Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Reviews
If other publishers looked after their series as well as Bandai Namco looks after Ace Combat, the world would be a better place
Review in Polish | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve delivers a truly first-rate and polished fighter jet combat experience. The strong character writing adds considerable value to the story, while the excellent level design makes the campaign consistently enjoyable, allowing you to fully experience the excitement—and at times, the tension—of its intense aerial battles. The game’s high-quality visuals and sound effects, along with its impressive variety of aircraft and upgrade options, further complement these strengths. All of these elements come together to make Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve arguably unmatched within its genre. If you’re a fan of the series or the genre, it’s an experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Review in Persian | Read full review
As a fast-paced, arcade-style action game, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve delivers the adrenaline-fueled experience fans have come to expect and keeps them satisfied all the way to the end. However, it does little to attract players who have never connected with the Ace Combat series over the years, as it doesn’t introduce enough new mechanics or ideas to bring something fresh to the table.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theves is everything you could want from an Ace Combat game: an arcade flight combat experience that is as exciting and breathtaking as it gets.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Wings of Theve is a fantastic game worthy of a series that has been going strong for 30 years. With its striking visuals, immersive sense of warfare, and well-written characters, I can confidently say that it manages to take the series one step further in every respect.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is an improvement in everything that is quintessentially “Ace Combat," bringing back squadron commands and adding a plethora of different aircraft, new special weapons, and more. The cinematic visuals and deep, twisting narrative immerse the player in the fantasy of being an ace pilot in a war between two nations.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is a bold evolution of the foundation laid in AC7. Its story is more exciting, its presentation is more polished, and most importantly, its gameplay is impeccable, with a variety of missions and combat situations that keep the player engaged, entertained, and wanting more. This is one of the best games not only of the year, but of the generation.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Thrones offers a great story, rock-solid gameplay, and an excellent soundtrack, along with interesting online modes and a very good single-player campaign.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A very competent entry for one of the most respected arcade air combat game series. Particularly of note is the inclusion of choices in gameplay and squadro customization.
Review in Italian | Read full review
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is an impressive culmination of the very best that the series has to offer so whether you're a long-time fan or a rookie pilot, you're going to love soaring through the clouds as you evade incoming missiles and blow up all sorts of targets. 👩✈️
Ace Combat series is arguably the sole survivor of a once upon a time thriving genre that spawned from Strike Commander, one that combines cinematic storytelling and exciting air combat. Ace Combat 8 is not just a worthy successor of this pedigree but one of the best games of this year regardless of genre.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve delivers an incredible single-player campaign, thrilling dogfights, and a phenomenal soundtrack, despite its underwhelming multiplayer. It wants you to experience the fantasy of being one of the greatest pilots known to man. And once you get to the credits, it’ll leave a smile on your face, leaving you wishing you could experience it for the first time all over again.
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE offers superb aerial combat, impressive graphics, an excellent soundtrack and a story that keeps you hooked. Unfortunately, however, these qualities are let down by an underdeveloped PC version, particularly the problematic HOTAS support, unconvincing mouse controls and complications with certain controllers. Add to that technical shortcomings, long loading times for some set-ups and limited customisation options, and you end up with a game that is capable of more than it ultimately delivers. If you’re the proud owner of a powerful PC, everything works as it should, and you have a supported gamepad or HOTAS, you’re in for an epic experience that you won’t want to put down.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is the kind of game you either love or you don’t. New installments aren’t released every year, which makes it much easier to see the progress being made with the franchise. Everything looks better in this entry, and the gameplay feels just a bit more refined. In terms of story, not much has changed—but that’s not why you play Ace Combat. The action is solid, and the online mode offers a fantastic experience when it comes to flying and shooting things down.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is one of the most intense games of the year. The developers have pushed the audiovisual experience to its absolute limits, delivering one epic moment after another across 30 hours of gameplay. The only weak point is the lacklustre story, which never manages to match the sheer grandeur of the gameplay.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Overall Ace Combat 8 Wings of Theve is a game that I recommend you go out and play immediately. Whether you’re a fan of arcade style flight sims or not, the game is just so good that you’ll immediately be hooked and want more. Bandai Namco and Project Aces have once again delivered a truly great game and the fact that there’s a thriving online multiplayer community for the game really sweetens the deal too.
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is clear proof of how one can remain faithful to one's roots while embracing technical modernity and narrative ambition. Project Aces reaches one of the highest peaks ever reached by the entire franchise, thanks to a work able to charm newcomers to arcade flight with well-calibrated accessibility. At the same time, it is perfectly able to make the hearts of Strangereal veterans beat faster. Despite a slightly measured campaign opening and a multiplayer side that is still a bit immature, the incredible variety of the campaign missions, the depth of the gameplay, a gleaming technical side and a soundtrack that gives you chills make this chapter a must-buy for all fans of the series and beyond. The king of the digital skies is back.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is a spectacular return for the long-running flight combat series, combining exceptionally responsive controls with stunning audiovisual presentation and a substantial 30-mission campaign.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is a triumph of sheer, thrilling joy. Dogfighting amongst the clouds is an exhilarating ride, one matched by the strength of its mechanics and brilliant presentation. While its story is a mixed success, the overall design of this aircraft is almost unparalleled, with a superbly crafted campaign and fully fledged online offering, it will keep you coming back for ever more takeoffs and engagements.
Breathtaking visuals and strategic cloud mechanics make Ace Combat 8 the best in the series. While bogged down by an odd story and frustrating boss fights, the phenomenal core dogfighting easily carries the day.