Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve : the king of air fighting resumes his flight

Ace Combat 8 above all remains an aerial action game, much closer to the blockbuster than to pure simulation.

The planes respond perfectly, the fights are immediately legible and the game always manages to create this gloomy sensation of pursuing a target at full speed before locking a missile at the last moment.

The campaign varies sufficiently in situations to avoid monotony: interceptions, escorts, bombardments, clashes against particularly dangerous aircraft and very large-scale battles.

Experienced players will regain the depth of advanced commands while new entrants have more accessible options.

It's probably one of the most impressive aviation games ever produced.

The cameras are superbly modeled, the scenery seen from the sky is full of details and the huge cloud masses are directly involved in the show.

The weather and the light sometimes give the impression of seeing sequences prepared for a film when it is simply an ongoing mission.

Cinematics in subjective view also bring much more presence to the characters than before.

Between engines, radar alerts, radio communications and explosions, the sound environment contributes greatly to the intensity of the clashes.

The soundtrack takes up this epic dimension typical of the series with large orchestral flights capable of turning a simple dogfight into a decisive battle.

Mixing also leaves sufficient room for exchanges between pilots, an essential element of Ace Combat's identity.

Wings of Theve tries to go further in his narrative by telling his story in a much more cinematic way.

In particular, the war between the FCU and Sotoa allows us to discuss propaganda, the manufacture of symbols and how a population can be manipulated in times of conflict.

The whole thing works, even if Ace Combat remains Ace Combat: a lot of dialogues, a lot of melodrama and a few sequences that unnecessarily slow down the pace.

Not everyone will adhere to this very particular way of telling a war, but it gives a real personality to adventure.

The campaign is consistent and multiplies missions, devices to unlock and opportunities for improvement.

The multiplayer complements already solid solo content with several competitive and cooperative modes.

A few narrative lengths and a sometimes costly progression in resources prevent the whole from being totally blameless, but the amount of content remains excellent.