After a seven-year hiatus, Bandai Namco's Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has taken flight, earning critical acclaim for its blend of thrilling aerial combat and a surprisingly robust narrative. Reviewers have noted that the game successfully elevates its storytelling, moving beyond the skies to incorporate interactive, first-person sequences that immerse players in the journey of Joker Flight, the game's central pilot team.
While some critics observe that these narrative segments can occasionally slow the pace, the consensus is that the action, when it ignites, is exceptional. Push Square described the game as potentially the best Ace Combat title yet, highlighting its smooth, honed action and enhanced presentation. The campaign offers around 30 missions, maintaining variety and player engagement throughout.
The game's narrative structure emphasizes the personal experiences of Joker Flight, with Anime News Network commending the well-realized crew, both as individuals and as a collective. Respec noted a significant increase in cutscenes compared to previous entries, allowing players to develop a deeper connection with characters like Tasha, Coster, and Daxter, which in turn amplifies the impact of key story moments.
Shacknews praised the detailed environments, which encompass vast skies, seas, and varied terrain across different times of day and weather conditions. The aircraft themselves are also meticulously detailed, encouraging players to appreciate them from a first-person cockpit view, even when a third-person perspective is more practical for gameplay. The game features approximately 30 aircraft, each serving distinct roles crucial for mission success.
A notable technical achievement highlighted by But Why Tho is the game's custom cloud engine, Cloudly. This engine creates layered clouds with distinct visual properties and dynamic behaviors that significantly impact gameplay. Players can use cloud cover to evade missiles or lose enemy lock-on, adding a new strategic dimension to aerial engagements.
The Guardian found the combination of cinematic shot framing, emotive motion capture, voice acting, the series' signature music, and a cohesive story to be unexpectedly moving, a sentiment not typically associated with arcade flight combat simulators.
However, some criticisms have surfaced. PlayStation Universe pointed out that the pacing of early cutscenes could feel at odds with the pre- and post-mission briefs. The introduction of interactivity through occasional Quick Time Events (QTEs) was also deemed by PSU as a somewhat trite method of reinforcing character actions.
Day One described the narrative as endearingly earnest and ambitious, though they personally felt the plot's twists lost some impact by the game's conclusion. Nevertheless, they concluded that existing Ace Combat fans would likely enjoy the story, and that the flight and combat mechanics alone offer ample entertainment even for those less invested in the narrative.