Highlights

  • Kazuya Mishima takes center stage in Tekken 8 as the main villain, showcasing his newfound power and focus.
  • Kazuya's move set in Tekken 8 appeals to both newcomers and veterans, offering easy-to-perform combos and powerful strikes.
  • With the reintroduction of Kazuya's former lover, Jun Kazama, the storyline in Tekken 8 becomes more intriguing and raises questions about Kazuya's mindset and motivations.

As one of the original faces of the franchise, Kazuya Mishima has always been seen as one of the main focal points of the narrative, and Bandai Namco's upcoming Tekken 8 is certainly no exception to this. Throughout seven previous mainline installments, Kazuya has walked a fine line between good and evil, serving as both the primary protagonist and antagonist at different points during Tekken's decades-long Mishima family conflict. Tekken 8 sees Kazuya step back into the shoes of the story's main villain, and this time he's seemingly more powerful and focused than ever before.

Historically, Kazuya has always been a well-rounded character with a nice balance of offensive and defensive moves. Tekken 2 debuted his evil persona, Devil, and since then, Kazuya has learned to control this powerful devil gene at will, transforming into a winged being when needed, capable of shooting lasers and performing other extremely powerful moves. This has often given Kazuya the edge over his rivals, and Tekken 8 looks like it has taken this concept even further, transforming Kazuya into arguably the most powerful being in the game.

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Tekken 8 Should Bring Kazuya Mishima's Story to a Head

With Kazuya's father, family patriarch Heihachi Mishima, out of the picture, Kazuya has wasted no time in seeking to assert his dominance over the world. Having beaten Jin during the game's opening scenes, he declares the King of Iron Fist Tournament 8 in the hopes of finding the world's last remaining warriors so that he can defeat them. Right from the off, it's very obvious that this is a Kazuya at the very peak of his powers, able to not only stand toe-to-toe with Jin, but even overcome him.

One potential variable that could significantly change how story events play out is the reintroduction of Kazuya's former lover, Jun Kazama, who returns to Tekken 8 as a playable character. Absent and presumed dead since the events leading up to Tekken 3, Jun's return poses many questions for both Kazuya and her son Jin, and it is not yet clear what, if anything, this will do to Kazuya's mindset and motivations. One thing's for sure: Kazuya will not be easily stopped.

Kazuya's Tekken 8 Move Set Should Please Both Newcomers and Veterans

Jin and Kazuya's rivalry is the main focus of Tekken 8, so it seems logical that both characters serve as excellent choices for both beginners and veterans alike. Kazuya's move set offers several easy-to-perform combos, and he can perform fast, powerful strikes with both his fists and feet. Those new to the series will find moves such as his enhanced Flash Punch Combo, known as Devil Break, and Demon Scissors easy to perform, and super effective at keeping opponents on the defensive. On the contrary, Tekken veterans will find lots to love too, with combos such as Demon's Wrath and Reign of Terror displaying Kazuya's versatility.

Old favorites like the Electric Wind God Fist and Lightning Screw Uppercut make welcome returns, both of which are simple to pull off, but incredibly powerful. Activating Tekken 8's new Heat Mode can be done by performing certain moves, and sees Kazuya transform into Devil, making his offensive moves stronger. Heat Mode allows the player to experience the most powerful version of their chosen fighter, and this is never more obvious than when playing as Kazuya. Tekken 7's community raised issues with Kazuya's overall lack of balance, and until Kazuya can be used in online modes and compared to the other fighters, it remains to be seen whether these issues have been rectified in Tekken 8. So far, however, it seems like Kazuya will be one of the game's most powerful characters.