The media review embargo for Ace Combat 8: Skies of Deception has officially lifted. As the first arcade-style flight simulator in the series in seven years, it has tied for the second-highest score in the franchise on the review aggregator Metacritic, securing its place among the highest-rated games of 2026.
According to Metacritic data, the PS5 version of Ace Combat 8 has an average score of 87 based on 52 media reviews, placing it alongside Golden Joystick Award nominees like 007 First Light and Saros among the highest-rated games of 2026. In fact, if ports like Elden Ring and Final Fantasy VII Remake are excluded, this title would rank within the top twenty of the year.
This title surpasses Ace Combat 7's score of 86, but still fails to dethrone the PS2 classic Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, which holds the top spot in the series with an 89.
Across all platforms, only two reviews on Metacritic gave the game a "mixed" rating, both scoring it 7/10; meanwhile, six outlets awarded it perfect scores, including The Guardian and gaming site MonsterVine.
Ace Combat 8 also includes a new port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War—surprisingly, one of the most beloved entries in the series received only a 75. For some reason, this port is offered exclusively as a pre-order bonus. If you're a fan of this PS2 classic, which features one of the best boss battle themes in gaming history, you'd better hurry and pre-order. Plus, you'll get to play Ace Combat 8, which I can guarantee is high-quality and absolutely worth playing.