A new entry in the Ace Combat series is set to launch a full seven years after its predecessor. While Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (hereafter Ace Combat 7) faced some flak for its rather punishing difficulty and a story that meandered a bit, it was lauded for its visually stunning rendition of the series' signature aerial combat.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve (hereafter Ace Combat 8) is the latest instalment set in the series' unique Strangereal universe. First announced back in 2021, it vanished from the radar for roughly four years before resurfacing at The Game Awards 2025 with a gameplay trailer, announcing a 2026 release. Since then, having gotten hands-on with Ace Combat 8 at a media showcase, the game is poised to make a comeback, promising a narrative and graphical leap beyond its predecessor.

The game opens with our protagonist and his mechanic companion barely clinging to life on a rubber dinghy adrift on a vast ocean. Set in 2029, between the events of Ace Combat 7 and Ace Combat 3, the narrative kicks off in the immediate aftermath of the Free Continent Union (FCU) losing its capital to the Stoan Republic's invasion. Our protagonist, adrift on that rubber boat, was once a pilot for the defeated nation.

Rescued and brought aboard the FCU aircraft carrier 'Endurance', the protagonist, with no time to recover, is thrust into a fighter jet as wingman to top pilot "Cope". Cope, known as the legendary ace "Wings of Theve", turns out to be a propaganda moniker. His true speciality wasn't dogfighting, but rather ensuring his own and his comrades' safe extraction from the battlefield.

Shortly after taking a seat behind the legendary pilot, a certain incident occurs, and our protagonist inherits the callsign "Rex", the tag "Joker 1", and the title "Wings of Theve". He then teams up with Baxter, Tasha, and Coaster to wage a near-impossible fight for the FCU's independence.

What's striking, even in just the early hours, is the high level of story immersion and the compelling characters, a definite step up from the previous title. Not only the fellow pilots flying alongside you, but even characters from the "Queen" squadron and other FCU units manage to convey their personalities through dialogue amidst the chaos of battle. The prologue and subsequent missions use first-person cutscenes, coherent plot developments, and engaging dialogue to draw you into the story. It's far easier to follow than the somewhat muddled early story of its predecessor.

The overall combat experience in Ace Combat 8 doesn't stray too far from its predecessor. For controller users, the control scheme remains identical: the High-G turn by simultaneously pressing LT and RT while rotating, and the flare deployment with a simultaneous press of R3 and L3, are all still there, maintaining that signature smooth handling. The thrill of soaring through the beautiful skies, taking down enemy squadrons, or diving towards objectives is just as potent.

Among the missions I played at the showcase, the fourth, ninth, and eleventh stood out. While I breezed through most prior missions, I failed the fourth multiple times. This was largely due to having many aircraft still locked and limited armament options available at that early stage. Tasked with intercepting enemy ships and ground facilities, I equipped weaponry suited for ground combat, only to be ambushed by elite enemy fighters, making things rather challenging.

The ninth and eleventh missions, respectively, offered a glimpse into the series' signature superweapon battles, akin to ground and aerial boss fights. In the ninth mission, you must disable a "Land Battleship" protected by a railgun, numerous anti-aircraft turrets, and drones. Complete destruction is impossible; the goal is to demolish surrounding buildings and disable its tracks. The frantic combat and desperate radio chatter from your allies during this sequence truly pull you into the fight.

The eleventh mission involves destroying multiple massive airships, the "Fodolce", which were featured in the trailer. While visually similar to the terrifying "Arsenal Bird" from the previous game, these are essentially transport aircraft with different functionalities and limited armaments, primarily anti-aircraft cannons. However, to protect them, four elite pilots, the "Lux Lunae", are deployed. While not strictly necessary to destroy them, you'll want to engage them if you'd rather not hear the constant "Missile lock-on!" threat.

While each mission was enjoyable, simply flying through the breathtaking sky was a pleasure in itself. Ace Combat 7's graphics were impressive, but Ace Combat 8's visuals are truly awe-inspiring. The sun, cumulonimbus clouds, azure sky, and crashing waves are rendered with such exquisite detail that they significantly enhance the dogfighting experience. It makes you want to set aside the complex war and brutal missions for a moment and just soar through the vast expanse of the heavens.

Alongside familiar elements, we also got a look at new systems poised to add further enjoyment. Firstly, you can equip up to two types of special weapons per aircraft, though this naturally reduces the ammo count for each. This means you're less likely to be caught off guard by suddenly appearing ace pilots when you've equipped ground-attack weaponry for a mission that requires both ground and air assault.

Furthermore, you can now directly choose your wingmen's fighter jets and issue simple commands. On the PS5 controller, the D-pad is assigned these commands, including "Use Special Weapon", allowing you to boost combat effectiveness situationally. That said, they still don't quite match your prowess, and some wingmen prioritise evasion and flanking, so the player remains the primary driver of combat.

Finally, a system has been implemented where debris from a destroyed fighter can affect other aircraft. For instance, shooting down a Fodolce flying above could damage the wings or gun turrets of another Fodolce below. However, this doesn't happen frequently, and the finer details, such as the smaller debris and reduced impact when using firearms compared to missiles, made it difficult to notice consistently.

Ace Combat 8 is scheduled for release on October 2nd for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, and will officially support Korean language.