Game Review: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve

It is late 2029 in the world of Strangereal. The Republic of Sotoa has launched a war of conquest against the Federation of Central Usea (FCU). Between Sotoa's distressingly wide selection of bleeding edge superweapons and the peerless fighter pilots of their elite Lux Lunae unit, the Republic is crushing its enemies, driving them to flight, and rejoicing in their lamentations.

Or, they were. Despite the odds, one bold FCU pilot seeks to stem the tide of Sotoa's invasion: Jan “Rex” Cope, "The Wings of Theve." He's a double ace, a generationally skilled pilot, a hero. As long as the Wings of Theve flies, the FCU has not lost.

The trick is that the Wings of Theve is a lie. Cope was a superb pilot, but he was not a superhuman who could have won the war by himself. The Wings of Theve was propaganda created to push back against the idea that Sotoa was invincible. In reality, Cope perished after being shot down by Shadow 22, Sotoa's greatest modern ace. But, while he's gone, The Wings of Theve has to keep flying. Thus, the title passes to Cope's radar officer. He's an unknown quantity, but he's got a gift for survival. Taking on Cope's callsign and role, the newly christened “Rex” becomes the lead of the FCU's Joker flight—and with them he'll have to do more than keep the Wings of Theve legend alive. He'll have to make it real.

It is late 2029 in the world of Strangereal. The Republic of Sotoa has launched a war of conquest against the Federation of Central Usea (FCU). Between Sotoa's distressingly wide selection of bleeding edge superweapons and the peerless fighter pilots of their elite Lux Lunae unit, the Republic is crushing its enemies, driving them to flight, and rejoicing in their lamentations.

Or, they were. Despite the odds, one bold FCU pilot seeks to stem the tide of Sotoa's invasion: Jan “Rex” Cope, "The Wings of Theve." He's a double ace, a generationally skilled pilot, a hero. As long as the Wings of Theve flies, the FCU has not lost.

The trick is that the Wings of Theve is a lie. Cope was a superb pilot, but he was not a superhuman who could have won the war by himself. The Wings of Theve was propaganda created to push back against the idea that Sotoa was invincible. In reality, Cope perished after being shot down by Shadow 22, Sotoa's greatest modern ace. But, while he's gone, The Wings of Theve has to keep flying. Thus, the title passes to Cope's radar officer. He's an unknown quantity, but he's got a gift for survival. Taking on Cope's callsign and role, the newly christened “Rex” becomes the lead of the FCU's Joker flight—and with them he'll have to do more than keep the Wings of Theve legend alive. He'll have to make it real.

Gameplay-wise, Wings of Theve's campaign gives players a set of tools, teaches them how to use them (along with the context in which they will be using them), and then delights in throwing curveball after curveball. Missions can begin with one type of challenge (say, attacking a fortified position, or protecting a vulnerable target), only for things to go sideways (unexpected enemies arrive, or the wheels come off a carefully laid plan, for instance). Wings of Theve's missions demand the player juggle multiple key elements; the amount of armaments they have left, the time left on the mission clock, the role they're having the rest of Joker flight play. The mid-mission twists in turn demand that the player be flexible and able to adapt on the fly.

Wings of Theve's gameplay partners well with its narrative. Structurally, the game keeps the majority of its story personal, focusing on Joker Flight's travails. The flight is a well-realized crew, both as a group and as individuals. Ellington “Professor” Baxter, Rex's wingman, is a college-level teacher turned fighter pilot. He's content with himself, but worries for Joker Flight's younger pilots. The music-loving William “Noise” Coster tries to be professional and reliable, but he struggles with taking on too much responsibility. The energetic Tasha Severskaya is Joker Flight's best technical pilot by a mile, and she's a civilian flyer who doesn't want to take a life if she can help it. While Rex is primarily a cipher for players to project themselves onto, he does get to affect Wings of Theve's story via player choice and certain yes/no questions.

As individuals, the members of Joker Flight are working their way through fighting a massive, horrible war. It's a stressful, soul-grinding experience at the best of times. Surviving, not only in body but in spirit, will take care. Wings of Theve's creative team runs with this, giving each pilot space to struggle and to triumph. This in turns gives the voice cast space to do good work. I played Wings of Theve in English, and was consistently impressed with William C. Stephens' Baxter, Emi Lo's Tasha, and Ray Chase's Noise. They play off each other well, and their chemistry sells the flight's bond. Joker Flight's development across the game is rewarding. They are, you might say, a winning hand.

Shadow 22's superior officer, meanwhile, is a wonderfully thorny character. To speak personally, her arc is the single most compelling one in the game. Wings of Theve's creative team uses their lead villain sparingly. The game's core focus is on Joker Flight. The audience learns about their foes when our heroes do. Quite a bit about them goes unexplored. When Shadow 22 and his commander do take center stage, they command both Joker Flight and the players' attention. It's effective character work, and it uses the confines of Wings of Theve's narrative well.