Tekken 8’s demo comes with the Super Ghost AI system, a feature new to the Tekken series that uses AI to track and replicate a player’s style in order to help them improve and find their own weaknesses. As high level players have experimented with it, they’ve quickly discovered it’s frighteningly fast at picking up their moves.
Tekken 8 seems to be putting a massive focus on creating accessible ways for players to improve and train so they can catch up to series veterans. And, while Tekken 7 already had a robust training system with accessible tools for those new to the series, Tekken 8’s Super Ghost AI takes things to the next level.
Essentially, the game will create an AI ghost of your character and analyze the way you play with them in order to create a profile that’ll replicate your moveset and playstyle. Don’t block enough? The AI won’t block, either. Spam a certain move? The AI will do the same, allowing you to counter it and play against your own weaknesses, only for the AI to adapt to that and push you even further.
However, this feature isn’t just good for players who are still learning; even Tekken vets have been challenged by the Super Ghost AI and are shocked by how quickly it learns.
Tekken 8’s Super Ghost AI challenges even the best players
MainManSWE, a Tekken veteran, spent some time playing around with the Super Ghost AI system. He’s not exactly Knee, but SWE is a generally respected and strong Tekken player who’s experienced with the series’ more complex mechanics.
The AI was able to replicate both the KBD (Korean Back Dash) and his Wavedash very, very quickly. Before the very first set against his Ghost was over, the bot went from standing still and taking hits to playing with mechanics only the world’s best Tekken players would be able to pull off and ultimately losing.
While MainManSWE did eventually overwhelm the ghost, it gave him a run for his money at first.
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What’s more, the final game will give players the ability to play against the ghosts of other players. So, if someone felt like facing an AI version of Arslan Ash’s moveset and in-game habits, they theoretically could.
Those who have seen how quickly Tekken 8’s AI adapted the playstyle of MainMan and other creators are excited to see how its implemented in the main game, calling it a “revolutionary” feature that gives Tekken a leg up on other games in the genre.
“If this thing actually has machine learning and a real AI behind it learning specific players’ playstyle, this will be a revolutionary feature that every fighting game needs to include,” said one commenter on MainMan’s video.
Players have also been having fun with the bot, teaching it to BM just like they do and even giving it some bad habits, too.
It remains to be seen if the Super Ghost AI system can hold up under the scrutiny of a pro’s full moveset and decision making when Tekken 8 launches, but for now, it’s an incredibly promising step forward for not just the series, but for fighting games as a whole.