Only a few characters really slide into the background.Įach fighter has their own unique Rage Arts and Rage Drives, attacks that are accessible when players drop to 25 percent of their health bar and can knock off a third of an opponent’s life. While it’s rewarding to master one or two characters, I was pushed to try many more, thanks to the game’s diverse, weird cast. This entry’s new fighters - anime pop star Lucky Chloe, demon-fueled Kazumi, tricky ninja Master Raven - slot nicely into that framework. It still feels good to dance around opponents, poke into their space and find that perfect opening to build a combo on.

One of the best things about Tekken has always been its fluidity of movement and combos, and that’s not lost in Tekken 7. Most importantly, players can sidestep into the foreground and background, more fully utilizing the three-dimensional space. Moves are built around a directional input and button press, instead of quarter- or half-circle motions. Instead of light or heavy attacks, each face button is mapped to a limb: left arm, right arm, left leg and right leg. Tekken’s mechanics are different from those of other fighting games. Its unique take on 3D fighting has survived the ages, even though - or perhaps because - the basic recipe hasn’t been altered too much. We’re treated to a more beautiful, fluid and gratifying Tekken with this seventh iteration.

The struggles between Heihachi, Kazuya, Jin and everyone else still caught in their webs may start to feel a little tired, but the fighting bits are the best yet. Tekken 7 proves that family grudges are just as hard to kill as the franchise’s resilient characters, who reappear Lazarus-like as soon as they’re needed. You’d think that after 23 years, someone could be forgiven for throwing his son off a cliff and leaving him for dead.

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