Among the many games we tried out during Summer Game Fest, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve was one we were looking forward to with anticipation. Ever since it was announced late last year, it’s been a beloved franchise that’s long overdue for a comeback since its 2019 installment.

Playing several missions, it’s clear that Bandai Namco’s long‑running flight combat franchise is soaring higher than ever, and while it is a very small slice of the pie, this is one game you’ll want to look out for.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Hands-on Preview

Our Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve preview began with 3 consecutive missions, and if you know Ace Combat at all, 3 missions could easily take an hour or so. The overarching story places us in the middle of the war between the Federation of Central Usea (FCU) and the Republic of Sotoa. There are some pretty interesting story beats here, especially as some topics circle around a program serving as a propaganda front, but we won’t get into any details for now.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve also boasts a visual and functional step up, as clouds can act as hazards that can affect your engines as much as they can serve as camouflage, and weather conditions can really change the behavior of aircraft in the vicinity.

New players may feel a bit intimidated by the unique controls of flight titles, with some directional inputs moving in reverse. However, veterans will feel right at home with the controls and the combat loop of balancing speed, positioning, and precision missile fire remaining intact. Movement feels weighty yet responsive, and if you’ve ever thought about maneuvering while flying at over hundreds of miles per hour, then it’s exactly as “heavy” as you think it would be.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has all of the usual controls, such as throttling, yaw, roll, along with the return of the High‑G maneuver, also shaking off pesky attackers while setting up for a counterattack. Whatever you’ve watched in films like Top Gun, you’ll probably be able to recognize and do here in the game. The feeling is captured accurately, and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve delivers that to perfection.

It is quite evident that enemy AI is wiser and more reactive, as enemy pilots no longer settle for predictable flight paths by flanking and evading. That said, players are not left without tools, as the wingman “buddy” system returns. Players can issue commands to squadmates mid‑battle, directing them to attack, defend, or switch weapon priorities, adding a tactical layer that makes every sortie feel more dynamic.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve also allows players to fill their loadout with up to two special weapons, on top of the usual machine guns and missiles that their aircraft comes with by default. One special weapon we got to use was multi-missile (not exactly what it’s called, but you get it), where players can lock onto multiple targets before launching missiles, letting them take down multiple bogeys instead of facing off with each one.

While we didn’t get to experience it too much due to limited playing time, a new addition called the Chain Reaction system is present in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, which is basically a system that sees destroyed aircraft break apart and scatter debris. This isn’t merely cosmetic because it can actively damage nearby planes, including yours, so it’ll be interesting to see the extent to which this is implemented in the game.

Despite limited playtime, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is already looking impressive, as it captures the adrenaline rush of aerial combat while paired with an electric and blood-pumping soundtrack that keeps dogfights exhilarating. This one is definitely on our radar.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will launch globally on October 2, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.