Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve Review; Per Caelum Vola

After seven years, Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve has finally arrived, meeting all expectations from Project Aces' long-running arcade flight-shooter series. The game boasts intense war drama, massive war machines, catastrophic superweapons, supervillains, excessive missile payloads, engaging missions, and gameplay, as well as an excellent soundtrack. This review focuses on gameplay and story, as multiplayer elements are less explored.

One of the most significant changes is the switch to Unreal Engine 5, resulting in the best-looking Ace Combat game to date, with most cutscenes rendered in real-time. Despite concerns about potential issues, the game ran smoothly on an 11th Gen Core i9-11900K, RTX 4070, and 32GB of RAM using High settings at 1080p with DLSS enabled. However, the Steam version does not yet support third-party flight sticks, though Bandai Namco promises to address this in a future update.

Controls feel familiar for veterans, while newcomers should have no trouble adapting. The High-G Turn mechanic returns, allowing quick pitch adjustments, albeit with reduced consequences. Ice-up time through clouds has increased, providing more opportunities to escape before systems freeze. Wingman commands, mirroring those from Ace Combat 5, have also returned, assisting in targeting and cover responsibilities.

Player responses make a comeback, offering simple Yes or No choices during missions. Additionally, button prompts during cutscenes encourage player engagement without interrupting the narrative. Progression and customization involve purchasing new aircraft and upgrades with earned in-game credits, accessed before starting missions.

A greater number of upgrades can be equipped, impacting manoeuvrability, weaponry, and countermeasures based on the aircraft model. Furthermore, an additional special weapon can be equipped, enhancing loadout customization for various mission types. Players can save unique loadout combinations after completing the campaign.