PlayStation 4 Controller is Displayed at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Known as E3, in Los Angeles
A PlayStation 4 controller is displayed at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo, known as E3, in Los Angeles, California, June 11, 2014. Reuters

Considering the success of Capcom's "StreetFighter 4" and NetherRealm's "Mortal Kombat," it's safe to say that fighting games are enjoying something of a renaissance. With an arcade release due this month, Namco's "Tekken" franchise is next up for a triumphant return. A newly released intro trailer delves deep into the series' lore and promises resolution for long-time fans.

The trailer was posted on the official Japanese "Tekken" YouTube page. It opens with series patriarch Heihachi Mishima and his estranged son Kazuya as they prepare for combat in the centre of an active volcano. The two engage in battle, even as ash and smoke swirl furiously in the wind and red hot floes send bursts of molten lava around them. A flurry of powerful punches and kicks are traded, and the younger Mishima momentarily gains the upper hand. Kazuya attempts to press his advantage, but Heihachi soon overpowers him.

The intro trailer cuts to a new character, Kazumi Mishima. Kazumi is Heihachi's wife and Kazuya's mother, alluded to in previous games but never shown. In a bid to end her husband's reign of terror, Kazumi vows to utilise the cursed Devil Gene even if it kills her in the process. Kazuya rises to his feet, now possessed by the Devil Gene. A third eye appears on his forehead, and he fires a series of optic blasts at his father as the title card appears and the trailer ends.

In its coverage of the story, Gamespot notes that "Tekken 7" will not be built using proprietary engine technology but will instead be powered by Epic's Unreal Engine 4. Speaking to Epic's Unreal Engine website, "Tekken" series Executive Producer and Game Director, Katsuhiro Harada, explained the decision. Harada stated that Epic's third-party game engine allowed the team to focus on gameplay and gave them the flexibility to easily port the title to multiple platforms.

"With Unreal Engine 4, we could rapidly achieve [the] visual quality expected on next-gen platforms and go beyond it. Not only is Unreal Engine 4 powerful and easy to use, but it allows us to immediately bring 'Tekken 7' to any platform we desire.”

As reported by Polygon, Harada promised that "Tekken 7" would end the tale of the Mishima clan saga. Gamers can expect an explanation of the origins of the Devil Gene curse that plagues the family. They'll also learn why Heihachi threw his son off a cliff at the end of "Tekken 2."

Set for a Japanese arcade release on Feb. 18, it sounds like "Tekken 7" is shaping to tie up many of the long-running series' loose story threads. A release on Xbox One, PS4 and PC is set to follow sometime in 2015.

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(Credit: YouTube/tekkenchannel)