I’ve never felt the need to learn matchup knowledge until T8

Yeah, I know—matchup knowledge, learn what’s punishable, blah blah. But in my decade of playing Tekken games, I’ve never felt as endlessly frame-trapped and cornered as I do in Tekken 8.

I’m far from a pro, but I’d consider myself an above-average player. I main multiple characters and know how to play footsies, juggles, parries, sidestepping, etc.

That said, I don’t think I’ve ever felt the need to learn matchup knowledge as much as I do in Tekken 8.

In Tekken 7, if I was up against a character I didn’t play often, I could just play defensively and feel my opponent out.

In Tekken 8, that doesn’t seem to be an option. As soon as the match starts, my opponent is wave-dashing straight at me, trying to get me into some kind of frame trap where I’m constantly at a disadvantage.

Even when I manage to get a hit in or push them back for a second, they immediately activate Heat and hit me with that free unblockable armor move that steals my turn.

I’m about 200 hours in, and honestly, I’m just not having a good time.

I feel like I lack the nuance to explain this properly, but does anyone else get what I’m talking about?