Tekken 8 is the next entry in one of gaming's longest-running storylines, with the Mishima family's successional feud stretching back three whole decades, but the series is still introducing all-new fighters after all this time.
With so many old-timers and newcomers in the mix, hovering over the roster can be extra daunting, which is why the sequel's leads have thankfully revealed who they think the best newbies are.
Director Kohei Ikeda tells Play Magazine in Issue 36 that his favorite new recruit is Azucena, the mixed martial artist from Peru who actually only fights to promote her coffee bean business. Talk about a grinder! Producer Michael Murray, translating on Ikeda's behalf, explains that the director enjoys her "just because he's a big fan of coffee," which is a totally understandable position.
Murray elaborates that the coffee-loving brawler also "has a stance where she can bear attacks automatically" that "feels really good and feels like you’re really strong." Hopefully she can also bear the bear attacks from bear character Kuma.
Murray's own personal favorite is the mysterious high school student Reina, pointing to her striking purple and black fit as one reason for that. "I'm a Mishima player," Murray explains, "and she has the Electric Wind God Fist - and it’s just so satisfying! And her personality!" Murray hints that, for fans, it's difficult to know whether Reina is "a nice person or a bad person." But the producer says he especially likes "villainous characters" - so I’m guessing Reina has a darker side to her.
We'll see which side of the spectrum she lands on when Tekken 8 releases on January 26 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Gamesradar's recent Tekken 8 preview had praise for the upcoming fighter's fierce and fiercely weird roster, its story campaign, and its all-new Arcade Quest mode, which lets you create a Mii-like avatar to roam around an actual arcade.
Will Tekken 8 be a challenger on the best fighting games throne?
