E3 2016: The 5 Biggest Takeaways From Our Hands-On Time With Tekken 7

What’s the Story?

Tekken 7 will be the final chapter in the Mishima Family Bloodline Saga. For those of you who have absolutely no idea what that is, the saga followed Heihachi (one of the series’ main characters) and his family as they dealt with the Tekken Tournament, the Devil Gene, family conflict, and pretty much all out war with other fighters and companies. The tale follows the evil of the Mishima family and attempts at redemption, so it will be interesting to see how Bandai Namco plans on closing the whole thing out.

Something that may pique your interest is that the story will be played out before, during, and after fights. Cutscenes will lead right into the action that fans have come to know and love. Characters will talk and and change scenes mid-battle adding a much more dynamic experience. The developers are taking the story very seriously and it shines through in every fight.

New Characters

Fighting games live and die on their rosters, especially sequels. Tekken 7 is no different, so of course the developers are throwing in several new, unique fighters. The ones that have been unveiled so far are:

• Katarina Alves
• Gigas
• Shaheen
• Lucky Chloe
• Claudio Serafinao
• Kazumi Mishima
• Devil Kazumi
• Akuma (Street Fighter)

The two that may jump out at your are Devil Kazumi and Street Fighter’s Akuma, who are powerful beings that add a new level of challenge to Tekken. The other new characters may not immediately jump out at you but don’t pass them over. They each bring their own particular flair to every fight, so you may just find a new favorite.

New Mechanics

Tekken 7 adds some brand new mechanics into the fold to make both make the game more accessible and to provide more gameplay options to players.

• Rage Arts – Use the power of your rage to pull of a quick, powerful attack.

• Rage Drive – Similar to Arts, only you’ll have the added bonus of a unique effect depending on which character you’re using.

• Power Crushes – Sacrifice a bit of your health to continue a combo and keep your opponent on the ropes.

Learning to master these new techniques will help you dominate matches in Tekken 7.

Akuma

Akuma is a lot more than just a new character in Tekken 7. He comes from Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise, but this is more than just your typical crossover. Bandai Namco could’ve easily just shoehorned him into the game, and most players wouldn’t have batted an eyelash. However, the developers went above and beyond in adding this fighter into the fold. Here’s everything that makes this Street Fighter more than just an extra character:

• Story – Akuma made a deal with Kazumi, Heihachi’s wife. He promised to eliminate Heiachi and Kazuya and he’s adamant about keeping up his end of the bargain.

• Move Set – Akuma has his full move set in Tekken 7 so fans of Street Fighter will recognize his combat. However, all of his attacks have been retooled to fit the realm of Tekken making sure he stays deadly in all dimensions.

• EX Meter – Akuma is the only character who has this meter, which allows him to keep his Street Fighter roots.

Akuma is fully realized, so prepare yourself for a real treat.

When Can You Play It?

Information on Tekken 7 is all well and good, but what fans really want to know is when they can get their hands on this brand new fighter. Unfortunately, Bandai Namco has yet to provide an exact date for when this latest entry will release. They did however provide a release window, “early 2017.” Whether or not that means first quarter or first half of the coming year is unknown, but it at least means you’ll be fighting your friends (and enemies) before next summer.

Tekken 7 will be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Are you excited for the upcoming fighter? What character are you looking forward to using most? Feel free to let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to check back in for updates as we find out more about Tekken 7.