Summary
Yet another returning character has been revealed forTekken 8, with the tomb keeper Zafina ready to unleash an ancient evil upon her unlucky opponents. The next chapter of Bandai Namco’s hard-hitting 3D fighting franchise is now only a few weeks from release, and there has been plenty of inspired marketing during the run-up toTekken 8. For example,Successionstar Brian Cox recently appeared in a trailerrecapping theTekkenstory so far,reminding fans of the dark and twisted rivalry of the Mishima family and its three most prominent members ahead of Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama’s next epic clash.
Of course, Kazuya and Jin won’t be the only ones competing in the latest King of the Iron Fist Tournament, andTekken 8has been slowly unveiling its packed roster of returning fighters and new challengers over the past year or so. Thetwo most recentTekken 8charactersto be unveiled were Alisa Bosconovitch, an android fighter aiming to protect the world using her powerful mechanical weapons, and Panda, Ling Xiaoyu’s loyal pet and bodyguard whose powerful blows have often drawn comparisons to fellowTekkenbear warrior Kuma.
Now Zafina is stepping back into the arena inTekken 8, with a new trailer posted to the official Bandai Namco Entertainment America YouTube channel highlighting some of her demonically-empowered moves in a pair of battles againstlongtimeTekkenantagonist Kazuya Mishimaand fellow returning fighter Claudio Serafino. Both fall victim to Zafina’s spider-like “Ancient Assassination Arts” fighting style, which is augmented by the ancient demon Azazel sealed within her left arm. While Zafina attempts to keep Azazel contained, the demon eventually unleashes its full power during her Special Move by crushing her opponent in its grasp.
Fans were first introduced to Zafina inTekken 6, where she was charged with protecting Azazel’s tomb and defeating the demon when it was awakened by Jin and the Mishima Zaibatsu’s global war. AlthoughJin and Lars Alexanderssonwere seemingly able to destroy Azazel, Zafina sensed that the demon was still alive and sealed it inside her body until she could cut off the source of its power: Jin and his father Kazuya. In addition to her mainline appearances inTekken 6andTekken 7, Zafina was playable in the non-canonTekken Tag Tournament 2.
Zafina’s mission to keep the dreaded Azazel contained will continue inTekken 8, and it appears that the demonic entity will play a major role in her gameplay and fighting style. ManyTekkencharacters struggle against some form of inner darkness, and it will be interesting to see how Zafina’s battle against Azael affects the plot ofTekken 8when it finally launches on January 26.
Tekken 8
WHERE TO PLAY
Tekken 8 brings the fight to the latest generation of consoles, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Feel the power of every hit in Tekken 8, the latest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise from Bandai Namco. Utilising the power and realism of Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 pushes the envelope for fighting games by taking full advantage of the power of the latest generation of consoles. Ground-breaking new features, breathtakingly detailed character models and dramatic environments make this one of the most visually stunning and immersive titles in the genre yet. Tekken 8 picks up after the gruesome battle that ended in Heihachi Mishima’s defeat in Tekken 7, focusing on a new rivalry, pitting father against son as Jin Kazama stands in defiance against Kazuya Mishima in a city-shattering face-to-face showdown.
