PlayStation Blog talked to Bandai Namco's Game Director and Chief Producer Katsuhiro Harada to find out what's new as Tekken 7 heads to consoles.

Harada-san mentioned that the game features interactive cutscenes, which are included in the story mode, allowing you to avoid additional damage from these cutscenes by use of button prompts. Harada-san also announced the return of destructible environments, a staple for the Tekken series, along with dynamic weather. The game will also slow down when a fighter's health is low increasing the effect of the dramatic, battle ending blow.

Another addition is Akuma from the Street Fighter games, complete with his own unique set of moves. When asked about the difficulty of implementing the character Harada-san said:

“Most people think that it may have been difficult to include Akuma because of things like his projectiles, but lots of Tekken characters have them, and there’s also the ability to sidestep to allow you to get away from them,”

“The real challenge was portraying him in a similar manner to how he is in Street Fighter because of the difference of how certain moves look in 2D, so we had to work hard to recreate that style, look, and feel in full 3D."

“Akuma plays a vital role in the story mode — he’s entered a deal with Kazumi to rid the world of her hateful spouse and son, Kazuya and Heihachi, and by the end of the game the Mishima family’s tale will be over.”

There's also the return of the rage mechanics in Tekken 7, but with two new twists named Rage Drive and Rage Art. Rage Drives are attacks that can also be used in a variety of combos resulting in additional damage. Rage Arts are described as a powerful finishers that either sets your opponents health to critical or finishes them for good. Rage Arts, however, come at a risk, as the damage inflicted is only proportional to how low your own health is. Another new feature, much like the previous two, is Power Crush, which is a move that cannot be stopped even by taking damage. Yet, it comes with a risk/reward balance, as it won't work against low attacks or throws.

Finally there's the addition of yet more characters to the ever growing roster. The new fighters are Katarina (Brazil), Claudio (Italy), Lucky Chloe (Japan), Josie (Philippines), and Shaheen (Saudi Arabia). Harada-san had this to say on the eclectic choice of new characters:

“We look at the total fan base and divide it into segments to work out what may appeal to certain audiences across the world, or other factors for example female fans, newcomers to the series, or higher end players.”

Tekken 7 will release worldwide early 2017 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.