
- Pretend arcade quest doesn't exist, stop making paid items for it, hardly anyone uses it.
- Stop making every rage art take place in the shadow realm
- Add Josie not Bruce
- Allow players to watch replays containing characters they don't own
To their credit, they did make a battle pass that doesn't cause FOMO. Merely because of how none of the items in it are ever enticing or worth losing sleep over. ^^;
Jokes aside, credit where it's due:
Thank you for opting to not use Denuvo
Thank you for adding Jukebox Mode
Thank you for making frame data free
Thank you for giving singleplayer content love
Thank you for adding tutorials/replay mode
Thank you for re-adding infinite rematches in QP
And thank you for still being the best FG series.
Even after being shafted, Many of us love this game and series, and Namco know it, so we're at their mercy.
Do I recommend the game? I am so ambivalent...
I know Tekken 7 had a rocky start and became good, before turning into busted DLC hell near the end, but I don't know where Tekken 8 is headed, I don't like most of what I've seen so far direction-wise, so I lean towards no.
I will update the the review if it becomes a good game, but even then, the battlepass bait and switch will leave a sour taste for a while.