Gorgeous skies, a story that actually pulls you forward and controls that work for regular players. Ace Combat is back, and it's a winner.
Bandai Namco provided a copy of the game for these impressions.
Verdict Play It Now
I’m going to be honest. I’m not usually a flying game guy. ACE COMBAT 8: Wings of Theve doesn’t care. It grabbed me with how it looks, kept me with its story and made the flying easy enough that someone like me feels like an ace.
Watch the RAW IMPRESSIONS
ACE COMBAT 8: Wings of Theve RAW IMPRESSIONS: I’m Not a Flying Game Guy, and This Is StunningI'm not usually a flying game guy, but ACE COMBAT 8 is a winner.
CMoney, OnPoint 4 Gamers
What it is
ACE COMBAT 8: Wings of Theve is the first mainline Ace Combat in seven years, developed by Bandai Namco Aces and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, built on Unreal Engine 5 with the studio’s own tech. It also brings the biggest multiplayer in series history, with cross-play. It launched October 2, 2026, on Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam, after early access for Deluxe Edition owners started September 29.
Absolutely stunning
This is a gorgeous game. Sunlight cutting through the clouds, the water down below, the particle effects, the explosions and missile trails all hit. The cutscenes run in real time, and you can look around in them, so you stay involved instead of just watching. The detail is wild, from the wind on a pilot’s legs to the material of a life raft, and the hands look incredible. After a mission it even lets you sit back and watch a replay from different camera angles, and honestly I could get lost in those because it’s so beautiful.
A story worth flying for
Ace Combat puts real emphasis on story, and it works for me. The characters are good, the voice acting is very good and the banter between pilots sounds natural. It never got annoying or generic. It gives you a reason for every mission instead of “here’s a mission, go do it,” and I love that.
Easy to fly
This is the big one for regular players like me. I played with the Standard controls, where you just push the left stick to turn, and it felt natural in my hands right away. Locking targets, chasing down enemies and lining up a landing is satisfying. If you love the look and the story but you’re scared of deep flight controls, you’re covered. That’s a double W.
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I actually got my hands on it at Summer Game Fest 2026 in a room full of cockpit style pilot stations, and I fell for it right away. Playing it at home on the big screen only made it better.
Verdict: Play It Now
ACE COMBAT 8 is a winner. It’s visually amazing, it’s intense, the story and voice acting keep you in it and it’s easy to pick up even if you never play flying games. If you have any interest at all, go check it out.
This is not a review, so there’s no score here.
Screenshots captured by OnPoint 4 Gamers from gameplay. Featured image: OnPoint 4 Gamers.
