Tekken 8 pro slams Heat system & claims the game is “too offensive”

Quadruple EVO Champion Arslan Ash has spent plenty of time with the upcoming Tekken 8, but the player is admittedly not a fan of the game just yet.

With Tekken 8‘s launch on the horizon, the hype around the game continues to build. The upcoming installment in the iconic franchise will land after more than seven years since the release of Tekken 7, and it’s set to introduce some exciting new faces and mechanics to the series.

The new faces joining the Tekken 8 roster are Reina Mishima, Victor Chevalier, and Azucena. The title also brings a brand-new story campaign and the Arcade Quest mode. However, the biggest new feature coming to the game is undoubtedly the Heat system.

Heat adds another dimension to offensive play, as it lets players jump on the front foot and quickly change the tide of a round. Some character-specific moves are even tied to the mechanic, allowing players to trigger Heat and quickly stitch together combos. Heat Energy can also be used to launch into a devastating Heat Smash attack to take away a chunk of your opponent’s health.

The system’s inclusion could lead to a significant shift in how players approach matches, as Heat encourages a more aggressive playstyle. Some players even feel the mechanic disrupts Tekken’s balance as Heat can be used for extended combos.

Among the players who are uncertain about Heat in Tekken 8 is EVO champion Arslan Ash. The 28-year-old has commented on the system on multiple occasions, including a recent YouTube video where he said, “This game is too offensive. From what I have played so far personally, I don’t like this game yet.”

Arslan ash hot take on T8 😂
by inTekken

His comments found their way to the official Tekken subreddit, and some users seemed to agree with his assessment. One user said, “I’ll stick to 7, not only is it wildly expensive for me to buy 8, but also I really don’t like the emphasis on aggression, I’d rather have more freedom.”

Another stated, “I’m not even 1% as good as him but I share the sentiment. I struggle to get used to Heat in the demo, and I’m really not sold on it yet.”

Not everyone was in favor of the comment, as some users argued that the mechanic made matches more entertaining, “I’d take overly aggressive over infinite stage infinite backdashing snoozefests. They only did this in response to how boring tournament play for Tekken is.”

Tekken 8’s Heat system is clearly a divisive topic, so it’ll be interesting to see if narrative shifts after the game’s launch.

For more on the game, check out if Tekken 8 will be on Xbox Game Pass or the game’s PC requirements.