The Game Awards 2024 came with the teased announcement of the fourth DLC character inTekken 8, and it delivered on fan requests for aFinal Fantasycrossover in an unexpected way. Thefinal fighter ofTekken 8’s Playable Character Year 1 Passwas revealed to be the guest Clive Rosfield fromFinal Fantasy 16, subverting anticipations ofFF7’s Tifa. He’s set to bring a medieval flavor has another outlier weapon fighter in the roster, and it seems that Clive will be following the example ofFF’s past crossover as his appearance cements a trend in collaborations.
The grounded, aggressive style ofTekken 8’s combat will now be shaken up by the flashy high-fantasy action of Square Enix’s latest flagship entry, and this is likely to cause strong reactions across the community. Regardless of how different the tone of his moveset may be, the attention to detail that has been taken in adapting him is sure to be recognized byFF16players.
Clive’s Presence in Tekken 8 is Poised to Parallel the Impact of Noctis in T7
The Divisiveness of Sword Characters in a Martial Arts Tournament
Weapon fighters have been a controversial, but generally accepted aspect of the franchise for years, as the likes ofFinal Fantasy 15’s Noctis Lucis CaeluminTekken 7are remembered as predictable yet dangerous threats. This is due to their shared reliance on the “2” input, usually right-handed punch on unarmed characters, being most associated with sword slashing. Clive has already been shown to heavily utilize his weapon across what could be most of his moveset, but this isn’t the only inspiration apparent in his kit.
It once seemed as thoughT8would have not focused on guests on the same level as its predecessor, and Victor Chevallier’s adoption of some similar moves to Noctis supported this assumption. The inclusion ofFinal Fantasy 7’s Tifa Lockhart inTekken 8would be a more natural fit, given her hand-to-hand combat preference. Clive is surprising due to this perceived oversaturation, but his arsenal of Eikon powers actually has the potential to diversify his moveset far beyond typical sword attacks. His use of elemental magic has been shown to be paying homage by bringing a blend of options to this unconventional archetype.
Clive’s Inclusion Appears Jam-Packed with Faithful References to Final Fantasy 16
With a moveset that features many accurately represented Eikon abilities alongside faithful recreations of Clive’s basic attack kit, hisTekken 8moveset is a love letter toFF16. His wolf companion Torgal has even managed to be integrated, drawing comparisons to Kazumi Mishima’s use of a tiger in the previous game.
These even include powers he gained after the base game throughLeviathan fromFinal Fantasy 16’s Rising Ride DLC, making him an impressive composite of an end-game build from the source material. Some of the recognizable moves seen in the trailer include:
The Collaboration Isn’t Limited to Just a Guest Character
On top of Clive’s addition, an entire stage inspired by his game will be coming in the form of the Phoenix Gate. With a dramatic backdrop of the Eikons Ifrit and Phoenix fighting, complete with a stage transition triggering environmental damage, this complementary offering seems to be a consolation forTekken 8’s Genmaji Temple stage controversyearlier this year. The added focus on microtransactions for customization items and avatar skins has been a growing part of the title’s support, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this crossover also extends outside gameplay alone.
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.
