Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Explosive, lightning fast, challenging: Ace Combat 7 is back with a vengeance and an immersive yet much-too-short VR experience.

One of the most beloved franchises of Bandai Namco is back. Ace Combat 7 is a success in every single respect. It's a great game.

Ace Combat 7 marks the spectacular return of a franchise that has been gone for far too long.

While it’s not a very newcomer-friendly series, both in terms of gameplay and catching up with the story, it’s so well-constructed and compelling that I didn’t have much trouble being motivated to play and learn, even after dismal failures that sent me all the way to the beginning of some missions. Fans of Ace Combat will no doubt be all over this big return, and while anyone on the outside looking in won’t be able to just hit the ground running, there is enough substance here to make that daunting journey worthwhile.

It might be a bit pricey for the amount of content you get, but Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a well-crafted fighter combat experience with lots of high-flying fun. It pulls you in right away with a nice balance between arcade action and detailed realism, and the core dogfighting experience is consistently enjoyable. Plus, if you’ve got a PSVR this is a must-play, with a level of immersion that you’d need a real airplane – or maybe one of those military training simulators – to match. Strap yourself in, rookie, because Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a wild ride.

The story’s nonsense, but the actual minute-to-minute air combat makes up for that. It’s almost always a joy to play, with combat that’s empowering, satisfying and spectacular.

Project Aces throws a bit too much at their long-awaited return to the franchise and not all of it sticks, but Ace Combat 7 delivers the heart-pounding air combat the series is best at and looks and sounds stellar doing it.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a fantastic return to form that benefits from modern console hardware, making a more dynamic air combat experience. The story, told from different perspectives on both sides of the war, has a tendency to be too serious and overwrought to the point of hilarity but I always give it a pass because it’s so endearing.

When it's firing on all cylinders, Ace Combat 7 absolutely soars as a return to form for a series thought dormant. It'll be interesting to see how Bandai Namco might take things forward from here on, but for now, the series is flying high and steady once again.

Fly back to Strangereal for the next installment in the Ace Combat series. The game is beautifully crafted and takes you on the ride of a lifetime. Easily one of the best flying games I have ever played, I know I will find myself returning to Ace Combat 7 quite often.

It's now in its 20th year, but Ace Combat 7 shows that there's plenty of life yet in the series. Neither pure arcade, nor hardcore simulation, it straddles the line it needs to offer both a sense of flight and fast, furious dogfight action, even as it tells a cinematic and genuinely enjoyable story.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown reaffirms I am way too invested in this Strangereal universe and that arcade flight sims are capable of telling compelling stories about war.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a solid return for the long-running series. Sure, the story has its weak points, but it honestly plays second fiddle to the impressive aerial combat. The unique handling of each aircraft, and the excellent mission scenarios deliver on the goods, and it’s further enhanced by stunning visuals, effects, and masterful sound design. There’s still room to improve, but Skies Unknown definitely hits its mark.

Its magic can feel frustratingly elusive, but the thrill of chasing it down just about makes it worthwhile. [March 2019, p.112]

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the 17th entry in the Ace Combat franchise. The single-player campaign takes place in Strangereal in 2019. The game features two online multiplayer modes: Team Deathmatch and Battle Royal. Ace Combat 7 also features VR Mode, which will be exclusive to PlayStation VR for the first year of release.

Ace Combat 7 stands out as one of the most convincing episodes of an ancient and glorious series. In no uncertain terms, Skies Unknown represents the best possible result of a saga that decides to remain linked to its legacy, classic to the extreme.

While it still doesn’t justify my purchase of PlayStation VR, it does dramatically change how Ace Combat 7 plays, not least for how you track enemies and, most importantly, acquire missile locks.

For fans of this long-running series, Skies Unknown doesn’t live up to its name. This is the Ace Combat we’ve known and loved for decades, and it’s great to have it back. The dogfighting is rightfully the highlight and will give your reflexes a good workout.

As much as I enjoy Ace Combat 7, though, you can see where Team Aces played it safe. There’s very little in the way of new features, and some of the cool options from past games have been removed in favor of a more streamlined experience. Multiplayer makes up for this a bit, but it too has design problems that put its future in doubt in my eyes. That being said, this is an excellent game and a fantastic Ace Combat game, and I’m glad to see the main series making a return after so many years.

It feels like the most challenging missions are difficult not by design, but rather by design mistakes. For example, one of them gives a very limited time to bomb a number of targets – which wouldn't be so bad if allied fighters actually engaged enemy interceptors. [Issue#236, p.52]

For the twentieth episode in the series, Project Aces could have gone even further in using the concepts that had made the success of the series. What Ace Combat 7 does, it does it correctly and slightly better than before, but most of the time, the player is a a bit frustrated not to be able to go further. Same idea with the VR mode, that features only three little missions when we expected to play the whole game with a PSVR helmet.

With its superb graphics, interesting -albeit difficult to follow for the uninitiated- story and intense multiplayer, Ace Combat 7 is a return to shape for Namco's long running franchise. There are some cons here, like the too few VR missions and the quite poor AI, but overall this is a great arcade flight sim.

Like an old friend come back to life. Ace Combat 7 feels like a neat and tidy resurrection, bringing back everything you missed from flight simulator games, while consequently reminding you why the industry lost interest in them.

Quotation forthcoming.

Though the story in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is utterly confusing, the game makes sense where it matters most: in the clouds. The dogfights are action packed and enjoyable and the VR missions are pure gold. However, the multiplayer could benefit from more varied modes.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a solid experience for fighter plane enthusiasts, but it plays things too safe. Sticking to a tried-and-tested formula that has ensured the series' success and continuation for nearly 25 years is a sound strategy, but it lacks in innovation and any new exciting creative direction.

The almost nonsensical story and some poor mission design aside, you can have some fun with Ace Combat 7. It will take some patience to get through the sequences with poorly defined objectives, but you'll have fun with the action-packed aerial combat and enjoy testing your skills against other players in the multiplayer mode.

Whether you like it or not, Ace Combat 7 is the only choice you have if you want to play an air-battle game these years. And frankly speaking, it does a good job, although some shortcomings should have been avoided.

Ace Combat 7 is a fantastic return for a series that is at its best when it wears its heart on its wings.

For those that were disappointed with Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised here. It’s also a perfectly fine jumping on point for new players, and the online multiplayer component will likely give this game legs well past the initial launch. Finally, the VR really should be one of the first things you boot up, and stands out as one of the better VR experiences on the platform thus far.

With an approachable learning curve and a forgiving flight model, Air Combat 7: Skies Unknown welcomes players new to the franchise as well as veterans of previous versions. Beautiful graphics and fast-paced action are the very hallmarks of an Air Combat and number 7 delivers plenty of both.

Ace Combat 7 is a hugely satisfying, even empowering, experience that's taken to the next level in VR.

Ace Combat 7 brings us 30 of the world´s most advanced war planes to engage different combat scenarios (escorting civilian planes, attacking refineries, evading enemy radar, facing an enemy ace...). Although it is an arcade, planes feel realistic and we enjoyed 8 player online mode and VR levels for PS4 version.

Ace Combat 7: Unknown Skies is a great-looking arcade flight combat game, and zipping over high-quality terrain trying to establish missile locks and evade pursuers can be a lot of fun. But the experience often gets weighed down by its weird and convoluted but persistent story and poor communication of objectives. It’s enough to prove that there’s room for the series to make a comeback, though this game will be not the one to jumpstart it.

A great restart for the Ace Combat series, a chapter perfect for both old players and newcomers.

A fantastic campaign mode, a VR mode so great that it should go down in history, and so many other aspects make Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown an incredible package. However, it helps to be familiar with the series in order to savor its greatness.

The use of the Unreal Engine 4 raises the Ace Combat franchise to new levels. Exquisite gameplay, a long and varied campaign ... it's a pity that its multiplayer content is so scarce.

While seasoned veterans of the Ace Combat series may have a much different perspective on its seventh iteration, I was unfortunately left disappointed by lots of glitz and limited glamour. The game never became, well, fun to play, and the allure of watching and listening to beautiful aircraft fly over and through jaw dropping environments can only go so far. Even with an abundance of camera angles to choose from, none offered the immersion factor I was longing to experience: the thrill of actual air combat.

Quotation forthcoming.

Ace Combat 7 has intensive action whose solo campaign can intelligently address all the subtleties. Complete, solid and even offering an interesting story despite its summary narration, Ace Combat 7 is a great experience.

While offering a solid single player campaign and some exciting and realistic flight sensations, Ace Combat 7, on PS4, delivers impressive content and some really good missions on PSVR.

Ace Combat 7 revives the dying genre of arcade bullet hells and proves that even these games still have something to say. Players who get through system reports and time limits will be rewarded with an adrenaline ride with endless fun. [Issue#293]

The Takeoff, flight and landing have been successful. Project Aces honor a tradition that spans more than 20 years with a fun and adrenaline-filled experience. After all this time, it's satisfying to know that Ace Combat is still soaring high above the clouds.

Twelve and a half years have passed since the last great Ace Combat game. Fortunately, Project Aces have ignored recent years' failures and instead delivers a game that might be the best in the series. Sure, we would have liked some more memorable missions, a more cohesive story and a better checkpoint system. But other than that, there is not much to complain about. The sky and airplanes look wonderful, while the improved physics makes the flying feel better than ever - not least thanks to the well-made weather effects. Gameplay-wise Ace Combat 7 is the best flight action game ever, and an absolute must for all everyone who dreamed about sitting in a fighter jet.

A successful return flight for the veteran franchise, with highly entertaining aerial action that remains accessible for new fans and old.

Neither newcomers nor long time Ace Combat fans will be disappointed by Skies Unknown.

Immersive and authentic presentation of airplanes with a lot of interesting and diverse missions makes for a really great experience and a game you will enjoy again and again and again.

Ace Combat 7 is a return to form for the franchise. The main campaign is varied and provides a lot of entertainment even if the story is a little stale. Visually this game will blow you away and if you also own a VR headset you’re in for an absolute treat. Multiplayer is a bit boring and the archaic checkpoint mechanism feels like it’s a decade old but overall, Ace combat 7 hits it right out of the park. Highly recommended.

If you're a fan of the series, or the genre, then Ace Combat 7 is the current-gen arcade aerial combat game you've been waiting for. It plays great, it looks great and VR owners are in for a real treat too.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, however, has managed to effortlessly fly back into battle without missing a shot. Everything that you loved about the old iterations has evolved with the times and delivered a solid new combat flight simulation experience.

Thrilling moments of mid-air diving, twisting, and fighting like a hero are chipped away at by some niggling flaws. And yet, if you overlook it foibles, Ace Combat 7 has enough in its hangar to love. [Issue#159, p.84]

Ace Combat 7 delivers a perfectly honed iteration of a familiar framework, making vast visual and gameplay improvements while still maintaining the familiar structure of Ace Combat. Balancing the angst of seeing a war from multiple sides, every mission you fly feels consequential, your tiny contributions having an effect on the events of a world that is so much larger than the pilot known as Trigger. Ace Combat 7 is a must for flight-sim fans and a fantastic addition to the series.

Ace Combat fans will be very pleased with an extremely fun aerial combat game with plenty to do. The fantastic PlayStation VR mode is a must-play and a great addition to an already fantastic game.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a top entry in the long-running series that sees a return to the PS2 glory days. The war opera story is enjoyably charming, despite a rather flat cast of characters, while the gameplay is, crucially, as dramatic and slick as it's ever been. Online multiplayer and PSVR are both implemented well, and serve as great companion pieces to the main campaign. Whether you’re a diehard fan or coming to this game fresh, Skies Unknown is a joy, and a series highlight.

The aerial dogfights are the best that this generation has seen, and the individual missions will last long in the memory of those that play it. Players hunting for some extremely engaging gameplay should look no further than Ace Combat 7.

At its best, the game leaves you by your lonesome to get to know the “deep blue” sky as intimately as possible.

Ace Combat 7 is what the sim-arcade Bandai Namco series needed. New technologies, a great campaign and an interesting VR mode are the elements for this Ace Combat mix.

Due to its niche nature, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown won’t be for everyone. You’d really need to love this style of game to get the full benefit of it.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is an excellent package. Its overly-complex narrative bogs down so much of what makes the game a carefree thrill ride, but a great campaign structure, intense multiplayer and a VR tour de force make this the best game in the storied franchise and one every pilot should pick up.

In this chapter of Ace Combat, the gameplay is stripped down to a bare minimum and the air-to-ground combat is plain boring. The jaw-dropping graphics and production values will probably be enough to attract the fans of the franchise, but if arcade air fighting is not your niche, you'd better steer away.

In Ace Combat 7 dogfighting games have a new Top Gun. The VR sadly turned my stomach, but the series’ trademark action is bigger and better than ever, with the spectacular weather effects introducing a level of realism and drama that will win over any wannabe Mavericks.

Ace Combat 7 is, sadly, a decent game that never quite hits the same highs as the planes contained within. It rapidly becomes too samey, and the games mechanics aren’t really signposted enough, with you being catapulted into action with barely a mention of flight school.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown finally fulfills the expectations of those players from my generation who loved Ace Combat 04 and 5, bringing the series back to its roots in a masterful way. While there are a few relevant innovations, the good folks at Project Aces kept their eyes and ears open and listened to the fans of the franchise who wanted to return to Strangereal and to the Ace Combat that we know and love.

Ace Combat 7’s VR support makes for one of the most convincing, bombastic games you’ll see in a headset. It’s a powerhouse display of roaring engines and teeth-grinding tension that’s never anything less than relentlessly enjoyable. And yet it’s painfully short, over before you can even pinch yourself to see if you’re dreaming. But, to hell with it, it’s left me with a heightened pulse rate, sweaty palms and the biggest grin VR has yet put on my face. If I can’t praise that, then what’s the point? Now let’s start the campaign for more of it.

Ace Combat 7 delivers one of the most epic, intense and polished entries of the franchise. An excellent title that could only be improved by expanding its multiplayer and its VR mode.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a top-notch flight combat game with one of the best VR implementations that you'll ever have the joy to experience. Simply put, the variety of challenging and memorable missions, breathtaking sights and sounds, fun online multiplayer, and super-tight gameplay make it a must-have game for anyone with a fondness for the genre.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown's aerial dogfighting is absolutely exhilarating in multiplayer.