Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve delivers Top Gun thrills, but I was hoping to
see more of its story and the bonds with your wingmen

Date:
Fri, 04 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Description:
We go hands-on with the next Ace Combat game at Gamescom 2026.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter In the packed halls of Gamescom with so many games to see, it's easy to get tetchy if a session goes on for too long when there's another appointment you have to rush off to see. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve was a rare exception where I wished I had more to go on than I was given.

On one hand, the Ace Combat series' appeal is a straightforward one. It captures the thrill of flying a fighter jet locked in aerial dogfights
without the intimidating knowledge of actually operating an aircraft like Microsoft Flight Simulator , but with more control than a rail shooter like Star Fox . A new instalment coming just a few years after a new Top Gun movie is even more tantalising for anyone eager to take to the skies like Tom Cruise. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Back to Strangereal (Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment) That the series also takes place in an alternate world called Strangereal, which nonetheless looks like our own, means you can enjoy the immersive realism without being drawn into the awkward politics of any real-world conflicts.

For the mission I got to play, titled 'The Fall of the Numbered Fleets', there's already a sense of a meaty narrative to get into, as my squadron, Joker Flight of the Federation of Central Usea (FCU), is tasked with
launching an offensive to strike fleets belonging to the invading forces from the Republic of Sotoa. You may like I finally got the gorgeous yet grueling Flight Simulator 2024 off the runway Even just an hour with Gears of War: E-Day's explosive campaign left me hungry to fill more E-holes across its semi-open world 'A generational Call of Duty game' After almost ten hours hands-on, I think Modern Warfare 4 could revolutionize the long-running
series

An added wrinkle is that you also have to contend with a once-friendly squadron nicknamed the Sharks, who have recently defected. (Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment) This drama plays out during the mission; banter zips between your fellow wingmen Baxter and Tasha over the radio as you approach the targets on Newfield Island before being interrupted by enemy Sotoan chatter when you manage to deal damage to their fleet and supplies.
And of course, it's only a matter of time before the Sharks turn up as sparks fly between factions that wouldn't be out of place in an anime if it wasn't for the game's realistic aesthetic. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals,
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Although you have targets to destroy, there are also different approaches you can take to tackle an objective, such as customising your loadout at the beginning. While there's a lot of information on the UI that can feel intimidating, it felt readable when a missile is definitely locked onto a target, while an outline below makes it clear where your bomb will drop when trying to sink ships.

There's a simple satisfaction to see the green display change from 'Hit' to 'Destroyed,' but if you really want to showboat, you can even switch to the camera looking back to enjoy the explosion in your wake. Cloud control (Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment) If 2019's Ace Combat 7: Unknown Skies had already set a new bar for the series' realistic visuals and combat aircraft, then Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve raises it again, not just with Unreal
Engine 5 but also with Bandai Namco Aces' own upgraded Cloudly tech. What to read next Best of Summer Game Fest 2026 all the biggest, most exciting, and most innovative things on show I fought a possessed bus in Control Resonants 'paranaturally warped' Manhattan, and embraced Dylan's brutal and lightning-fast combat and I cant wait to eviscerate more funky foes in weird streets Control Resonant's gameplay designer has me convinced it'll be a big hit

That said, I spent most of my time a little too close to the ground (a prompt repeatedly telling me to pull up) when trying to aim for targets on land and sea to properly experience getting into the clouds. Yet that showcased
another visual leap too, as all the objects you see are rendered at a 1:1 scale. So instead of flying over flat textures or miniatures, you really do feel immersed in the world. That also allows for setpieces such as a moment when you can fly your aircraft through a tunnel to reach an airbase stationed on the other side.

But for anyone who enjoyed the sheer action spectacle of Top Gun: Maverick,
it wasn't the action alone that made it a great watch; it was all the other human drama unfolding in between the training, so that you become invested in the characters you want to succeed. Even though I'm not sure any of the characters in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve are likely to have the same star power and charisma as Tom Cruise, that is something I still wish I could have seen more of in this relatively brief Gamescom demo. (Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment) As the first entry to have its story play out through a first-person perspective, it's surely meant to provide a more immersive way
to spend time in the company of your wingmen, not just during mission briefings but also when catching up in the canteen or other bouts of R&R.

Having the in-mission banter is nonetheless also a key element, as are the small narrative choices you can make, such as in the demo where Baxter wants one of the Sharks pilots captured alive and asks that you only shoot around his cockpit, to which you can agree, or not.

But with the game's launch not far away, and arriving in time for the series' 30th anniversary, it's looking like Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is going to soar to a whole new plane.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve releases on October 2, 2026, for PC,
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. Advance access is available from September 28 for those who pre-order the deluxe edition. Follow
TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ace-combat-8-wings-of-theve-delivers-top-gun- thrills-but-i-was-hoping-to-see-more-of-its-story-and-the-bonds-with-your-wing men


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