Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Reviews
One or two dud missions and an uneven story do little to dull the shine of 2026's most breathless, invigorating action game
From the high-level plot to gameplay that embraces both newcomers and veterans, to an exceptional technical department on PC, Ace Combat 8 represents a huge step forward. For the first time in the series, war isn't told only as a succession of military missions; it also makes room for the psychological consequences of the conflict, the weight of collective expectations, and the construction of heroes. All in all, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is without the slightest doubt the best entry in the series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve reaffirms why the franchise continues to lead the aerial combat genre. It is a polished, visually stunning, and immensely entertaining experience that no fan of action and aviation games should miss. It is well worth experiencing.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ace Combat 8 is absolutely stunning. Even knowing the franchise's history and how talented the team at Project Aces is when it comes to making flight combat games, I don't think anyone expected something THIS good. Responsive controls, masterful mission design, flawless audiovisual presentation, and a multiplayer mode that feels like a complete game in its own right. Wings of Theve tells the legendary story of an ace pilot who single-handedly carries an entire nation on his shoulders, but the truth is, Bandai Namco is the one carrying the entire aerial combat genre on its shoulders. This tradition began back on the original PlayStation, and it's wonderful to see that it's still alive and thriving to this day.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Arcade flight action and anime melodrama refined to the highest possible level-a must play for aviation fans.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is both one of the strongest entry points for newcomers, and still a treat for longtime fans.
Whether that story is successful will likely depend on your tolerance for bright-eyed optimism. Rather than wallowing in darkness, Wings of Theve wants to imagine a hopeful future.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve picks up where Ace Combat 7 left off, underlining that the series is well and truly back to its best
Overall, Ace Combat 8 is still the immaculately crafted flight combat game we have all come to enjoy, but there is a more visceral aspect to the game now. From how you feel massive explosions to repeatedly breaking, as well as surpassing, the sound barrier. So I raise a humble hand of hope that this game will find its audience and that they will have a modicum of sympathy for the nomadic Sotoans even after all the carnage they have caused.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is everything we could have hoped for. It features a much longer, compelling story, a ton of different fighter jets at your disposal and some of the best combat in any air combat game.
Ace Combat 8 is a love letter to combat aviation in its entirety.
Ace Combat 8 manages to stand out as a highly recommended game for any type of player .
Review in Spanish | Read full review
This is a fantastic flight combat experience and I’m going to be shooting for high scores and multiplayer sorties well after this review.
Taking another step forward for this classic series, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve brings a truly cinematic outlook to its special brand of arcade-infused dogfighting.
Ace Combat 8 marks another pleasant surprise for 2026, and is one of the most thrilling, sharply designed action games in years.
If the other games in this series are even half as good as AC8, then Ace Combat is unquestionably the best game franchise.
Ace Combat is back with Wings of Theve, and although the campaign doesn't hit all the right notes, it's still a classic Ace Combat experience.
When it's all said and done there remains little better than turning on a dime right into the sights of an onrushing enemy pilot and tapping for the release of a locked-on missile before sailing through the resulting debris. Smart additions, including the debris and chain reaction systems, coupled with the more realistic weather effects and sense of scale make it so that Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is one such outing that resoundingly sticks its landing.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is the most sure-footed the series has ever been, confidently refining its punchy aerial gameplay and doubling down on a more cinematic story. While there are some wobbles here and there, the much improved presentation, charming character performances, varied campaign, and deeper multiplayer experience offer up a sequel that makes a textbook landing.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve knows exactly what it wants to be and doesn't waste time chasing a realism that isn't its forte.
Review in Italian | Read full review