Hands-On With Ace Combat 8: The Long Wait Is Feeling Worth It

At Summer Game Fest’s Play Days I tried about two dozen demos, and my final appointment was Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve. Bandai Namco had a makeshift cockpit set up, and I spent most of the session trying to get my bearings with the controls. Even when things went sideways, I found the experience enjoyable.

The demo comprised the first five missions and some cutscenes. The story picks up after Ace Combat 7 and follows an officer in the Federation of Central Usea air force who takes up the mantle of a star pilot, callsign Rex, after that pilot is killed. Early missions show the new Rex learning to fly, lock on to enemies, and use a special weapon that locks multiple targets and fires a wave of missiles.

In one thrilling moment I blew up four incoming fighters with a single special shot, only to be surprised by another wave approaching from a different direction. Those later waves exposed my weaknesses. I missed shots, struggled with sharp turns, and lost the mission on my first run.

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