Tekken 4 is the fourth installment in the Tekken series, for the PlayStation 2. It was developed and published by Namco. It was released as an arcade game in 2001 and on the PlayStation 2 in 2002.
Gameplay
Tekken 4 introduced significant new gameplay changes from the previous games in the series[1]. For the first time, it allowed players to maneuver around an arena interacting with walls and other obstacles for extra damage. These "environmental hazards" in turn allowed players to juggle opponents for consecutive combos and allowed the designers to implement a "switch maneuver", which let players escape from cornering and throw the tide in their favor. Also, the game engine had been tweaked to be more focused on the environment, causing the characters to move more slowly and fluidly than in Tekken Tag Tournament. Finally, the game introduced a brand new graphics system, that featured increased lighting, dynamic physics, and smoother surfaces.
In high level tournament play, it became apparent that the engine changes caused the game to heavily favor quick jabs and punches, upsetting some fans due to the decline in usefulness of more complex moves and strategies. Jin Kazama especially, was over-powered, and if one were to look at the tournament records, he was used by nearly every top player.
Four Characters have their own boss characters, Kazuya and Hwoarang face Jin, Lee faces Combot, and Heihachi faces Kazuya.
Tekken 4 includes a beat 'em up minigame available from the outset called Tekken Force. Similar to the previous minigame found in Tekken 3, it presents the player with an over-the-shoulder perspective as they fight wave upon wave of Heihachi's Tekken Force through four stages, eventually facing Heihachi himself. The player can pick up health and power-ups while they fight waves of enemies. In the minigame it is discovered that the Tekken Force possesses different ranks in the organization, evident in different amounts of stamina, strength and skill.
Story
Tekken 4 picks up two years after Tekken 3. Heihachi and his scientists have captured samples of Ogre's blood and tissue to splice with Heihachi's genome and make him immortal. The experiment fails, since Heihachi lacks the necessary Devil Gene. Not willing to give up, Heihachi searches for his grandson, Jin Kazama, who does possess the Devil Gene, with Heihachi learning that the body of his son, Kazuya (who also has the Devil Gene and died twenty years ago) is stored in the labs of the Mishima Zaibatsu's main business rival, G Corporation.
Heihachi sends his Tekken Forces to raid G Corporation and retrieve Kazuya's remains, but the mission fails when the Force is wiped out by none other than Kazuya himself, who has been revived by G Corporation and is now stronger than ever before. At the same time, Jin is unable to be located which leaves Heihachi with no way to complete his research (unknown to Heihachi, he has gone into a self-imposed training exile in Brisbane, Australia where he is mastering a new martial arts form, a sign of contempt towards his bloodline).
In a desperate attempt to lure Kazuya and Jin out, Heihachi announces the King of the Iron Fist Tournament 4 believing both his son and grandson will come to him for their own reasons. The plan works, and at Stage Seven, where Jin and Kazuya are scheduled to fight, Jin is ambushed and captured by the Tekken Forces. Kazuya is declared the default winner of Stage Seven, and he meets Heihachi at the final stage. The father and son clash in battle once again with Heihachi emerging the victor.[2] After the fight, Heihachi leads Kazuya to Hon-Maru (a Mishima Dojo in the woods where Jin is).
There, Devil takes over Kazuya's mind once again, and tells Heihachi that he has come to extract the part of the Devil Gene he lost the night Kazuya was thrown into the volcano. Meanwhile, an unconscious Jin was being stored inside the dojo bounded by chains. As a reward, Devil knocks Heihachi out of the room with his telepathic powers instead of killing him outright, then attempts to steal Jin's Devil Gene. Kazuya overcomes Devil and regains control of his body. Kazuya decides to kill Jin himself and absorb his Devil power. Jin has visions of his father taunting him until he awakens by his voice. In an uncontrollable rage, Jin attacks Kazuya and engages him in combat, emerging the victor.
Heihachi then wakes up and prepares to take advantage of the exhausted Jin by defeating him in battle, but Jin overpowers Heihachi and prepares to kill him as the Devil Gene begins to consume his mind. Jin almost delivers the final blow, but the memory of his mother, Jun, stops him. Jin hesitates and finally releases Heihachi in honor of his mother, telling him to: "Thank my Mother--Jun Kazama." Once again, the feathery black wings sprout from Jin's back, and he flies off, making a huge hole inside Hon-Maru's roof.
Character Roster
Returning Characters
New Characters
Reception
Despite receiving an average of 82% at Game Rankings [3], Tekken 4 stands as the least critically successful game of the Tekken series. Edge reviewed Tekken 4 in their June 2004 issue, awarding six out of ten.[1] The review highlighted Tekken 4's experimental and pretty nature; and that overall it is a more solid and thoughtful proposition than its predecessor, but concluded that the game feels "over-familiar and curiously uninspired."
Awards
External links
References
- ^ a b Edge magazine issue E111, June 2004
- ^ Tekken 5 Instruction Booklet (North America ed.). Namco Hometek Inc. p. 39. SLUS-21059GH. "Kazuya suffered a defeat at the hands of Heihachi and was later defeated again by Jin at Honmaru."
- ^ Tekken 4 at Game Rankings Retrieved June 11
- ^ GameSpot Awards Retrieved June 11
