Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve review
PlayStation 5, Xbox, PC (version played); Bandai NamcoThe game generates blood-pumping moments as you twist, turn and weave through the skies, while your locked-on missiles speed away to obliterate an enemy plane
TL;DR
- The game features the signature Ace Combat experience of exhilarating dogfights, stunning visuals, and intense music.
- Set in Strangereal, players take on the role of a propaganda-invented ace pilot, the Wings of Theve.
- Gameplay balances arcade fun with optional expert controls for complex maneuvers.
- Mission variety includes bombing runs, escorts, and unique scenarios like destroying a land battleship.
- Innovations include environmental destruction and the ability for planes to glance off surfaces without immediate destruction.
- Storytelling is enhanced with fully animated first-person segments and cinematic cut-scenes, drawing inspiration from Top Gun: Maverick.
- The game offers an unexpectedly moving narrative experience for an arcade flight combat simulator.