Review Roundup: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve — Critics Call It a Series Best

A note before we begin: HotGameNews staff have not played Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. This is a roundup of published reviews and aggregate scores, not our own hands-on review. The game launched October 2, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, so these are early-window numbers.

The scores. Wings of Theve holds a Metascore of 88 (“Generally Favorable”) from 60 critic reviews, split 98 percent positive and 2 percent mixed with no negative reviews. It scores identically on PS5 and Xbox Series X at 88, with the PC version slightly behind at 86. Players are unusually aligned with critics here: the Metacritic user score sits at 8.5 from 58 ratings, and Steam’s own review tally reads “Mostly Positive.”

What critics love. The praise centers on the campaign and the feel of flight. One reviewer wrote that the game “elevates the franchise to new heights with a spectacular campaign,” while another called it “a new series best” that balances “fantastic graphics with impressively accessible gameplay.” CGMagazine, awarding 8/10 on September 25, called it “absolutely gorgeous and exhilarating to play” and praised the mission variety and technical presentation.

The complaints. The dissent is narrower than usual for a series roundup. CGMagazine’s main knock was the story, writing that it “conjures up nothing worth the time it is asking of the player” despite the strong moment-to-moment flying. Separately, players on Steam and PC-focused outlets have flagged performance concerns and a possible memory-leak issue on that platform specifically — consistent with the PC version’s lower 86 Metascore compared to the console builds.

How to read it. This is close to a consensus win: a 98 percent positive critic split and a matching 8.5 user score rarely line up this closely. The one real fault line is the campaign’s writing, which at least one reviewer found disposable even while praising everything wrapped around it, plus the PC-specific performance notes worth watching if you’re buying on that platform.

The bottom line. An 88 Metascore with console and PC scores both above 85 makes Wings of Theve one of the best-reviewed entries in Ace Combat’s history. If arcade dogfighting and spectacle are what you’re after, the early consensus says buy with confidence; PC players should keep an eye on patch notes for the performance issues reviewers noted.

Scores reflect Metacritic at time of writing and are likely to shift as more reviews are added.