Having a Tekken game without Heihachi Mishima probably feels inconceivable. I bet Namco wasn't willing to repeat the SAME MISTAKE with Tekken 3 when fan-favorite Kazuya Mishima was completely absent. I feel Kazuya was probably one of the best bad guys in Tekken. Heihachi was supposedly killed in Tekken 7. However, it's no surprise that Heihachi returned and was rescued before he could fall into the lava. I can't decide if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Heihachi is a fan favorite.
I was surprised to learn that "The Dark Awakens" is actually FREE. Yes, free, in contrast to Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath expansion (which I wanted to buy UNTIL I saw how it unfolded) or Mortal Kombat 1's utterly chaotic "Khaos Reigns" expansion. I feel the story mode expansion has been nothing more than fanservice. It's probably as fanservice-y as Mortal Kombat 11 bringing back Shao Kahn as a prepaid character. Later, the Aftermath expansion brought in Shang Tsung as an important character. The same goes for "The Dark Awakens" -- Heihachi gets a Shang Tsung treatment! Was it because no matter how bad the Tekken film is -- Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa was its saving grace? I feel Tagawa was truly fit to be Heihachi as he had defined Shang Tsung!
I feel the hype is similar. Fans went ecstatic when Tagawa finally got into Mortal Kombat games. The Shang Tsung reveal was hype. Heihachi probably gives everyone that same feeling. Both Shang Tsung and Heihachi were the final bosses in the first games they're in -- before becoming sidelined as dangerous backstabbers! Heihachi overthrew his father. Shang Tsung always aimed to get rid of Shao Kahn. Shang Tsung pulled off the ultimate backstabbing in Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath story.
I feel that like Mortal Kombat 11's "Aftermath" story -- Heihachi's return undid the thrills Tekken 7 had. It's probable because I actually enjoyed the bonus ending Liu Kang gets in Mortal Kombat 11's Story Mode. However, retconning Liu Kang's happy ending just for Shang Tsung to return can be a cringe. Making Heihachi return after Kazuya threw him into the volcano is WAY TOO PREDICTABLE. I feel it destroyed every climax Tekken 7 had. Those are similarities that I point out because Tagawa played both iconic villains.
It's also probable because the Dictator returned in Street Fighter 6. The Dictator was supposedly killed for good in Street Fighter V. I guess fans just love the Dictator so much that he was returned. The Dictator whether he was Bison (US) or Vega (Japan) was probably the most iconic villain in Street Fighter. If Street Fighter can do it -- I felt Tekken decided to do it. Namco still needs to explain how in the world Akuma got involved. Honestly, I felt that was nothing more than bad decision-making too.
As everything goes -- I feel Heihachi is getting overused as a fanservice character. Could it be lazy writing or what? Is it a possible act of desperation or what? Hmmm....
Comments
Post a Comment