Tekken 8 has become one of the most wildly popular fighting games since its release in January 2024. The reveal trailer for Heihachi Mishima as the next DLC has many fans excited and looking forward to what else is in store for the game. However, the character has some wondering where the franchise could go, especially in how the next entry in the mainline entry will follow up what has come before it. This leads some to believe that the next Tekken game could benefit from borrowing an idea that Mortal Kombat 1 pulled off.
The story of Tekken 8 and all the games before it can be seen as entertaining, but also absurd in how far it has come. Leading up to important events, essential figures such as Kazuya and Heihachi were seen to have been killed, only to be reintroduced into the plot later on. This makes the concept of death in the franchise feel weak, and makes the future stories feel stale as it means the Mishimas will always be the central focus. However, the next game could prevent this by following Mortal Kombat 1's move of resetting the in-game timeline and changing past relationships and key events.
Heihachi's Inclusion in Tekken 8 is a Double-Edged Sword
Heihachi's inclusion in Tekken 8 needs to be handled with care.
How to Justify Tekken 9 Resetting the Timeline
Mortal Kombat 1's new timeline and character origin rework were due to the previous game's ending where Raiden turned Liu Kang into a God and tasked him to restart and rewrite history. This aligns with the franchise's mystical and sometimes outrageous plotline elements, allowing its fans to accept what has happened. When Tekken 9 ever comes out and decides to follow in Mortal Kombat 1's shoes, the game will require a decent explanation of why things have changed. Here are a few ways it can do that:
- The unseen extraterrestrials responsible for Tekken 3's Ogre can finally make an appearance and tie themselves to the plot where their powers involve time-changing abilities
- Kazuya's hunger for world domination can be taken a step further with his wanting to control other worlds, forcing him to develop a way to travel to them
- The origin of the Devil Gene, which could be Azazel or another entity entirely, could succeed in destroying the world and forcing survivors to find a way to restart history
While there aren't exactly many routes that Tekken 9's story could go, changing the timeline could be the direction that's worth pursuing. It provides numerous possibilities to keep the franchise fresh, potentially helping it continue and become even more popular than it is today.
How Resetting the Timeline Can Affect Tekken
Recapping the story of Tekken shows that the Mishimas take the spotlight, leaving some characters not getting the attention they deserve.
Having a timeline change means that characters who may not have prominent roles could become the next central figures, albeit with new purposes. For example, Marshall Law could realize his dreams of wanting to become world-famous, but in a manner that involves using his martial arts prowess and the power of his dojo's students to take over the world.
If not for story purposes, rewriting the timeline could mean characters having entirely new moves. Since they aren't who they once were, it would justify the different attacks and playstyles, switching things up from how people usually play them. While some will not be happy with the change, it can at least intrigue them and maybe become a gateway for newcomers to get into the franchise more easily.
Tekken could pull off a Mortal Kombat reboot by going to a different timeline and changing the history of its characters, but the road toward doing so could be bumpy. While it does guarantee a fresh take on the franchise, it could result in many fans not enjoying the big changes and walking away from the games entirely. If the developers decide to go with that route, they have to do so in a way that will retain and improve the balanced gameplay while having an intriguing story to tell, all so that its fans remain happy and satisfied.
Tekken 8
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- January 26, 2024
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, Arika
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- Tekken
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
