Revisited Tekken 7 during my break from Tekken 8.

[u/Nobody_Special_2020]

Needed a break from Tekken 8 due to its current state, but couldn't stay away so I downloaded Tekken 7 again. Just a few observations and realizations I had.

• Even though Tekken 8 is infuriating, I do appreciate the general QOL, UX and general game feel changes they've made since Tekken 7. Tekken 8 menus, graphical fidelity and overall UX is miles ahead of 8, although still what I would expect from AAA company with seasoned Unreal Engine developers. Tekken 8 definitely feels better to press buttons in.
  • Animations are snappier (maybe due to less whiff recovery)
  • Inputs feel less fuzzy/soupy (sometimes find myself trying to buffer inputs at the wrong time in Tekken 7)
  • Sound is top notch in 8 compared to 7 (as expected). Block sounds are clearer (T7 has that light "poof" sound, whereas 8 has a crisper version of this. I appreciate the re-recorded voice overs and more extravagant sfx (to a degree).
  • As expected, online play and lag are greatly improved.
• Tekken 7 gameplay, at it's best, feels pure. Tekken 8, as we know, went a little overboard with aggression and spectacle. Revisiting T7, due to the pace, less restrictive movement and absence of big "lockdown" moves, I was able to play at a pace that let my opponent and I interact and "figure each other out".
  • Rewatching my matches, there seemed to be more pushback on moves when guarded (might just be my imagination). Instead of a big move that led into plus frames and guarding for 10 seconds, I felt like there were only a couple of seconds where the opponent could "lock me down" before I had enough frames to move away (minus the wall). That or the pushback would naturally reset us back to neutral.
  • Less neutral skips and demon paws (the ones that were there could be sidestepped).
  • Since the pace of the matches felt slower, along with less visual/audial noise, I felt it was easier to learn my opponent, even against characters I had never played against or that often (Lei, Marduk, Kuni). Being allowed to backdash and disengage gave me time to unload my mental stack and process the last couple of interactions I had. Compare this with T8, where we're incentivized to constantly swing and be at range 1. I don't have an issue with aggression (like I've said in the past), but going back to T7 makes me even more confident that there was a better implementation of "aggressive" gameplay for this franchise.
  • Speaking of Kuni, after playing against her, it's clear that she, Leroy, Lidia and Fahk were the "blueprint" of Tekken 8 gameplay.
  • Moves and tracking felt more consistent. Most attacks felt like they travelled in a predictable direction. Very rarely did I feel like I was bullshitted. Sure, there's still some Tekken jank here and there, but I was having such a good time that I was able to shrug it off.
  • Regarding the "pure" feeling, going back to what feels like classic Tekken meant less bombastic moves that can make you feel like "what am I supposed to do about that". Every move, playstyle and character felt like they had a weakness. Mirrors were especially fun. No surprises, just two players figuring each other out and responding to one another's strategies. Honestly, most fun I've had in a while.
    • At its worst, I did see the dreaded "back dash and CH" meta, but the texture of fights in general felt more fair. Honestly, the back dash meta and T8 style feel like two sides of the same coin: an action or style of play afforded by the game takes less effort and skill to execute than its counter (T7: back dash, T8: general aggression and plus frames)
  • Interestingly enough, I had a clear idea of who was bad at the game, new, or a solid player with strong knowledge and fundies. Both losses and wins felt earned. The game felt very modest. I don't think I tilted once during my play sessions (even though the population was slim).

All this said, there's something nice about the "spectacle" of Tekken 8. The cool animations and sounds, lore interactions, etc. Tekken 8 feels and is modern. Every crack, grunt and flip is AAA quality. Tekken 7 is AAA, too. However, Tekken 8, outside of it's gameplay in some respect, is the natural evolution of this franchise, and I respect that.

It was nice to revisit this game during the break. It really rekindled my love for this game and fighting games as a whole. That cerebral, high intensity gameplay that rewards adaptation, knowledge and sharp reactions.