Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches into a reality where its predecessor, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, became easily the most successful entry in the series.
That puts it in an odd spot; there's a pressure on the follow-up to outdo what came before, but it's that success that provides Bandai Namco Aces the means to do so.
Fortunately, the developer has deftly threaded the needle; Wings of Theve is the biggest budget, most robust entry to date, representing the Ace Combat series at its most confident.
This is still the same action-packed, arcadey flight shooter you know and love, but it's all been turned up a notch.
Fundamentally, this is a very familiar experience for anyone who's played Ace Combat before. Take real-world military aircraft, equip them with an outlandish number of missiles, and place them in an alternate reality world with larger-than-life super weapons and a melodramatic story — it's an unusual formula, but it's one that's been refined over decades.
At the heart of the series is its core gameplay that's largely the same as it's always been. You hear your mission briefing, choose your plane, and then go to town shooting down targets like there's no tomorrow.
The thing is, it's still damn fun to do. Intuitive, responsive controls make flying a breeze, and landing missile strikes on other planes or ground targets is as satisfying as it's ever been.
However, Wings of Theve might be the best Ace Combat has ever felt. It's honed the action to a fine edge; it feels wonderfully smooth to play, and improved presentation just makes everything pop all the more.
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