9 Major Differences Between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8

Tekken fans have been anxiously anticipating the launch of Tekken 8 ever since it was announced. It’s about time the next sequel to Tekken 7 came out, with the former being released back in 2015. But the long wait wasn’t for long, as there are some significant differences between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8. From the graphics to the movesets, Tekken 8 has definitely changed things quite a bit. Let’s check out 9 of the top changes coming in Tekken 8.

Differences Between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8

9. Visual Enhancements

Lili's visual glow up from Tekken 7 to Tekken 8 is unreal😍🔥🔥🔥 its the flowing hair for me and the sidelocks and the dress💕💕💕 pic.twitter.com/Y8pkzB8uvB

— 『APO』 (@Maso_Prince) April 23, 2023

The first difference we have to talk about is what’s right in front of us. The visual update to Tekken 8 is definitely a big difference between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8. The main reason for this is the updated engine. Tekken 7 was made on Unreal Engine 4, while Tekken 8 was developed on Unreal Engine 5, an engine with far greater capabilities. Not only does Tekken 8 look better with its stunning visuals and impressive graphics, but it feels different as well.

This is shown through various factors that were previously brushed off, like rain, dirt, and sweat. While these animations were present in Tekken 7 as well, they didn’t really register in the way they do in Tekken 8. Now, when a character falls down or takes a beating, you can see the effects on their clothing. Rain follows the same principle. If characters are made to fight in the rain, you’ll see the drops roll down alongside beads of sweat on their faces.

Also Read: Tekken 8 Stages: Complete List

8. Fighter Pool

Visual updates are all nice and pretty to look at, but when it comes to actual gameplay, there is a significant difference between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 in terms of the fighter pool. Tekken 7 was initially released with 36 characters, while Tekken 8 will be released with an initial roster of 32 fighters. This means that Bandai Namco has decided to take out some irrelevant fighters while adding new playable characters like Azucena, Victor Chevalier, and Reina.

The removed characters include Akuma, Anna Williams, Armour King, Bob, Eliza, Eddy, Fakhuram, Geese, Ganryu, Gigas, Heihachi, Josie, Julia, Katarina, Kazumi, Kunimitsu, Noctis, Negan, Marduk, Lidia, Lei, Lucky Chloe, and Miguel. That might seem like a big group of characters removed from the new game, but trust me, you won’t feel the game getting stale after you see the other differences between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8.

7. PC Requirements

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This one is kind of obvious, given that with every newer version of a game, you’ll need better PC specs to run it on. The same goes for Tekken 8 as you’ll need 100 GB RAM, Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 8 GB RAM and a GTX 1050 Ti or Radeon R9 380X to even run the game. Note that these are the minimum requirements, and the game might not run as smoothly as you want.

This is a big difference between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 as comparatively, Tekken 7 only required 60 GB RAM alongside Intel Core i3-4160 3.60GHz or equivalent CPU, 6 GB RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 2GB to run.

Also Read: Tekken 8 Release Date, System Requirements and Everything We Know So Far

6. Heat System

Now that we’ve gotten some major chunks out of the way, like PC specifications and game engines, it’s time for gameplay changes. Players on Reddit often complained of games feeling repetitive and unoriginal in the Tekken series. This is totally changed in Tekken 8 as Bandai Namco has introduced the Heat System, replacing the Rage Drive.

In order to incentivise players to keep more on the front foot and pressure their opponent, the Heat Engager and Heat Burst Attacks throw the character into a ‘Heat State’ for 10 seconds. This allows the player to access Heat Dash and Heat Smash, powerful manoeuvres that can tilt the battle in your favour.

5. Arcade Quest

If you’re thinking of the Treasure Battle mode from Tekken 7, you’re entirely wrong when it comes to the Arcade Quest mode in Tekken 8. Built around helping newer players have a smooth integration into the game, Arcade Quest allows you to create a brand new character and follow a journey through arcades in order to become better. As you progress, you learn new tips about fighting from your crew and start to face opponents of increasing difficulties.

Some players might not think this feature is a big difference between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, but once it’s released, we’re sure you’ll change your minds. The part that is similar between Arcade Quest and Treasure Battle mode is that players can unlock new cosmetics and customisations by progressing in both.

4. My Replays and Tips Changes

As we slowly work our way through the major features of both games, we reach some major differences between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 in the replays and tips section. This feature was introduced as part of Tekken 7’s second season and allowed players to view their replays in order to improve their gameplay.

Tekken 8 takes this one step further and allows players to practise in real time while also giving tips on what the player did incorrectly. This will allow newer players to practise in replays rather than having to face new opponents each time they want to try out something new. The game also provides various tips on how they can better their gameplay, making learning the game basics so much easier.

3. Storyline

We can’t talk about the big differences between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 and not mention the storyline since, after a long time, we won’t be seeing Heihachi Mishima in the storyline. Tekken 8’s storyline focuses on Kazuya Mishima having defeated Heihachi and now going head-to-head with Jin Kazama.

The content of the storyline isn’t the only thing that’s different as Bandai Namco confirmed that the length of the storyline in Tekken 8 is also quite extensive as compared to Tekken 7. While we don’t know entirely what the plot will encompass, we can only hope it is worth the 9-year-long wait.

Also Read: Is Tekken 8 Cross-Platform and Cross-Play?

2. AI Ghost Play

AI Ghost Play might be one of the most innovative and fruitful differences between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, and here’s why. This new feature in Tekken 8 reads the movement and gameplay patterns of pro players (And also yourself). You can then choose to face off against these players to test your skills. While it obviously won’t be the real thing, it can give you a good idea of what you’re doing wrong or, more importantly, what your opponent is doing right.

These AI learning algorithms are self-learning, meaning as they collect more data, they will only improve and get closer to the real thing, so newer players can use this to their advantage.

1. Tekken Ball

The last big difference between Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 is the addition of a game mode from Tekken Tag Tournament, Tekken Ball. This is an arcade game mode players can find in Fight Lounge, where you need to knock out your opponent using a beach ball. With some new cosmetic upgrades, Tekken Ball is back for some light-hearted fun.

The Bottom Line

The core of Tekken 8 might be similar to Tekken 7, but the two games are not entirely the same. With several major updates being made to Tekken 8, we’re hoping the game will deliver something next level, as we saw with Spider-Man 2. This is to be seen as the release date gets nearer and nearer.