Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve PC Review - Bandai Namco Delivers the Biggest and Most Complete Arcade Flight Simulator Ever

In 2019, Skies Unknown brought the magical world of Ace Combat back into the spotlight, and its success was more than deserved. It was only a matter of time before a new installment arrived, and it's finally within reach. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, releasing in a few days on PC, PS5, and Xbox, is about to inaugurate a new conflict in the skies of Strangereal, with a new story, new weapons of mass destruction, and the usual majesty not expected from a "plane game." The variety of the menu hasn't changed particularly compared to recent outings, but the quality of the package has very few terms of comparison.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - Story, Plot, and Campaign

We find ourselves in Usea, some years after Trigger's exploits in Ace Combat 7. The region is currently in chaos, after the neighboring Sotoa one day decided to raze every single center of power with an orbital bombardment and then begin a large-scale invasion. The player is an unnamed pilot who has just been picked up by the last allied aircraft carrier still operational on the entire continent. Here, among other things, is where Wings of Theve, Usea's great aviation ace who is single-handedly holding off the enemy, is stationed.

His figure is actually little more than a publicity stunt; the situation is dire, but it's the only way to keep people's morale high. During our first flight, we will act as wingmen to Cope, Wings himself, but we are intercepted by a Sotoan squadron and shot down without much ceremony. Cope perishes, and his consciousness for some reason attaches to ours, thus remaining in spirit to keep us company and comment on the circumstances. It will be up to us to inherit the title of Wings of Theve and turn the tide of the war. You can imagine the rest.

And that was just the prologue, which highlights one of Ace Combat 8's key points: an expanded and refined narrative component. Briefings before each mission are still present, while occasional pre-rendered videos have been replaced by long in-engine cinematics full of dialogue and partially interactive sequences. The franchise's events have always been driven by lore and hype moments, so I admit a certain skepticism when the game came out with almost fifteen minutes of cutscenes to introduce the events; the somewhat stereotypical presentation of its companions didn't help.

But everything works great: the interludes use more elaborate direction to deepen the characters and let the quiet moments between battles breathe. This helps to better explore both the cast and the factions involved, to the benefit of one of the longest campaigns in the series. Nothing that will win an Oscar, mind you: melodrama, "cheesy" lines, and improbable sermons on aeronautics dominate, but I demand that from Ace Combat; it's even remarkable how it manages to hold up until the final confrontation. The only aspects I didn't particularly appreciate are the constant emphasis on propaganda, disinformation, and mega-corporations, a perhaps current but rather sterile theme in my opinion, and more than a few plot points directly recycled from Skies Unknown. In general, Wings of Theve draws heavily from the past, even in terms of gameplay.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - Gameplay, Aircraft, and New Features

The flight model has been slightly tweaked compared to the last edition: the tight turn is still there, but its use is a bit more limited and "sensible" (or at least I didn't feel like I could perform aggressive "post-stall maneuvers" like before). The arcade characteristics have remained unchanged, of course, but the weight of the aircraft is more noticeable in trajectory changes. Controls and interface are largely the same, for a pleasant, accessible, and highly expressive experience.

The roster of licensed aircraft is the usual (for obvious reasons), so you'll have to wait until the endgame for something less orthodox. The purchase of new equipment mirrors what was seen in Skies Unknown, with a substantial unlock tree that includes aircraft, special weapons, and extra components for modifying various parameters. Among the novelties, a fourth category of fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, has been introduced, providing temporary support to nearby allies via ECM to weaken enemy targeting capabilities or improve their own. Furthermore, some vehicles are distinguished by an icon that allows them to operate from an aircraft carrier, making them exclusive to certain missions where we will be at sea, and it is possible to equip two special weapons at a time, although each with half the ammunition. The added flexibility is welcome, but in-game having to scroll through three options can be inconvenient in the most chaotic situations.

In this regard, the machine gun reticle has been stabilized, making it once again a solid option for dogfights and bombing runs. Landing procedures have also been simplified; you can literally throw yourself onto the runway and still park without a hitch. A somewhat sad development, but ideal for those rare sorties where we'll need to refuel in the middle of battle. Finally, the commands to give to your squad via directional pad return, as in Squadron Leader and Fires of Liberation. I would never entrust my life or primary objectives to them, but for once the AI knows how to do its job: it shoots down targets, uses its entire arsenal, and is always nearby if cover is needed. They've also picked up the habit of asking for our opinion or asking elaborate questions, with us only able to answer "Yes" or "No." Hilarious.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - Missions and Multiplayer

The missions that make up the main mode are not only numerous, but also quite long, at least by the standards of the series. On paper, they are almost all operations we have seen in the past: eliminating bomber fleets, razing military structures, supporting ground forces during advances, clashing against entire fighter formations, flying fortresses or giant tanks, sneaking through tunnels... The scale of the combat, however, is greater, with more elaborate maps, different fronts to manage, allies to protect, with cinematics and plot twists that describe the evolution of the conflict in a more detailed and convincing way. However, if, like me, you tend to clear all objectives well before the next scripted sequence, prepare for some downtime. I'm not a fan of the occasional QTEs where we find ourselves behind a particular plane and have to take it out in slow motion. It only happens a couple of times, but it's an Assault Horizon-esque embellishment that really feels out of place.

The modular challenge level and numerous flight assists allow anyone to approach the title, but the greatest satisfactions come after mastering expert controls and tackling higher difficulties. Surviving and bringing home an S at that point becomes a mere exercise in style, but the fun never diminishes. Completing the campaign will take you between 12 and 15 hours, but it would be a shame to stop there, with records, medals, special liveries, and, of course, Ace difficulty. Replayability is excellent, also thanks to the excellent level design. In every Ace Combat, I have always found some missions "indigestible," for one reason or another. Wings of Theve is no exception, but only for one specific mission, which is surprising considering the amount of content offered. As mentioned earlier, those who have been soaring the skies for years will often experience a certain "déjà vu," however, the quality of the experience dispels any doubts, with a lot of memorable and highly spectacular scenes. Mission 28, despite the extreme simplicity of the setting, is one of the highest peaks ever reached by the series, if you'll allow me.

The single-player adventure should keep you busy for quite a while; no co-op unfortunately, a detail to remedy, sooner or later. On the other hand, we have the most comprehensive online multiplayer component the franchise has ever seen. Inspired by Ace Combat Infinity, this separate mode includes an exclusive set of aircraft and customizations, and will see players compete in PvE, PvP, and PvPvE matches, including simple skirmishes and restored versions of the saga's most iconic bosses. There are also premium currencies, two tiers of seasonal passes, and timed events; it's hard to say how penalized those who "only" bought the game will be, but I trust in a mostly fair system. From what I see, if you don't care too much about emblems, camouflages, and aesthetic trinkets, you should still be able to access the bulk of the package, with the possibility of unlocking titles and clothing for your avatar, and creating your own squadron to invite friends and recruit new allies. The test in this regard was brief, and the only comment I can make is: matchmaking is slow; maybe it will improve as the user base increases. Side note: it's very serious not to have included Air Combat 22 among the classic arcade games by Namco in the lobby bar.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - Technical Department and Soundtrack

On the technical front, Ace Combat 8 echoes the style appreciated in 7, but the presentation has been decidedly boosted with the transition to Unreal Engine 5. The aircraft models are finely detailed, from the myriad buttons in the cockpit to the rivets holding the fuselage panels together; clouds, smoke, and explosions are much more realistic, with lighting effects that enhance every shot, and even ground objects now boast a pretty good realization. The visual impact is impressive. On the other hand, the game is a beast. Not only the 140 GB on the hard disk, but also the optimization will make most configurations on the market suffer (at least on PC, I ignore the situation on consoles). By tinkering with the options, it's possible to find a good compromise, but the frame rate fluctuates frequently, with abrupt drops when flying through particle effects; nothing that impacts excessively, if anything. What weighs are the loading times, eternal, especially at startup, to the point that I got into the habit of letting it "warm up" a few minutes before entering the hangar. It's beautiful, but I sincerely hope a patch is in the works.

Let's conclude with the soundtrack. It's Ace Combat, it certainly doesn't need introductions from this point of view: the orchestra of Ryo Watanabe and Mitsuhiro Kitadani (with the support of Keiki Kobayashi) is once again at the helm of the tracks and as usual does not disappoint. Not only the quality of the playlist, enormous and extremely varied, but also the way it intertwines with the gameplay, emphasizing the action to an extreme degree. There's little Latin this time, but it's compensated by an unprecedented j-rock contamination that is successful and strangely very fitting. I don't think the new entries will replace my favorite pieces (masterpieces like Agnus Dei and Zero are hard to unseat), but I already have several that I will listen to on loop for the next few months. The English voice acting during interludes and radio communications is good. Interpretations are equally valid; some lines are a bit forced.