For me, the Tekken franchise is like a friend I’ve known since grade school – you have to look at the titles side by side to realize just how much has changed in their appearance year after year. Looking at a number of the returning characters, they may be a bit more polished, but they look and act the same as they did years ago.

The backgrounds are much more detailed than in previous iterations of the game, each featuring great amounts of detail that really make you feel as if you’re fighting on a roof in a busy city or in a thick jungle region. Unfortunately, the same level of detail was not implemented in the design of the characters, which varies depending on the character. While some have never looked better, others appear to have static, often ugly faces made of glossy wax. The same applies to certain textures, especially the characters’ hair; while some look like you could reach your hand out and touch them, others look like they were ripped from the cartoonish cel-shaded world of Borderlands.

The game still controls as well as the previous entries in the series, with each face button corresponding to a specific limb of the body, while pulling away serves as a block. The only new addition to the tried and true formula is the rage state – after taking a set amount of damage, your fighter will glow red and allow you to unleash a devastating attack, which can quickly turn the tide of a battle.

Tekken 7 does feel a bit barebones in the area of game modes. Previous entries have a time attack and survival mode, while this version includes a fairly short story mode, arcade mode, a treasure hunt mode, and practice. Adding insult to injury, the Tekken Bowl mode is locked behind a paywall or requires the games season pass. While I am not opposed to paying for content, when something used to be included as a fun diversion, having to pay for it is downright sad. The online modes are limited to unranked player matches, ranked fights, and a tournament option. The story mode clocks in around an hour for the main gambit. The treasure mode quickly became my go to, as it allowed me to level up each character in addition to earning items and currency to purchase visual upgrades for the characters.

The 35 fighter roster is respectable, with a season pass being offered for additional fighters in the future. The most noteworthy addition is Akuma from the Street Fighter series. While he is a joy to play, his addition of ranged moves in a game that is ruled by close quarter combat does break the game a bit. In the online community, you will see a number of players who abuse the fireball ability.

Featuring a pretty robust customization option, you are able to earn and apply a number of items to each character and save your custom loadouts. These are strictly cosmetic changes and do not offer buffs in any way; they simply give you something to spend your hard earned coin on. While I wasn’t able to create my own version of super heroes or fighters from other games, which was my go to on the Soulcalibur franchise, it is a nice distraction.

Tekken 7 isn’t going to rewrite or set the standard for what a fighting game is, but it is a worthy addition to any fighting fan’s collection. Hopefully, we’ll see some new modes added in the future (that you don’t have to pay for) to offer more variety; or at the very least, see the mainstays return for the inevitable sequel.

7 out of 10

Pros

• Great Controls
• Highly Detailed Arenas
• Robust Customization Options
• Huge Roster

Cons

• Lack of Game Modes
• Some Visual Inconsistencies

Tekken 7 was developed and published by Bandai Namco. It was released on PC, PS4, and X1 June 2nd, 2017, for $59.99. The game was not provided for review on the X1. For more on Tekken 7 visit its official site

 

Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth playing, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great title that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate a game, please let us know..

Check out OpenCritic for a better idea of how our review stacks against others.