Heihachi was announced as the third DLC character forTekken 8, following in the steps of Eddy Gordo and Lidia for Season One. There’s still a fourth DLC character that’s unannounced to close out Season One that will be this Winter, but Heihachi is looking to have the deepest move set of any character in the game to date. The next title update will be the biggest forTekken 8as it introduces an additional story involving the DLC characters to this point. Bandai Namco invited us out to put our hands on this new story and check out Heihachi ahead of the release.Early access for this update will be on September 30th at 4 PM PST, with the full release set for October 3rd at 4 PM PST.
Patch 1.08 Brings the Goods
There’s more than just a story being added toTekken 8with this latest update. Headlining this new update outside of Heihachi and the additional story is the addition of a new stage.The beach level was added with a previous update and 1.08 will add the Genmaji Temple with two options for time-of-day.This beautiful backdrop takes place in a stone circular arena set in the forest and a temple in the background. The Daytime version of the stage does not feature any environmental changes, but the general stage will change seasons on each match adding a different atmosphere to each battle. The music was also specifically composed for this level to further add to this atmosphere. Genmaji Temple may end up being the new go-to stage for each match and brings back emotions of Tekken’s past.
The newest patch has some other tidbits that are notable.Players can finally set the character that they want to show on the homescreen, whereas in the past it would showcase Kazuya, then the next two DLC characters in Eddy and Lidia.The devs also added an online practice area within the Tekken Fight Lounge, which has been requested by the community. There will now be a dedicated area for this. Lastly, some new licensed content will be coming toTekken 8. Nike will be added with the shoe that was revealed during EVO and Gentle Monster will be including sun glasses in the game.
The beach level was added with a previous update and 1.08 will add the Genmaji Temple with two options for time-of-day.
Heihachi Returns as Tekken 8 DLC Character
Heihachi is not dead after all in Tekken 8.
New Story: The Dark Awakens
The new story is called The Dark Awakens and will take place alongside the main story rather than trying to pigeonhole it as something that happens before or after.This will be eight chapters that will explain how and why Heihachi is alive, but there won’t be any major spoilers today. The Dark Awakens will be included for free and feature the current DLC characters and their involvement in the overall narrative ofTekken 8. A side team to Lars' team from the main story is lead by Eddy and includes both Yoshimitsu and Lidia. Eddy is tasked with proving the team is onboard with challenging Jin and having a confrontation with Nina as rumors emerge of Heihachi possibly being alive.
Once the chapters with Eddy are done, Lidia will then become playable in the story as the team nears closer to finding out the truth. Lidia begins to hear a voice luring her to a specific location. Lidia will encounter Reina which will open the door on the whole thing. There are heavy plot points in this story that will grip fans of the main story just as much as it did at release. Much like the main story, this will allow players to get acclimated with the latest characters in the game.
How Does Heihachi Play in Tekken 8?
Heihachi is poised to have the deepest character gameplay across the board.While he trends more towards a powerful and overbearing character with our experience through testing, Heihachi actually has three different phases that unlock more moves the deeper into the match.The team wanted Heihachi to be more aggressive but with passive relations. Focus was put on high attacks and mid attack.
Heihachi is poised to have the deepest character gameplay across the board.
Heihachi will actually have two stances with the Thunder God and the Wind Guide. These can be switched on the fly. With each round, Heihachi will gain another level, and this means Heihachi’s final form will not be met if the third round isn’t reached. While Eddy and Lidia have a similar aspect, Heihachi seems to be deeper. There’s an icon under the life bar that will light up in three different portions. There will be much more to master with Heihachi.
With this addition, we asked Michael Murray and Nakatsu about the DLC characters potentially having an advantage with this aspect.It was relayed, “It mainly comes down to the timing. At launch, there was only so much time to hit the deadline for the release with a cast of 32 characters, which is pretty respectable. That was a lot to create and since the game launched, there is more time to invest on four characters. So, more resources, vetting the concept and then planning for the strategy of the character and what their tools will be. It comes down to timing.”
