Recent reviews by Spiriax [SWE] (GGs!)

As of April 1, 2025, Tekken 8 is officially a party game.

Characters are losing their gameplay identities, and all their weaknesses are being patched out. Animations, costumes and voice lines is the only thing the characters have got going for them. Defensive archetypes doesn't exist anymore, all characters are focused around offense. All characters are also stance characters.

If something can be sidestepped, it must be patched out so it can't be sidestepped. Many characters were egregiously getting hitbox changes to their attacks so that they now track sideways when you try to move when they previously wouldn't. You may move sideways to get out from the wall or try to box in your opponent, but in the heat of battle, Tekken 8 is becoming a 2D game rapidly.
Did I mention promises about defense and sidestepping were made before the patch?

Attacks that give plus on block situations (favorable recovery situations) are no longer earned, but delivered on silver platters. Sometimes, you're able to duck under moves that do this, but they added dangerous mid attacks (must stand up to guard) to deter you from doing this. This means that if you try to do anything under this pressure, you're bound to get counter hit. The gameplay that results of this is that both players take turns doing 10 attacks each. Or, as many attacks as it takes until one player is dead. Often, it is the first player that enters Heat status that wins the round.

The game is guessing. There is no depth left. Attacks are changed so that they go through parries or reversals. Strings (sequence of attacks) that can be interrupted are no longer implemented. Many strings are implemented with high moves that you can normally duck under, but you're stunlocked during them so you can do nothing - it's very unintuitive. As I mentioned earlier, attacks get increased tracking, so sidestepping is not an option either. This results in dichotomous, two-way gameplay that means you either 1: try to retaliate to break up their attacks and risk getting counter hit, or 2: block and continue to block because attacking is not favorable for you.
You may ask yourself: if I just stand there and block the other player's attack by attack, can't I just wait until the round is over if I have a lead in health? No, because in this game you take a lot of chip damage, aka damage inflicted by blocking!

Everything becomes easier to do. Attacks that has been in the series for more than 20 years change inputs for no reason. When I say for no reason, I mean it: Lee had his QCB+4 changed to QCF+4 (quarter circle back or forward motion, followed by right kick button). That's not even easier, it just messes up everybody's muscle memory!
When you get hit by certain moves and fall to the ground, you used to have to hold back in order to roll back safely. If you didn't, the opponent can get free damage on you while you are on the ground. As a result, you now do the quick roll back whether you want to or not; it's automatic. No longer can you stay down to break up the opponents pace and timing. It felt really satisfying to do as well, even if it was the most obvious choice in most situations.

In Tekken, you may or may not be aware: each character has more than 100 attacks each. And there are almost 40 characters! Let me ask you this: why would you spend countless upon countless of hours to learn the frames and properties of more than 4000 attacks, if every character plays exactly the same in the end?

In the end, you have a game series that had a ton of depth, reduced into a game that requires way less skill, is way less interesting, has way worse match flow (defense is boring said who? Tekken 7 matches were action-packed!).

...And for what?

So that it's more fun to watch? But if players don't have fun, the watchability will suffer. So that newcomers can have a better time? ...but will they though? They have to be on the receiving end of the endless onslaught all characters now has as well. And, once you get better at the game, you may come to the same realization I have.

If you're nostalgic about Tekken 3 or Tekken 5, sure, go ahead and goof around with some friends. That's what Tekken 8 is for. Thank you Namco for 20+ years of Tekken!