Tekken 8 has taken the fighting game community by storm, and with good reason. Each update has allowed the game to be more balanced than ever, and, as a result, characters that relied solely on power have gotten more nuanced; now, in the latest patch, one of the game’s most annoying characters just got harder to master.
Why Was Victor Such a Problem in Tekken 8?
If you have played Tekken 8 since it came out, you know that Victor was one of the top-tier characters that were also one of the most problematic. May of his most devastating attacks track your movements even with a sidestep, and his speed and power make it hard to find an opening to punish him. Granted, even though he was incredibly linear, akin to a Street Fighter character, his combos were easy enough to master, and he was the perfect entry-level character. However, this led to the inevitable complaint that the character was exceedingly cheap in how hard he hit, how fast he hit, and the fact that you could get at least half of a combo started with one button.
While there are many minutiae in the recent path for Tekken 8, the broad strokes of Victor’s changes equate to the realization that the days of fast-mashing buttons for a quick and powerful finish are more or less over. To begin with, much of Victor’s moves were nerfed in a way that made it much easier for him to counter, allowing players to take advantage of windows that weren’t available in the past.
Also, his moves track even less, making those devastating attacks more of a risk. To compensate, however, Victor can now utilize a parry, has a whole new combo string you can learn and many of his moves were slightly buffed. As a result, he’s been acclimatized to the Tekken fighting culture than when he first arrived, but what does this mean for those that play as and against the characters?
What Do Victor’s Latest Changes Mean For Us?
For those playing as Victor, you may find yourself in the familiar world of classic Tekken, where speed and power meant nothing regarding spacing and punishing. Sure, Victor is still fast and aggressive, but his best moves require more risk; therefore, the fundamentals are more important than ever. With that in mind, if you are a Victor main, be ready for a more tactical experience when fighting, where strategy is key. But now that he has at least one move that allows him to transition into his incredibly effective Lai stance, strategy should be both fun and exciting.
However, for those playing against Victor, your spacing will have to be on point. Now, those who get used to the new Victor will also be getting acquainted with new techniques that don’t involve offense only. You may encounter more mid and ranged attacks and effective responses to compensate for a punish or sidestep. In short, while many players are used to Victor’s linear combat, the latest update has made the character a true “Tekken” character, and with that, he will be even more challenging and rewarding for you to play with or against. Plus, with Lidia on the way, he may have become the answer for her unique and hard-hitting style.
For more content like this, check out GameSkinny’s Tekken 8 guide hub.
