Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Reviews Are In: Metacritic 88, Worth $69.99?

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is now available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, marking the return of the numbered series after a seven-year gap. Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with the game sitting around 88 on Metacritic. Critics are praising its aerial combat, spectacular clouds, and ambitious campaign. But with a $69.99 price tag, there is one obvious question: is the new Ace Combat worth paying full price for?

The short answer is yes, especially for longtime fans. For newcomers, it depends on whether the combination of arcade-style aerial combat, military melodrama, and wonderfully ridiculous airborne battles sounds appealing.

"1. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Reviews Are In: Metacritic 88, Worth $69.99?","1.1. Ace Combat 8 Is Out, and the Reviews Are Strong","1.2. Wings of Theve: Fighting Under Someone Else's Name","1.3. The Flying Is Still What Matters Most","1.4. 30 Missions and Some Very Big Weapons","1.5. These Might Be the Best Clouds in Gaming","1.6. Aircraft, Upgrades, and the Return of Wingman Commands","1.7. What About Multiplayer?","1.8. Is Ace Combat 8 Worth $69.99?","1.9. Ace Combat 8 Pros and Cons","1.10. Verdict: Should You Buy Ace Combat 8?"

Ace Combat 8 Is Out, and the Reviews Are Strong

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launched on October 2, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It is the first mainline Ace Combat game since Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, ending a seven-year wait for a numbered sequel.

Critics have responded enthusiastically. Around launch, the game's aggregate Metacritic score sits at approximately 88/100, although the exact rating varies by platform and can change as additional reviews are added.

That reception is not particularly surprising once you get into the cockpit. Critics have consistently highlighted the aerial combat, presentation, and sheer spectacle as some of the game's strongest qualities.

There is one area where opinions are noticeably more divided: the story.

Wings of Theve: Fighting Under Someone Else's Name

The story takes place in July 2029 in Strangereal, the fictional world familiar to longtime Ace Combat players. The Republic of Sotoa launches an invasion of the Federation of Central Usea, or FCU, beginning a war that quickly turns disastrous for the federation.

The central idea of the story is closely connected to the Wings of Theve name itself.

The legendary ace celebrated by FCU propaganda is not exactly the hero the public has been led to believe he is. After the original pilot dies, the protagonist effectively inherits his identity and is forced to continue carrying a legend created by military propaganda.

It gives Ace Combat 8 an opportunity to explore more than fighter jets and missile locks. The story touches on propaganda, information warfare, and the way an ordinary person can be transformed into a national symbol.

This is also where critical opinion becomes much less consistent.

Some reviewers consider the narrative one of the game's strengths. Others argue that the melodrama and lengthy cutscenes interfere with the pacing. The problem is particularly noticeable during the opening hours, before the campaign finally gives the player more freedom to spend time in the cockpit.

Ace Combat 8 also presents its story sequences from a first-person perspective, a first for the series. It can make the experience more immersive, but it also makes the long pauses between missions more noticeable.

The result is one of the most ambitious stories in Ace Combat, but also one of the game's most divisive elements.

The Flying Is Still What Matters Most

Most complaints about the story become much easier to ignore once another mission begins.

Ace Combat 8 is not trying to become DCS or Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is still a fast arcade aerial combat game where realistic-looking fighter jets somehow carry a completely unrealistic number of missiles.

And that formula still works extremely well.

Aircraft feel slightly heavier than before, but the controls remain responsive enough for aggressive high-speed maneuvers. Players need to dodge incoming missiles, get behind enemy fighters, wait for a clean lock, and keep track of multiple threats at the same time.

Newcomers can use a simplified control scheme, while experienced players can choose the more traditional setup that requires rolling the aircraft before pulling into a turn.

There is nothing revolutionary about the basic structure. Instead, Bandai Namco Aces has concentrated on refining an already successful formula.

That approach pays off. The actual aerial combat is the part of Ace Combat 8 that reviewers seem to agree on most. Dogfights are fast, readable, spectacular, and consistently satisfying.

30 Missions and Some Very Big Weapons

The single-player campaign is not a short side attraction built around the multiplayer. It is the centerpiece of Ace Combat 8, with 30 missions and an impressive variety of scenarios.

One mission might have players hunting enemy fighters. The next could focus on destroying ground positions or attacking a naval fleet. Then Ace Combat remembers that realism should never get in the way of spectacle and introduces another enormous superweapon.

Some of the most memorable enemies are gigantic war machines, including a massive land battleship capable of turning an urban battlefield into something resembling a disaster movie.

There are more unusual scenarios as well. Players might need to fly below enemy radar coverage, escort vulnerable aircraft, defend strategic infrastructure, or survive huge aerial battles where the screen is constantly filled with targets and missile warnings.

That variety prevents the familiar loop of finding a target, getting a lock, and firing a missile from becoming repetitive too quickly.

The downside is the campaign's size. Not every one of the 30 missions feels equally necessary, and the difficulty can occasionally jump without much warning.

These Might Be the Best Clouds in Gaming

If aerial combat is the mechanical star of Ace Combat 8, the clouds are its visual star.

And they are not just decoration.

Bandai Namco Aces developed its own Cloudly technology, which has become one of the defining technical features of Wings of Theve.

Cloud layers change depending on altitude and weather conditions. Rain runs across the cockpit canopy, visibility can change dramatically within seconds, and the sky finally feels like part of the battlefield rather than scenery surrounding it.

More importantly, weather affects gameplay.

A pilot can dive into a cloud layer to make missile tracking more difficult. But an enemy hiding inside the clouds is also harder to lock onto, meaning poor visibility can work against the player just as easily.

The result is a visual technology that also becomes a tactical mechanic.

On PS5, the presentation is enhanced further through DualSense features. Adaptive triggers and haptic feedback react to high-G maneuvers, sharp turns, weapons, and other events happening around the aircraft.

Aircraft, Upgrades, and the Return of Wingman Commands

Ace Combat 8 features more than 30 aircraft, ranging from recognizable fighters such as the F-15, F-16, and F-22 to European aircraft, Russian jets, and fictional machines created for the Ace Combat universe.

Aircraft are divided into different roles, while new planes, weapons, and upgrades are unlocked through the progression system.

Longtime fans also get the return of an important feature: wingman commands.

Players can once again control the behavior of their squadron, ordering allies to attack more aggressively, use special weapons, or concentrate on protecting the flight leader.

It does not suddenly turn Ace Combat into a tactical flight simulator, but it adds another useful layer to large-scale aerial battles. Wingmen are also considerably more useful than simple background characters flying alongside the player.

What About Multiplayer?

Ace Combat Online is the biggest multiplayer component the franchise has attempted so far.

It features its own progression system, cooperative play, cross-platform multiplayer, and a shared airbase where players can gather between activities.

Aircraft for online play are purchased with in-game currency, while access to more advanced machines is tied to progression.

There is also the Ace Pass, which includes free and paid reward tracks. That inevitably raises questions in a full-price $69.99 game, particularly if any rewards affect performance rather than remaining purely cosmetic.

For now, however, multiplayer is best treated as an addition rather than the main reason to buy Ace Combat 8.

The game already offers a substantial single-player campaign without it, and the campaign remains the primary attraction.

Is Ace Combat 8 Worth $69.99?

The standard edition of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve costs $69.99.

Whether that represents good value depends heavily on what you expect from the game.

For that price, players get a substantial single-player campaign, more than 30 aircraft, one of the most impressive implementations of clouds and weather in a modern game, and a much larger multiplayer component.

What they do not get is a radical reinvention of Ace Combat.

Anyone coming directly from Ace Combat 7 will immediately recognize the foundation. The aircraft feel better, clouds have greater gameplay significance, battles are larger, wingmen are more useful, and the overall presentation is significantly more ambitious.

Underneath all of those improvements, however, this is still unmistakably Ace Combat.

For fans, that is probably an advantage.

For players expecting a serious flight simulator, it is an important warning.

For someone who has never played Ace Combat before, Wings of Theve is also a strong entry point. The controls are accessible, extensive knowledge of previous games is not required to understand the main story, and the spectacle becomes apparent almost immediately.

Ace Combat 8 Pros and Cons

Pros: Excellent arcade aerial combat; a large and varied 30-mission campaign; impressive cloud and weather technology; more useful wingmen; outstanding sound design and a strong soundtrack; more than 30 aircraft; ambitious online multiplayer with cross-play.

Cons: A slow opening with lengthy story sequences; a narrative that will not work for everyone; several missions that feel unnecessary; occasional difficulty spikes; relatively few fundamental changes from Ace Combat 7; an Ace Pass that raises monetization concerns in a $69.99 game.

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Verdict: Should You Buy Ace Combat 8?

Yes, if what you want from Ace Combat is more Ace Combat.

Wings of Theve does not tear down the established formula and replace it with something completely different. Bandai Namco Aces instead takes what the series already does best and pushes its scale, visuals, weather technology, and sense of flight much further.

A Metacritic score around 88 feels appropriate. Critics may disagree about the story, campaign pacing, and lengthy cutscenes, but there is much broader agreement on the most important point: flying and fighting in Ace Combat 8 is extremely fun.

If Ace Combat 7 was already close to the formula you wanted, Wings of Theve is a natural next step. If you have never played the series, Ace Combat 8 is an accessible place to start.

Players expecting a revolution or a hardcore flight simulator should approach it differently. Behind the detailed F-22s, dramatic weather, and realistic-looking cockpits is still a loud, fast, proudly arcade video game.

And that is exactly why it works.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The standard edition costs $69.99.