Jin Kazama on Urban Square (Evening) stage in Tekken 8
Tekken 8 has been highly anticipated by fans, and the game has received widespread praise for its stunning graphics, level of detail, and lighting effects. Many players who have had the chance to test the game in hands-on events and alpha tests have described the graphics as breathtaking, with the character models and lighting setting a new standard for fighting games.
However, in a recent interview with German gaming site CerealKillerz, Tekken 8’s producers Katsuhiro Harada and Michael Murray revealed that they are not entirely happy with the current state of the game’s graphics. Specifically when talking about developing the game in Unreal Engine 5, Murray stated that while most game companies can achieve high-quality textures and shaders, what really sets games apart this generation is the lighting. This has been a significant challenge for Tekken 8’s development team to fine-tune, and even the alpha build that some players have had a chance to test hasn’t met the producers’ standards.
Murray added that it’s not just a matter of adjusting one piece of lighting, but rather placing each light individually to achieve the desired look and feel for each character on each stage. It’s not about adjusting one piece of lighting that affects a whole stage, but fine-tuning the placement individual lights to get the look and feel they desire. He went on to say that they may achieve having a character look just how they want them to look on a particular stage and its environment, but when placing them in a different stage, they don’t look at all how they want them to. He says lighting is one thing they will continue to work on continually until the release of the game, and that it’s “been difficult” this time around.
It seems like most game companies can achieve a high level of quality regarding the textures that they use, or the shaders or those kind of basic components. What really kind of sets them apart this time for this generation, and also UE5, is the lighting. And that’s been a very difficult thing for us to fine tune. Even the build you have here today, you have hands-on with I believe, we’re not very happy with the state of the graphics at the moment. We think we can do better. And one of the things that has been difficult is the lighting. This is what really changes among the developers in different games. – Michael Murray
Despite the producers’ comments, Tekken 8’s graphics have still been highly praised by players who have had the chance to test the game. The game’s graphics, character models, and lighting have set a new standard for fighting games, with many players eagerly anticipating its release.
Harada and Murray were also asked about selecting characters for Tekken 8, to which they shared several factors such as popularity, marketing, and the character’s fit within the story for that particular installment. They also aim to create characters that embody the spirit of Tekken, with unique fighting styles and personalities that add to the game’s charm. And while much is known about Tekken 8’s graphics and character selection, they could share no information about what game modes will be included in the game.
For Tekken fans interested in hearing directly from the producers about the game’s development and what’s to come, this interview is a must-watch.
Aziz Peregrino-Brimah aka Zee the CEO | Founder / Editor-in-chief of TekkenGamer | Gaming has been a passion of Zee's since the early days of Atari and ColecoVision. His first experience with Tekken was in the early 90's, and it was Tekken 3 that sealed the deal. True story... As a teenager Zee once received his Winn-Dixie paycheck and spent it all at the arcade the same day. Needless to say, his mother wasn't pleased.
