Lidia Sobieska (Aleksandra Nowicka) is known as the Warrior Prime Minister of Poland. Bringing her highly polished version of traditional karate to the King of Iron Fist Tournament, Lidia looks to defend her people from the threat Kazuya brings in Tekken 8. She’ll seek to do this with her efficient moves, and powerful combos that allow players to string together hits in ways that will keep opponents on their toes.
The developers at Bandai Namco Entertainment couldn’t have planned a better character to follow up the first DLC offering Tekken 8 got with Eddy Gordo. Every key element that made Eddy a great opening character for the game’s growing roster, Lidia is the opposite of. Eddy is a long-time fan favorite; Lidia debuted in Tekken 7. Eddy is one of the flashiest characters in the franchise, sporting his dance-inspired capoeira move set. On the other hand, Lidia practices the straightforward moves of traditional karate. And lastly, while Eddy requires a lot of practice to get his intricate combos down, Lidia provides a more approachable experience. All these contrasts make Lidia an ideal character choice, allowing players who weren’t drawn to Eddy to have someone more likely to be up their alley to try out.
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The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. We all know this, and Lidia Sobieska‘s execution of karate feels built upon this principle. From her quick punches and jabs to her more powerful kicks that finish off many of the character’s combos, Lidia feels she has no time to waste on unnecessary twists, flips, or flourishes. She gets in, gets the damage done, and gets out. This straightforward approach to fighting makes most of her combos flow smoothly for the player. It feels slightly more accessible to figure out which punches and kicks will connect in situations, thanks to the clear focus of her fighting style. This helps new players pick up the character with less pain than others.
While the building blocks to Lidia Sobieska‘s kit are approachable, don’t fool yourself into thinking the character lacks depth. As the player gains familiarity with Lidia, they will see many options open up thanks to the stances sprinkled throughout her combos. These stances change Lidia’s move set, allowing the player to keep opponents who are not fully versed in her combos guessing. With several different stances utilized throughout her combos, Lidia quickly presents a wealth of options to players willing to invest the time in learning everything her fighting style brings.
Another strong aspect of Lidia’s kit is her ability to keep pressure on the opponent. As the player learns how to string Lidia’s attacks together, they will quickly find themselves driving into their opponents with impressive force. Even once the opponent is down, Lidia can deal large amounts of damage efficiently. She possesses a couple of straightforward combos that can be mastered early on, allowing the player to take full advantage of a successful knockdown.
While playing Lidia Sobieskafeels great, the developers also made sure it looked great. While her classic karate gee and straightforward move set don’t bring a lot of flash to the proceedings, the developers provided plenty of fantastic touches to let Lidia shine during her matches. During some of her combos, excellent camera work drives home the Prime Minister’s power. When she enters one of her stances, there is a brief atmospheric effect around her. This aura-like visual makes the character feel imposing, even when she’s not actively attacking. And on top of all this, she has one of the coolest Rage Arts in the game.
The final element that made me love my time with Lidia Sobieska is one I wasn’t expecting, but I suspect many may share with me. Karate is one of the most practiced martial arts in the world. Many of us take classes either for fun or to learn basic self-defense, myself included. Seeing Lidia go through strikes and sometimes even full combos, I could remember my sensei drilling into me. It made me feel more connected to her than the rest of the cast. However, my execution was never anywhere near hers, of course.
With a kit that is easy to handle but provides lots of room to grow, Lidia Sobieska promises to provide plenty of fun and challenge for players. Flexible combos, a powerful presence, and a fighting style that will be familiar to many make this character both a practical and fun addition to Tekken 8’s already stellar roster.
Lidia Sobieska is available now in early access and enters full release on July 25.
