STACK #233 March 2024

GAMING REVIEWS

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TEKKEN 8

FIGHTING MULTIPLAYER

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Tekken 8 is the latest instalment in the ongoing fighting game saga that’s now hit its 30th year. If you’re new to the Tekken universe, or need a refresher, then the Arcade Quest is the place to dive into first. It’s a great way to learn the ropes, where you craft an avatar and plummet into an arcade scene where Tekken 8 is the big new thing in arcade land. If you’re impatient, the 15-chapter story mode is another great place to start, giving the Saints Row series a run for its bucks

Character Episodes, where they undertake non-canon battles for supremacy. The fighting is top-notch, balancing things so that series regulars will be engaged, but newcomers won’t be deterred by an impenetrable combo system. Tekken 8 , in all of its 3D glory, has a crazily complex move set for each character, but it also gives enough leeway to enable even the absolute neophyte to feel like they’re getting somewhere. There’s also bulk purely cosmetic gear to earn or buy, a pure arcade mode, the return of Tekken Ball , and the ability to take on AI ghosts, as well as a fully stacked online experience in the Fight Lounge virtual lobby. Stunningly presented aurally and visually, and full of crazy delights at every turn, Tekken 8 is a dream package for fight fans, as well as the merely fight curious. AF

THE HEAT IS ON The big new thing in Tekken 8 in the way of mechanics is the ‘Heat System'. This can be called upon once per round and offers up specific moves and combos that can be the difference between winning and losing a battle. They also look quite spectacular when launched.

in the over-the-top, exaggerated soap opera drama stakes. This ranges from hurling a motorcycle into an airborne chopper (after fanging it up a skyscraper) to battling seemingly every single person to have ever existed. It’s all absolutely bonkers – and all the more enthralling for it. Serving as a playable character sampler, the story mode gives you a chance to test drive many of the 32 fighters. Each of which has their own mini story in

LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTH

RPG MULTIPLAYER

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The story behind Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a complete rollercoaster that’s equal parts Japanese soap opera, highbrow drama, and cartoon action/comedy movie. We follow Ichiban Kasuga, a former Yakuza

member trying to get his life back on the straight and narrow after a life of crime.

Thankfully, for the sake of the game, he’s immediately pulled back into the middle of a complex and shifting world of intrigue. There’s more love,

characters (depending on the situation), against an overwhelming array of opponents. You can battle as a flame-wielding pyro dancer, a surfboard-wielding scuba diver, a cowboy desperado, or just a plain old samurai, each with their own unique special attacks and weaponry. The crazy number of minigames within Infinite Wealth feel like they’re enough to build a game on their own. It’s like a party game inside an action RPG, and that’s just scratching the surface of the description. Everything here is built to amuse and will keep you thoroughly entertained regardless of what else is going on. Infinite Wealth is a wild ride from the very beginning. Whether battling giant sharks or riding dolphins, taking in the crazy story of the lifestyles of the Japanese underworld (or at least a darkly comedic approximation), or playing the many, many, minigames, nothing feels like filler. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is pure entertainment, 100% of the time. DN

FIRST DAN, SECOND DAN… Whether you play the Japanese or English version, everyone involved understands their role and brings their A-game to the voice acting. The English version even includes cameos from Daniel Dae Kim and Danny Trejo.

betrayal, twists, and double crosses then should possibly be contained in any one story. Unlike previous series entries, this one’s based primarily on the mean streets of tropical Hawaii. It’s an exciting setting for the series, and it sets up many wonderful opportunities to go over the top with the colour and craziness of the set pieces. Meanwhile, the combat system is as much fun as you’ll have with turn-based action. You manage one, or several,

16 MARCH 2024

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