Five Reasons Why Tekken 7 Is Full Of Wasted Potential

Tekken 7 is a game with so much potential. It's beginner friendly, it's got smoother gameplay and the potential of the Story Mode which was somehow popularized by the Mortal Kombat franchise. However, there's one thing that can be truly certain - Katsuhiro Harada has become SO COMPLACENT over his past successes that he's already shooting himself at the foot this time round with THIS GAME. How so? I would like to talk about the wasted potential that the game has and what really happened. 

First, Story Mode SUCKS HARD with its execution

I admit, I was getting really excited when it came to Tekken 7 having a story mode. I was getting excited just thinking how a Japanese company would finally try and get what Netherrealm Studios did and make it even more legendary. But what happened? I simply got into what I'd call a flat-out disappointing execution of Story Mode one way or another.

How disappointing? I thought about Mr. Most Boring Narrator or Mr. Boredcast aka the Reporter. So really, that guy is so robotic and boring that I skipped it. I mean, do you remember how Mortal Kombat X's Story Mode actually and REALLY gave you a lot of life? Just remember this one from Mortal Kombat X? The narration of Mortal Kombat X has WAY MORE LIFE than what Tekken 7 had with its rather idiotic Boredcast Narrator. Couldn't they get a better voice actor to finally read Tekken 7's narration? Mortal Kombat X narration may not be the best but at least it's NOT FREAKING ROBOTIC! Also, you didn't have idiotic chapter narrations and most of the transition in Mortal Kombat X is so smooth in contrast to what Tekken 7 did per chapter - with that really ANNOYING AND IDIOTIC REPORTER making a narration. Made me wish Heihachi killed him!

I admit, the Story Mode did introduce several cool new ways to play but sadly - these are all overshadowed by how terrible things can be. I did enjoy fighting the NPC goons and the like but the whole experience with Mr. Boring Narrator made it less enjoyable! In fact, I'm already more fixed to actually play through Mortal Kombat (2011)'s Story Mode as well as Mortal Kombat X Story Mode all over again compared to Tekken 7's Story Mode!

Hate to admit it but as much as I wasn't such a fan of Tekken 6's Scenario Campaign but hey - at least it kept you occupied. Maybe, I do have the minor quirk that I wanted boss fights to take place as a one vs. one match like Mortal Kombat Armageddon's Konquest Mode. But at least Scenario Campaign was so rich and detailed. Unfortunately, Tekken 7's Story Mode is just so backward making you wonder how big it is as an opportunity loss!

Second, Arcade Mode is but a joke mode now

Innovation and changes are necessary for progress. Sadly, Namco has just hit it super hard with Tekken 7 with what I'd call the biggest travesty. Come on, what's an Arcade Mode with only FIVE STAGES in contrast to Tekken's arcade mode from previous entries with at least nine to ten stages for starters? Who could remember playing through Tekken 5's rather interesting Character Story Mode which unlocked the ending? The joke started falling in when Tekken 6 appeared. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 proved to be a glimmer of hope but sadly - all that was WASTED in Tekken 7.

How is the Arcade Mode a joke? Personally, when I buy a FIGHTING GAME I do expect to just play Story Mode SIDELINE. I want to have it the "old school way" with new school twists such as where you actually play through a series of character battles, defeat a final boss and get that unlockable ending. I could still remember how EGM actually named Tekken 2 and Tekken 3 for having the best endings for that reason. You couldn't wait to beat the game just to see them all. But now what happened to it?

Instead, we've got that really BORING Character Episode story. I always find it to be a joke compared to when you actually work your way up to a series of opponents, fight a ridiculously powerful boss, and blam - you get the ending! Sadly, that was wasted yet again in Tekken 7. Tekken 6's Arena Mode was already well a joke enough but at least it's classic arcade modes still rocked with a series of good battles. Tekken 7's Arcade Mode should be a lesson on how NOT to do an Arcade Mode. I hope Ed Boon doesn't decide to buy this kind of sh*t!

Third, a severe lack of other single-player content 

Tekken is meant to appeal to both single players and tournament players. Now it's just too focused on tournaments and two-player battles. Want a good example? I thought about the problem of the lack of content. Now there's only Treasure Battle and Story Mode. Would have money not been used to allow players to buy endings from Tekken 1 up to Tag Tournament 2 the I think they could have invested it in other modes such as Survival, Team Battle and time Attack. So really, what happened to them?

I thought Treasure Hunt was a cool alternative but man is it executed poorly. So you're stuck with the same backgrounds for like what -- four to five fights? I thought about it as a cool concept and sometimes I prefer a more straightforward approach with the Endless Mode. Unfortunately, Treasure Hunt itself just ends up suddenly having so many random changes. It's a lazy version of Mortal Kombat X's Challenge and Living Towers if you ask me!

Besides, Mortal Kombat X was released so last 2015 so why didn't Namco even attempt to create their own version of Faction Wars? It could have allowed people to take on different sides of the conflict such as the Mishima Zaibatsu, G-Corporation, Manji Clan, Archers of Sirius, and Violet Systems to name a few. So what happened? Those past endings should've been just paid DLC instead of more single-game content!

I don't have anything about guest characters or legacy characters arriving. My problem has to be this one - I'm only paying for additional DLC characters but they don't have endings! So what's the big issue? At least Mortal Kombat X gave their guest characters endings that would be linked to a what-if scenario to the end of the Klassic Tower! Here? I'd purchase Anna, Lei Wulong, Armor King, Noctis, Geese Howard, and any more guest characters but for what -- no character endings? Plus, Eliza as a pre-bonus character isn't interesting either! At least, Goro in MKX had more relevance for Single Player Content than just there to be there!

Fourth, new characters aren't any better than Mortal Kombat's trashy 3D era characters

If there's one reason why after playing Mortal Kombat (2011) that I don't want to play the 3D era games anymore - it's because of theUSELESS characters! It's just like how Jarek (who was just damn boring) replaced Kano or how we've had Hsu Hao in Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance to be a really stupid character. I even thought of why I even hated Shujinko in Mortal Kombat Deception due to bad execution. So now what's next?

I felt the new characters such as Josie Rizal, Gigas, Katarina, and the female Raven all SUCK. Yes, I would admit that Josie isn't even her own character and I don't care what Pinoy Pridists have to say - she's unfortunately not well-developed! Gigas himself was just there to be "another Marduk" or should I say that the female Raven is what I'd call to be well... a joke? At least Kunimitsu in the first two games was pretty much her own character. Also, Katarina is nowhere as good as Christie. Maybe, I could also talk about how Lucky Chloe hardly has any purpose?

Fifth, it's just too beginner friendly that it treats its players like TODDLERS 

So what's the big issue with making Tekken 7 too beginner friendly? Tekken is supposed to be a game that's DEEP AND COMPLEX yet accessible at the beginning. I'm afraid that the depth is starting to die down with me pressing L1 and pressing through the four corresponding attack buttons and executing some special move/combo in the process - rather than learning the basics and getting deeper. That alone would make a game accessible yet challenging at the same time!

I started playing and one thing I missed was the challenge that Tekken once possessed where you try to learn everyone yet in the end - you would only find a few characters that suit you the best. Now? Well, that charm is gone. I could just easily pick it up and hold L1 and do this and that. I feel it's really an insult to players' intellect to do that. I even thought that the whole idea is to well let little children play too much - never mind the game is rated T for TEEN. With this, I ended up picking some classic Tekken games I really loved for innovative gameplay while keeping a good challenge such as my favorite of all time - Tekken Tag Tournament 2!

They could have at least checked why Tekken clicked in the first place. It goes from accessible to deep gameplay that keeps people engaged. The challenge of trying to find all the moves and instinctively learning them is there. But now how can holding L1 and pressing either attack button to be that much of a challenge? Can you imagine if Mortal Kombat ever does that and treat its players like toddlers? That's what I feel is going on with Tekken 7 - it's treating teenagers as if they are toddlers. What in the world is going on huh?

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This would be my conclusion. Long ago, Tekken was once that successful franchise. I'm not criticizing because I'm against change -- I embrace change yet not all of it brings progress. Rather, it's because the changes suck and unfortunately it's real innovation gone wrong. I criticize because I care and because I know the franchise is capable of improving. But right now, I'd say this game is pretty much the black sheep of the post-Tekken 3 games and I hope Namco wouldn't repeat the same mistake!