Summary
Proving itself as one of the fastest selling of its entire franchise and receiving widespread acclaim from more than just fans of the genre,Tekken 8may actually have the potential to last for almost a decade if it follows inTekken 7’s footsteps. The narrative conclusion to the arcs of both Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama has even earnedTekken 8praise for its story, but the closure of its ending might spell trouble for eventually continuing it in the next game’s story.
It can seem like a stagnant tale of repeated familial conflicts from the outside, but manyTekkenplayers are familiar with the progression of the series’ overall plot in context. FollowingTekkenantagonist Heihachi Mishima’s death at the hands of Kazuya inTekken 7, the follow-up shifted its focus back to the only remaining thread of the Mishima storyline, Jin and the Devil Gene. These previously seemed like they might play out as perpetual battles which could drive many moreTekkensequels, butTekken 8has now taken a bold step forward that mandates a major paradigm shift in the future.
This article contains major spoilers for Tekken 8’s story
Tekken 8 Wrapped Up the Known Mishima Family Arc
The End of Kazuya’s Devil Side
Ever since he appeared as the protagonist ofthe originalTekkenfrom 1994, Kazuya’s quest for revenge and inner conflict with what would become known as the Devil Gene has been central to not only his character, but several of the sequels’ narratives. He grew from a bitter son with the potential for heroism into a maniacal, war-waging monster in pursuit of reaching the full strength of his Devil power, but his own son brought an end to this at the end ofTekken 8. With the Devil Gene apparently purged from him, and Jun possibly redeeming him, there’s hardly any reason for Kazuya to ever fill such a prominent villain role again.
Jin’s Redemption is Complete
In the epic climax ofTekken 8’s story, protagonist Jin is able to transcend his Devil Gene’s limitations and enter a new Angel Jin form before also losing the power at the same time as his father. Following his heel turn into a ruthless dictator waging war on the entire world inTekken 6and his lack of relevance inTekken 7, Jin may have finally earned his status as a hero back in the eyes ofTekken’s cast. He could still find himself returning once more to cement his protagonist role, but the loss of the tension brought about byTekken’s Mishima family conflictand Devil Jin has left a void that will need to be filled somehow.
Tekken 9 Might Require a Totally New Story and Cast
The Ambiguous Set-Up of Reina as Tekken’s Next Antagonist
When discussing how conclusiveTekken 8’s story is, there’s one elephant in the room who contradicts this idea, Reina. She plays a coy and understated role in the game’s plot which leaves her as an enigma, but the final ending cutscene acknowledges thatReina is Heihachi Mishima’s childbefore she exhibits her own Devil form that may have been activated by Kazuya. UnlessTekken 8gets story DLC, it seems that Harada and his team made sure to leave the door open for more of the Devil Gene inTekken 9through Reina. Her explicit ties to the Mishimas are still a mystery, however, leaving her potential future villain status against what is speculated to be a new united family of Jin, Jun, and Kazuya unknown.
Tekken 3’s New Generation Concept Might Be Worth Revisiting
The cliffhanger scene ofReina inTekken 8’s endingmakes the prospect of a direct sequel picking up where this leaves off appealing, but looking to one of the series’ most iconic titles could also serve as inspiration.Tekken 3jumped two decades into the future followingTekken 2, introducing Jin and aging up returning fighters to massive success. The same power-hungry Mishimas might not be around to drive the plot forward in the same way anymore, but there’s no telling what the greater plan Reina began executing throughoutTekken 8could be.
