As a long-time gamer with a deep affection for the Tekken series, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I heard that Heihachi Mishima would be making his triumphant return in Tekken 8. Having grown up playing this iconic fighting game franchise since its early days, I have fond memories of facing off against the formidable patriarch of the Mishima clan in numerous battles.
I was sure Heihachi Mishima had met his match and bid farewell to the Tekken universe, but it turns out his demise was merely exaggerated. Exciting news for me as a fan: Heihachi is set to make a comeback in Tekken 8! Although Mortal Kombat dominated 2023 with its release, Bandai Namco kicked off 2024 in true fighting game style by dropping Tekken 8 in January.
Just like Mortal Kombat adds new fighters through downloadable content, Tekken 8 has been doing the same thing. Recently, Eddy Gordo and Lidia Sobieska have joined the game as newcomers. Now, it’s time for the infamous Heihachi Mishima to make his entrance in the ring.
Tekken 8 trailer confirms the return of Heihachi Mishima
Nine years after apparently meeting his demise in Tekken 7, the Iron Fist King, or Heihachi as some may know him, is back from the dead. Those who were disappointed by his absence in the game’s initial lineup may now find solace in this unexpected turn of events.
As a gamer speaking about my experience with IGN, I can tell you that during an interview, Tekken’s creators Katsuhiro Harada and Kohei Ikeda shared some fascinating insights into Heihachi’s astonishing comeback in Tekken 7. “With the narrative heavily centered around Heihachi and Kazuya’s storyline, we felt it was essential to deliver a satisfying conclusion, which unfortunately seemed like his demise at that moment” Harada explained.
After Tekken 8 was launched, we devoted significant resources to its captivating storyline. Fan response was overwhelmingly positive. Simultaneously, there was a growing sentiment among players and us that his absence was felt. Consequently, it was decided later on to bring him back.
The signs Heihachi was coming back were there all along, with Ikeda reminding us that Reina was a link to him, while the 30th-anniversary logo is comprised of Devil’s wings: “There are two different styles, but if you take a step back and look at, it actually looks like the silhouette of Heihachi’s face. Right? So, we were doing some of the preparations in the background.”
Ikeda shares that although the duo keeps quiet about Heihachi’s background, they focused on replicating his robust gameplay from the Tekken series for Tekken 8. A hint was dropped in the return trailer, suggesting that monks might influence his fighting style.
When I first heard about the new characters coming in for Season 1, I was excited to learn that Eddy, Lidia, Craig, and Fahkumram were supposedly joining the roster. But then Heihachi was announced as the third fighter instead of Craig. This shift makes me wonder if there’s a chance Fahkumram might not be making an appearance just yet…at least for the moment.
I can’t wait for the next installment of Tekken, The Dark Awakens, due out in fall 2024. Sadly, that means Heihachi Mishima will still be causing mischief in Tekken 8 for a bit longer, keeping us gamers on our toes until then.
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2024-07-22 13:42