Recently, the Combo Breaker tournament featured some of the best professional Tekken 8 players around going head-to-head to win it all. Those watching were also treated to a trailer that teased the gameplay of Lidia Sobieska. Here’s everything we know about Lidia Sobieska’s abilities and fighting style so far.
Lidia’s Fighting Style in Tekken 8
Lidia Sobieska, the Prime Minister of Poland, was first introduced in Tekken 7 as an unorthodox master of traditional karate. She was an equally aggressive but much faster version of Jin and his Kyokushin karate. However, now that Jin is fighting with a new fortified style that blends his Devil Gene abilities, Lidia is in a class all her own.
You might notice early on that her mixups are incredibly unpredictable and fast. In a way, she’s a mixture of Eddy Gordo with her unpredictability and Jin with her ability to strike at various points with powerful strength. Her strength is another factor of her karate training, as it allows her to not only be fast but strike back with varying knockdown blows that are sure to disorient players. However, it’s her abilities and applications of them that make her a standout.
Lidia’s Abilities in Tekken 8
Tekken characters don’t have abilities in the traditional sense, but they do have particular skills and attributes that help put them in high tiers online. For example, Leroy Smith has a devastating parry window, while Lee Chaolan, when timed right, can taunt and give himself an extra heat bar. Then there’s Asuka, who can charge her chi and the Mishima family, who all have access to electrical abilities.
In the case of Lidia, she’s bringing in moves and stances that are a welcome addition and a much-needed equalizer to Tekken 8. For starters, she has a solid parry window that allows her to cancel out any simple incoming attacks, not unlike Steve Fox, Leroy Smith, or Marshall Law. However, she appears to have a stance that not only allows her to have a stronger parry and counter but may also cancel out a heat engager without having to hit a low attack. In a game where aggression is key, Lidia has the tools to turn the tide in her favor and also shift the momentum to her mid-battle.
The gameplay reveal trailer shows how skilled she is by having her fight Jin and showcasing both of their karate prowess. It also shows how Lidia is a force to be reckoned with. Coupled with her rage art, she’s sure to be the next great fighter in Tekken 8 for many of us. Now, the only downside is that we have to wait for her debut sometime in the summer, with an official release date still unknown.
For more content like this, check out GameSkinny’s Tekken 8 guide hub.