From Skies Unknown to the tale of a living legend – or so it seems – Ace Combat is finally back with a brand new title. Launching on October 2nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve marks several changes and new additions to the franchise. Strangereal is still the stage of war, and while you’re once again dogfighting enemy aircraft, taking on larger-than-life threats, and trying to make a difference, the presentation, content, and online modes have leveled up.
Let’s dive into everything you should know about Ace Combat 8, starting with…
The Story
A decade after Ace Combat 8, the Republic of Sotoa has attacked the Federation of Central Usea. The latter isn’t backing down, with fighters operating out of the FCU Endurance at sea and bolstered by a fighter known as the Wings of Theve. Or at least the latter did until their tragic passing, but not to worry – the player character, Rex, takes on their identity and continues the fight to liberate Usea. For the first time in the series, the story includes numerous first-person cutscenes, as you interact and bond with the crew. You can even look away and see what others are doing mid-conversation.
Characters
Speaking of which, you’re supported by a variety of characters on the Endurance, including Lieutenant Commander Kate Evans, XO Jessica Pike, chief mechanic David Jenkins, and Dr Adelina Santos. However, it’s Joker Flight, your squadron composed of William Coster aka Noise, Tasha Severskaya and Ellington Baxter aka Professor, that you’ll be spending the most time with, learning their stories as they back you up throughout the conflict.
“Largest Volume of Content” in a Campaign
For a flight combat series, Ace Combat has always offered a deep campaign within a fully realized setting. With Ace Combat 8, producer Kazutoki Kono promises the “largest volume” campaign in the series, even more so than Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere. While this could’ve meant far more missions and endings, he later clarified to Automaton-Media that he meant in terms of the overall scale, which included cutscenes, missions and other elements. Also, it’s a linear experience, so don’t count on any branching paths.
Multi-Layered Cloudscapes
If you’ve taken to the skies in previous entries, you’ll notice that the clouds in Project Aces’ sequel look far more complex this time around. Though it’s developed on Unreal Engine 5, the team replaced trueSKY, a third-party tool, with the proprietary Cloudly for a greater variety of clouds that look more realistic than ever. With how much time you’ll be spending in the skies, it should help keep the scenery looking fresh.
Over 30 Aircraft at Launch
As for the aircraft that you’ll be spending time with, Ace Combat 8 offers more than 30. These include the F/A-18C Super Hornet, which evolves the previous attacker model for multiple purposes; the A-10C Thunderbolt II with its heavy armor and weaponry that sacrifices speed; the MiG-29A Fulcrum, whose medium size makes it suitable for countering the likes of the F-15, and much more.
Aircraft Types
While each has a unique feel in terms of controls, aircraft broadly fall under four categories. Attackers are meant for air-to-ground combat; Fighters are built to counter them, favoring speed in the process. Multirole is more well-rounded and capable of taking on various threats, though it falls behind the previous two in their respective fields. Finally, there’s Electronic Warfare, a support class with a wide range of functions.
Upgrade Parts and Customization
The Aircraft Tree from Skies Unknown returns, but upgrade parts now consist of three core categories: Body, Arms and Misc. There’s also more flexibility, which can vary depending on the aircraft. Regardless, the goal is similar: Letting you tailor a specific machine to your needs, adjusting its speed, maneuverability, defense, stability, weaponry and more.
Mission Types
Whatever your fancy, it helps to master a variety of aircraft for taking on different missions. While you’ll engage in dogfights, other objectives could include attacking an island, and the approach is entirely up to you. Other times, the requirements may be more stringent, especially when going up against the Superweapons, but the overarching goal is the same: Get in, destroy the enemy, and get out alive.
Superweapons
“Superweapons?” I hear you say. Yes, Superweapons – categorized as weapons of mass destruction which can turn the tide if left unchecked. Naturally, it’ll be your job to destroy them, and that includes a Land Battleship, which is seemingly impervious. The solution? Drop a bunch of buildings on it as it passes through. Whether that will be enough ultimately depends, but it’s better than nothing.
Targeting Changes and Collateral Damage
On that note, Ace Combat 8 relaxes some of the damage rules that have defined previous titles. Instead of strictly attacking specific target points on enemies – including Superweapons – they can now be damaged outside of these. Furthermore, destroying an enemy aircraft could cause it to careen into its allies, netting collateral kills and making battles feel that much more realistic.
Ace Combat Online
Besides the campaign, there’s Ace Combat Online with both PvE and PvP modes. The former includes Co-op Assault, where two teams of four players battle AI combatants to rack up the highest score. Co-op Warfare, on the other hand, lets you directly attack enemy players while also throwing in allied combatants. As you earn more kills, your Threat Level increases, thus awarding more points per kill. At Ace rank, a target is painted on your back, and enemy players earn more points if they take you out. What happens when two Aces go head-to-head? You’ll have to find out firsthand.
Limited-Time Missions
Ace Combat Online also features limited-time missions like Scramble, where you’ll team up with three other players and battle an AI squad. Emergency Sortie is the more interesting option since eight players must work together to take out a Superweapon. PvP fans should also find content like Free-For-All for eight players and 4v4 matches (seemingly without NPCs) to partake in.
Season Passes and Classic Arcade Games
If you weren’t already sick of the seasonal model in video games, then good news – Ace Combat 8 has Season Passes. The basics apply – progress through the tiers and earn rewards. Upgrading to the Premium Ace Pass even awards DLC aircraft, though these can be purchased standalone when a season ends after two months. Players can also hang out with each other in their lobbies and, taking a cue from Street Fighter 6’s playbook, engage in classic Namco arcade titles like Pac-Man between missions.
PC Requirements
Compared to Skies Unknown, Wings of Theve is a massive jump in system requirements across the board. For instance, the minimum spec includes an Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, 16 GB of RAM and either an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 [6 GB] or an AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT [8 GB]. This is estimated to offer upscaled 1080p at 30 FPS at Low settings. On the recommended side, you’ll need a Core i7-12700K or Ryzen 5 5600X, 32 GB of RAM and an RTX 3070 [8 GB] or an RX 6800 [16 GB]. That’s estimated to deliver an upscaled 1080p, 60 FPS and Medium graphics quality. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll need 125 GB of installation space, more than double its predecessor.
Ace Combat Zero as a Pre-Order Bonus
While buying the Digital Deluxe Edition nets three days of early access, cosmetics, and more, pre-ordering either edition nets Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War for free. How much it’s been updated remains to be seen, but as the game introduced mechanics like the Ace Style System, it should be a worthwhile bonus.
