Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve reviews land — critics call it the best in the series
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has arrived in reviews, and the verdict is nearly unanimous — Bandai Namco's arcade air combat series has delivered its strongest entry yet. The game scores between 86 and 90 on Metacritic and an 88/100 on OpenCritic with 98% of critics recommending it. It launches October 2 on PS5, Xbox Series, and Steam.
The game
Military aviation games have been in slow decline for decades, leaving Ace Combat as the only mainstream franchise still flying the genre. Wings of Theve doesn't just maintain that position — reviewers say it pushes it forward. The single-player campaign runs 30 sorties, starring a pilot callsigned Rex who commands Joker Flight. The story draws loose inspiration from the Ghost of Kyiv legend, with critics praising its geopolitical edge and willingness to comment — through a fictional setting — on real-world conflict symbolism.
The cinematics are a major step up from Ace Combat 7's cutscene approach, with Rex actively present rather than a passive observer. Controls stay arcade-approachable without feeling dumbed down, a balance the series has always struggled to maintain.
The reviews
DualShockers gave it 95/100, calling it "a love letter to combat aviation in all its forms" that shows "planes can carry both death and salvation." The review singles out the dogfight mechanics as the most exciting of the current console generation.
Push Square (80/100) is more measured. It calls Wings of Theve "the most accomplished game in the series," praising improved visuals, strong characters, and a deeper multiplayer — while flagging some muddled story beats, modest graphics on base PS5, and an aircraft upgrade system that could be cleaner.
The multiplayer is the largest in franchise history and supports cross-play across platforms — a first for the series.
Price and availability
Standard Edition is priced at €69.99 / $69.99; the Deluxe Edition runs €89.99 / $89.99. Deluxe buyers get three-day early access starting September 28. The SAW: Genesis delay to Q1 2027 leaves October relatively clear for big action releases, giving Wings of Theve even more room to breathe at launch.
PC buyers can find Steam keys from resellers at a notable discount versus the console store price — worth checking before committing to a platform. All editions are available via the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, and Steam from October 2.
