Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Reviews Are In, and It’s One of 2026’s Best-Reviewed Games
With Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve’s launch closing in, reviews have started landing, and the picture is one of the strongest showings in the franchise’s history. OpenCritic has the game at an 88 average from 43 critics, a “Mighty” rating, with 98 percent of reviewers recommending it. Metacritic’s own critic page currently sits a touch lower at 87, a gap that’s typical in the first days after an embargo lifts as more reviews trickle in.
Critics Call It the Series’ Best Outing in Years
GameSpot’s review, which landed at 8/10, praised the game’s willingness to embrace melodrama and its excellent, wide-ranging soundtrack, while noting “the story could’ve been stronger, more introspective, but is entertaining regardless.” The review also flagged a handful of filler missions that disrupt the pacing in the back half of the campaign.
A Legendary Callsign for the Franchise’s 30th Year
Arriving in what several outlets have called the Ace Combat series’ 30th-anniversary year, Wings of Theve sends players into the fictional Strangereal setting as the weapons systems officer for ace pilot Jan “Rex” Cope. After Cope is killed in action, the protagonist assumes his legendary “Wings of Theve” identity and takes command of Joker Flight, a three-pilot squadron flying alongside William “Noise” Coster and Tasha Seversky, as the Republic of Sotoa launches an invasion of the Federation of Central Usea. GamesRadar leaned into the drama, writing that the game “is a thrilling flight through intense encounters that rarely gives you a moment of calm,” a verdict Metacritic tracks at 90/100, while also noting a slower, cutscene-heavy opening stretch.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve’s official release date trailer
Release Details
- Standard Edition release: October 1 in the Americas, October 2 in Europe and Japan
- Deluxe Edition early access: September 28 in the Americas, September 29 in Europe and Japan
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam
- Developer/Publisher: Bandai Namco
- Preorder bonus: a digital copy of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, plus an unlockable F-14A aircraft at launch
With critics largely in agreement that this is the strongest Ace Combat has looked in years, Wings of Theve looks set to be a fitting send-off for the franchise’s anniversary year, though the full Metacritic tally is likely to keep shifting as more reviews land over launch week.
Keep the adventure going! Check out more Gaming News on Gamersuniverse.
Picture Source: Bandai Namco, Bandai Namco Entertainment America
