E3 Preview: Tekken 7

The next installment in the Tekken series of 3D fighting games was one of this year’s heavy-hitters at E3. First shown off at Microsoft’s press conference on Monday, Tekken 7 is the final chapter in the Mishima Family Blood Saga. The decades-long (for gamers) battle between Kazuya and his father Heihachi will finally receive some form of resolution.
During a special media theater presentation, Bandai Namco showed off an extended version of the trailer seen during Microsoft’s conference, as well as a demo showcasing some of the new mechanics coming to the seventh core installment. The trailer also highlighted the cast of characters players will be able to use and the new stages they will be demolishing.
The three new battle mechanics shown off by the Bandai Namco team included Rage Arts, Rage Drives and Power Crushes. The goal of these mechanics is to add a new layer of combat to make bouts more interesting, as well as making the game more accessible to players of all skill levels, including newcomers of the series.
Rage Arts, in Tekken-speak, are the equivalent of Super Moves. If you are a Street Fighter fan, think Ryu’s Hadoken or Guile’s Sonic Boom. Rage Drive is a power-up mode, which allows the fighter to deal more damage during the limited time it lasts. Power Crushes are armored attacks that can break through your opponent’s standard attacks and defense. This allows for great combo potential and can easily swing the momentum of a fight.
A fully fleshed-out story mode will come packaged with Tekken 7. Throughout the campaign, interactive scenes with button directional prompts will blend seamlessly with the cinematics and combat, making the transition from cutscene to battle a fluid experience.
There will be six all-new characters added to Tekken 7’s roster, including Akuma of Street Fighter fame. Each fighter will have their own fighting style inspired by the country they are from. While five of the new fighters will share game mechanics with the rest of the Tekken 7 cast, Akuma will work a bit differently, bringing with him the EX meter that Street Fighter fans are familiar with.
Tekken 7 runs on Unreal Engine 4 and will feature slowed down match-ending hits and dynamic weather effects within stages. Combatants will be brawling in anything from sunny skies to torrential downpours, with conditions switching up during the fight.
Tekken 7 will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in Early 2017.