Tekken 8 Unforgotten Echoes story preview: A brilliant story and a great new feature come to the game

Part of Tekken 8’s next major update is the Unforgotten Echoes story. I recently had a chance to preview this story as well as the returning King of the Iron Fist, Heihachi Mishima. Although we did get to play the entire new story, we’re going to avoid major spoilers here so you can experience the thrills and excitement for yourself. Like many, Heihachi is one of my favorite characters in the Tekken canon, so seeing him come back was a real treat.

In addition, Tekken 8’s Unforgotten Echoes story adds a welcome change to the game, especially for newcomers and returning players. We’ll briefly go over the story and reveal an exciting new feature you won’t want to miss out on.

---

Tekken 8’s Unforgotten Echoes story reintroduces Heihachi Mishima

All three DLC characters are playable in this story (Image via Bandai Namco)

Tekken 8 really grabbed us by the soul here when it originally launched, and the Unforgotten Echoes story has just as much promise. During my preview session, I had the chance to play through the entire story; this is a also first for Tekken. This is the first time the game added a post-launch story, and it's a must-play experience.

All the current DLC characters take part, and this appears to be set during the launch story. Each DLC character—Eddy, Lidia, and Heihachi—has a role to play in this story. From Eddy making amends with Lars and Jin, to Lidia receiving an interesting request from Reina, there’s a lot to love here.

Of course, you also get to learn more about Mishima style, and Heihachi Mishima himself. Playing as him is a real treat. We won’t spoil the specifics of battles, you’ll just have to experience them yourself. Take it from us when we say that this story is a memorable one.

---

Unforgotten Echoes allows players to try out the DLC characters before they buy them

That's right - you can play as Heihachi before buying him! It's a great change (Image via Bandai Namco)

The most important change in Unforgotten Echoes as a story for Tekken 8 is that it will allow you to play as all the DLC characters revealed so far, without owning them. The chapters of the story each focus on one of the DLC characters, so you get plenty of time to play them in challenging, fun battles.

If you don’t have them all yet or didn’t pick up any of the DLC, this is a great way to see if they’re right for you. I wish more fighting games did something like this. It’s arguably my favorite addition to Tekken 8, through the Unforgotten Echoes story. If you’re on the fence, play this story. It’s free for everyone, so you can try out all three new characters.

---

Tekken 8’s next DLC and major update launch on October 4, 2024, at 4 pm PDT, bringing with it Heihachi Mishima, the Unforgotten Echoes storyline, and plenty of amazing quality-of-life updates.