The Tekken 8 Azucena gameplay trailer shows off the game’s first new character, while the Raven trailer confirms part of the game’s roster leak that’s been making the rounds. The next installment in Bandai Namco’s fighting franchise has been making some waves at EVO, specifically thanks to this reveal. Some of us already had an inkling these two would be confirmed during the tournament. Pages about them briefly went up on the Bandai Namco Europe website recently before being taken down. But now we have official trailers for them.
Tekken 8 Raven Gameplay Trailer: Back Into the Fray
We had an inkling about Raven returning due to the Tekken 8 closed network test roster leak. He’s effectively replacing Master Raven, who replaced him in Tekken 7. That’s not to say he isn’t sporting some new moves that utilize his ninjutsu and shadow clones in some cool-looking ways. Raven’s voice lines imply he’s been training hard during his absence, and it certainly looks like it. Compared to his previous appearance in Tekken 6, he’s also received quite a glow-up design-wise.
A new stage also debuted during his trailer. It looks quite spiritual and ominous, with multiple floors that can be broken. The second floor will look very familiar to fans. It’s an astral-realm kind of recreation of the semi-final Gargoyle’s Perch stage from Tekken 6. A third floor in a desert could be a separate stage. For now, we’re willing to bet they’re the same due to the shared presence of giant chains.
Tekken 8 Azucena Gameplay Trailer: A New Challenger Enters
Joining him is Azucena, the first new character to be added to Tekken 8. She’s a fighter from Peru who already looks like a standout thanks to some adaptable dodging moves. It’s a bit difficult to tell which of her many dodges are proper mechanics and which are editing, but the message is clear: she has some unique tools at her disposal. She also has an extreme love for coffee, which is cutely teased against Lili’s love for tea.
Related: Tekken 8 Lili Trailer Brings the Salt
Another three-level stage was also shown during Azucena’s trailer. This one is undeniably meant to be tied to Azucena since it takes place at a coffee farm in Peru. The rural setting and adorable alpacas add some variety to the stages we know about. And the final floor giving way to a treasure-filled tomb and interactables that release ancient spirits is compelling.
The only damper (for some) is that these two characters line up with some other leaks out there, both new and old. It’s possible we already know the full roster. But we’ll have to wait and see. There’s still plenty to be excited about. We’ll be covering all the character reveals leading up to Tekken 8’s launch on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
