Ace Combat has never really needed to reinvent itself to deliver an enjoyable flight-combat experience, and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve understands that better than most sequels. The formula is still recognisably the same: pick a fighter, take to the skies, lock onto targets and turn seemingly impossible aerial manoeuvres into spectacular missile kills. What makes this eighth numbered entry stand out is how much more attention has been paid to everything surrounding those dogfights. The result is a campaign that feels more ambitious narratively, while the actual flying has been refined to the point where simply taking control of a fighter remains one of the game’s biggest pleasures.
The story takes place during a desperate conflict between the Central Usean Federation and the Republic of Sotoa, with the latter having pushed deep into FCU territory. The player initially finds themselves part of the desperate defence before becoming connected to the Wings of Theve legend, a supposed heroic figure whose reputation turns out to be considerably more complicated than military propaganda would have everyone believe. The idea of passing a manufactured symbol of hope from one pilot to another gives the campaign a surprisingly interesting foundation, particularly when it starts questioning the relationship between warfare, propaganda and public perception. The first-person sequences aboard the Endurance also give the squadron more personality than the largely anonymous pilots of earlier campaigns, with the relationships between its members providing some of the game’s strongest emotional moments.
That does not mean the storytelling is flawless. Ace Combat has always been comfortable with melodrama, convoluted military politics and spectacular superweapons, and Wings of Theve happily continues that tradition. Some of its ideas about social media and the way a wartime narrative can be manufactured are more effective than others, while the constant radio chatter can occasionally become distracting rather than enriching. The new first-person sections are a welcome addition because they make the Endurance feel like a real place populated by people rather than simply a menu between sorties, although some of the more passive scenes would have benefited from giving the player greater agency. Most importantly, the narrative gives the 30-mission campaign a reason to keep pushing forward, even if players may find themselves struggling to follow every conversation once the shooting starts.
That shooting remains the star of the show. Wings of Theve is very much an arcade flight game rather than a conventional simulator, and that accessibility is one of its greatest strengths. The controls are approachable enough for newcomers to get airborne quickly, yet the aircraft still have enough weight and momentum to prevent every fighter from feeling like a weightless spaceship. High-G turns, evasive manoeuvres and rapid changes in direction consequently feel satisfying without requiring the complexity of a dedicated flight simulator. The PS5 version also makes particularly good use of the DualSense, with haptic feedback adding another layer of sensation to everything from flying and briefings to the general physicality of the aircraft. There is little here that constitutes a revolution over Ace Combat 7, but that is hardly a major complaint when the existing formula has been refined this effectively.
There is also more tactical consideration beneath the arcade spectacle than might initially be expected. Missions award points that can be spent on new aircraft and upgrades, while the aircraft tree gives players reasons to experiment with different machines rather than simply sticking to one favorite fighter. Choosing equipment for the other members of the squadron adds another layer, as their configurations can be tailored towards air superiority, ground attacks or support depending on what a sortie demands. That becomes increasingly useful on higher difficulties, where selecting the right aircraft and weapon loadout before take-off can make the difference between comfortably completing an objective and being overwhelmed. The 30 missions are similarly good at maintaining momentum, mixing aerial engagements with attacks on ground and naval targets, escorts and more unusual set pieces. There is some repetition inherent in a game about combat aircraft, but the consistency of the mission design prevents the campaign from becoming a succession of identical dogfights.
The biggest technical leap is found in the sky itself. Wings of Theve uses its new technology to make clouds and weather more than decorative scenery, and flying into dense cloud cover can affect visibility, targeting and the player’s ability to evade incoming attacks. That gives the environment a practical role while simultaneously producing some spectacular vistas. Light breaking through clouds, aircraft cutting through storms, condensation trails appearing behind fighters and explosions illuminating the battlefield all contribute to the sensation of watching an interactive war movie. The aircraft themselves are impressively detailed, while the first-person character sequences bring considerably more fidelity to the people aboard the carrier. On PS5, the presentation is especially impressive, although there can be occasional performance dips during some of the busier preparation and character sequences.
The audio design is every bit as important to the spectacle. Engine noise, missile warnings, radio chatter and explosions create the expected sense of danger, but the soundtrack elevates the experience considerably further. Ace Combat has always understood the value of pairing aerial combat with grandiose music, and Wings of Theve continues that tradition with a score that can turn an already dramatic sortie into something genuinely memorable. The music, sound effects and visual effects frequently work together so effectively that the game can make a relatively straightforward engagement feel like the climax of an action movie. The one recurring problem is that the English dialogue, while well performed, can be difficult to follow while simultaneously watching the radar, monitoring incoming missiles and trying to line up a target. Subtitles technically solve the language barrier to a degree, but not the fundamental problem of reading them while flying at hundreds of kilometres per hour.
Ace Combat Online is a considerably more ambitious proposition than the straightforward multiplayer found in previous entries. A shared air-base lobby, cross-platform play, cooperative activities, competitive modes and additional progression give players plenty to do after finishing the campaign. The variety is welcome, particularly when cooperative encounters and large-scale battles provide a different rhythm from the story missions. At the same time, the online structure is arguably more complicated than it needs to be. The independent progression system, multiple currencies, avatar-focused elements and seasonal Ace Pass give the multiplayer a more service-oriented feel that may not appeal to players who simply want to jump into a quick aerial battle. It is certainly packed with content, but some of that additional infrastructure feels like an unnecessary layer between the player and the actual flying.
That ultimately sums up Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve rather well. It is not a radical reinvention of the series, and players expecting the fundamental formula to change dramatically may come away disappointed. Instead, Bandai Namco Aces has taken the strengths of Ace Combat 7 and built around them with a more involving campaign, better squadron integration, a substantial 30-mission structure, deeper aircraft customisation and a much more impressive atmospheric presentation. There are still narrative moments that lean too heavily into the series’ melodrama, mission variety could go even further, and the online component’s progression systems may feel more intrusive than rewarding. Yet when the afterburner kicks in, the clouds close around the cockpit and an enemy fighter suddenly appears in the gunsight, very little of that matters. Ace Combat 8 understands exactly why this series has endured: flying a fighter jet and turning a chaotic sky into your own personal action movie is still enormously satisfying.
Score: 8.7/10