Over three decades, video games have transformed dramatically, particularly in big-budget console releases. The pursuit of high scores has largely given way to an industry-wide expectation that games adopt RPG elements, embrace open-world design, or follow other trendy mechanics. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve rejects most of that evolution. Based on a short demo played ahead of the game’s October 2 launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, the conclusion is immediate: this is still Ace Combat. Very little has changed, and that is a strength.

A Potent Injection of Adrenaline

Since its 1995 debut, Bandai Namco’s dogfighting franchise has built a dedicated fanbase, yet many players remain unfamiliar with the series. The core loop is straightforward: nearly 100 percent of gameplay centers on piloting real, licensed fighter jets. An extra layer of personality comes from the setting—a fictional world affectionately dubbed “Strangereal.” Culturally and technologically similar to our own, Strangereal replaces real landmasses and nations with invented ones. Wars are fought primarily in the skies, and becoming a fighter pilot is considered the highest calling. Stories lean into melodrama and radio-drama-style comms chatter during missions. Ace Combat 8 introduces first-person cutscenes, though the demo did not include them. One brief scene did feature a gruff character describing the ocean as “a cradle of endless solitude,” confirming the series’ signature tone remains intact.

The first mission served as a tutorial, covering the essentials quickly. Controls mirror Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, the only other entry this writer has completed. Despite realistic jet models that can be customized and unlocked between missions, these are not flight simulators. The action is arcade-driven, complete with a score counter in the upper-left corner and a turbo-charged sense of danger as you streak past airborne enemies.

Like previous entries, Ace Combat 8 offers two control schemes: Standard and Expert. Standard maps left-stick input directly to directional turns. Expert demands management of pitch and yaw, simulating real flight dynamics. The demo was played in Expert mode—the way Ace Combat is meant to be experienced.

After the tutorial, a later mission tasked the player with destroying six massive fictional aircraft, each bristling with propellers, anti-aircraft guns, and escort fighters equipped with radar jammers. The jamming mechanic stood out: tracking the behemoths’ enormous contrails through the game’s astounding 3D cloud layers was the only way to locate them. Eliminating the escorts restored targeting capability, as expected.

During this engagement, a zen-like flow state took hold. Reckless but stylish maneuvers, clean kills, and efficient takedowns of the giant targets followed. That sensation—feeling like the coolest person in the sky—is the series’ magic. Few games deliver it as consistently. The experience was exhilarating, and the desire to play more is immediate.

That’s Nothing New, Though

Everything described above applies to virtually every Ace Combat entry. The formula has remained fun for nearly 30 years, and there is no compelling reason to overhaul it. Mission objectives will vary, leaving room for innovation in level design, but the core act of flying and engaging targets is as timelessly pure now as it was during the Clinton administration.

That does not mean the developers have stood still. Visually, the game is a showcase, leveraging modern hardware for the best-looking aircraft, clouds, and ground targets in franchise history. Players can now equip two special weapons instead of one, adding a strategic layer. Choosing only a single special weapon grants increased ammo, creating a meaningful trade-off.

Ace Combat 8 also reintroduces squad commands, absent from the previous installment. Via the D-Pad, players issue basic orders such as “cover me” and “use special weapons” to wingmen whose aircraft are selected before each mission. The system is not deep, but it adds moment-to-moment decision-making beyond what Ace Combat 7 offered—a welcome addition.

Even with these incremental changes, Ace Combat 8 is unmistakably Ace Combat. That is precisely what hardcore fans want. Some franchises must evolve to survive—The Legend of Zelda went open-world; Grand Theft Auto leans into life-simulation systems. Others only need a fighter jet, lock-on missiles, and enemy targets to deliver a great time.