The Iron Fist continues in this look at Bandai Namco’s stunning Tekken 8

If you’re a fighting game fan in general, or a Tekken fan in specific, it’s going to be tough not to get pumped for Bandai Namco’s Tekken 8.

Family reunion

Heihachi may be gone, but Tekken 7 was far from the end of the Tekken storyline, which kicked off in 1994’s original. For that matter, it wasn’t the end of the Mishima family either.

The world lies in ruins as Tekken 8 opens, caught in the middle of a war between father and son, as the demonic Kazuya Mishima tries to crush his son, Jin Kazama. Throw in the surprise return of Jun Kazama, and you’ve got a family reunion that even a six-foot sandwich couldn’t save.

“Fist Meets Fate” in the dramatic new storyline in TEKKEN 8. The TEKKEN series holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest-running video game storyline. TEKKEN 8 continues the tragic saga of the Mishima and Kazama bloodlines and their world-shaking father-and-son grudge matches. This latest saga begins where the previous title left off, with a world mired deep in the devastating war between Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama. After suffering what seems to be a defeat from Kazuya, Jin faces his own fate. His mother, Jun Kazama, appears after her absence from the TEKKEN franchise to try and turn the tide in this blood feud.

Bandai Namco press release

Along with the storyline reveal, the above trailer also gave fans their first looks at Paul Phoenix, Marshall Law, King, Lars Alexandersson, and Jack-8. Bandai Namco says that all of the character models and animation have been “built from the ground up to make the most out of the current generation of consoles.” Looking at that trailer, I don’t think the company actually had to spell it out.

What might need a little explaining though, is the Heat System.

Retaining TEKKEN’s unique fighting game identity, the game will provide both players and spectators with the series‘ most thrilling experience yet with visceral screen-jarring attacks and environments that are both dynamic and destructible. The trailer highlights an all-new game mechanic called the “Heat System,” which triggers aggressive attacks with special moves and enhancements for each character’s abilities.

Bandai Namco press release

Loads more to come on this one, as the current-gen-exclusive Tekken 8 has no release date just yet.