The Tekken 8 Hwoarang trailer just dropped, revealing another character making a return to the King of Iron Fist Tournament. Hwaorang first appeared in Tekken 3, and has appeared in every Tekken game since. Fans of the Taekwondo fighter are sure to be pleased with his return.
Hwaorang is known as the “Blood Talon.” He’s arrogant, impulsive, and dislikes authority figures, though he has a great amount of respect for his long-time master, Baek Doo San. Despite his impressive abilities as a fighter, Hwaorang struggles to find meaning in his daily life. He has a long-term rivalry with series poster boy Jin Kazama, and their fights are something of series legend. We get a glimpse of that in the new trailer.
Hwaorang’s fighting style is based on Taekwondo, combining powerful, speedy kicks with a number of throws to put constant pressure on his opponents. Hwaorang is traditionally not strong defensively, so he tends to favor a rushdown style that puts his opponent on the back foot. He also usually has access to several stances, which can make him harder to pick up for new players.
Of course, Hwaorang’s trailer also shows off his motorcycle skills.
Hwaorang’s Rage Art is a series of flashy kicks. He starts off by pummeling his opponent on the ground, then launches them high into the air before sending them back to earth with a supercharged heel to the back of the head.
Hwaorang is joining what looks to be a pretty sizeable roster. We’ve also seen trailers for Lili, Leroy, Asuka, and returning favorites like Jack-8Â and Ling Xiaoyu.
Tekken 8 will release in 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Stay tuned for more trailers on new characters and gameplay changes as we get closer to release.
