ACE COMBAT 8 sits at 87 on Metacritic for PS5, 86 on PC and 90 on Xbox Series X, with an 88 on OpenCritic as of September 27, 2026.
Ace Combat 8 Metacritic Scores on PS5, PC and Xbox
Quick answer: reviews unlocked on September 25, 2026, and as of this page's data pull on September 27, 2026 the Ace Combat 8 Metacritic page reads 87 on PS5, 86 on PC and 90 on Xbox Series X, all filed under the Generally Favorable label. OpenCritic averages 88 with 98 percent of 43 critics recommending it, which earns the Mighty badge. User scores are not yet available on either aggregator.
This page is a snapshot taken two days after the review embargo lifted and five days before the October 2 launch. Numbers move as outlets publish, so treat every figure below as valid for September 27, 2026 rather than a launch-day final. Roundup coverage behind these figures comes from Polygon's review roundup and IGN's review.
Scores at a Glance
| Aggregator | Platform | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metacritic | PS5 | 87 (Generally Favorable) | 53 critic reviews logged |
| Metacritic | PC | 86 | 28 critic reviews logged |
| Metacritic | Xbox Series X | 90 | 4 critic reviews logged |
| OpenCritic | All platforms | 88 Top Critic Average | 43 reviews, 98% recommend, Mighty badge |
The Xbox figure is real but thin: four reviews is the smallest sample of the three, so the 90 reads higher partly because of which outlets covered that version first. PS5 carries the deepest sample at 53 reviews and is the platform the Generally Favorable label attaches to.
Official source: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve on Metacritic
When Reviews Unlocked
The embargo lifted on September 25, 2026, which is why the earliest reviews share that date and why aggregates started filling two days before this page was written. There is no official statement on the exact hour of the unlock, only the date that reviews went live.
Two timing facts sit either side of that: multiplayer was announced on September 1, 2026, and the three-day early access window opens September 28, 2026 at 15:00 PDT for Deluxe and higher editions. Reviews therefore cover the retail campaign, not the early-access install everyone else is waiting on.
Every score here comes from outlets who played the single-player campaign under embargo. Multiplayer is unreviewed, user scores are closed, and the 4-review Xbox sample is a sliver. Check back after October 2 before treating these numbers as final.
What Reviewers Repeatedly Praise
Four positives show up across the roundup coverage and the individual scores:
- Air combat feel — the moment-to-moment flying reads as the series at its most confident.
- Dynamic clouds and weather — the Cloudly rendering work is called out as a mechanic, not wallpaper.
- Soundtrack — the score gets named in praise sections more than almost anything else.
- Characters and presentation — Tasha's arc in particular is cited as an emotional high point, and the first-person cinematics divide less than expected.
Polygon's review roundup, writing at the point of collection, placed the game as the second-highest rated mainline Ace Combat after Ace Combat 4 — press reported, and a claim that depends on which snapshot of the aggregate you read.
What Reviewers Repeatedly Criticize
The criticisms cluster just as tightly, and none of them are about the flying:
- Cutscene pacing — between-mission scenes are described as slowing the run down.
- Lock-on and target selection — target swapping in dense fights draws the most mechanical complaints.
- Thin single-player endgame — once the campaign credits roll, there is little pulling a solo player back.
- Score spread — the lowest score in the sample is Gamekult's 70, so the consensus is strong but not uniform.
Official source: OpenCritic page for ACE COMBAT 8: Wings of Theve
The IGN 9/10 Is Provisional
IGN gave the game 9/10 as a provisional score, which means the verdict was published without full coverage behind it: the review states it covers the single-player campaign only, with multiplayer not yet assessed. A provisional score can change, and it should be read as a strong campaign impression rather than a verdict on the whole package.
Polygon's roundup also carries the caveat that different outlets snapshot the aggregate at slightly different moments — their own text quoted 88 Metacritic and 89 OpenCritic at the time of writing, which is the normal drift of a two-day-old aggregate rather than a contradiction.
How the Three Platform Scores Differ
Reading a single headline number hides a real spread, and the per-platform rows explain most of it:
| Platform | Score | Reviews logged | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X | 90 | 4 | Highest number, thinnest sample — early movers only |
| PS5 | 87 | 53 | The deepest sample and the label-bearing page |
| PC | 86 | 28 | Solidly in line with PS5 on a smaller sample |
The pattern is common enough to name: platforms covered early by sympathetic outlets post higher numbers, and the score settles as the sample fills. PC sits one point under PS5 despite more hardware variability, which suggests the port was not a story in the first wave of reviews — whether PC-specific issues appear after launch is not yet confirmed. Also untested by every review so far: the three-day early access window that opens September 28, 2026, since press copies covered the campaign build rather than the live rollout.
Why User Scores Are Not Available Yet
Both aggregator user sections are empty for the same reason: the game has not shipped. Metacritic shows user reviews as not yet available (TBD), and Steam shows no user reviews because nobody outside the press and early-access buyers has a copy. User sentiment for ACE COMBAT 8 is genuinely not yet available rather than low or suppressed.
Three dates will change that picture: September 28, 2026 for Deluxe early access, October 1, 2026 at 22:00 UTC for the global unlock, and October 2, 2026 for the worldwide launch. Expect the user score to exist in some form within the first week of October, and expect it to move for a while after that.
- Aggregate snapshot date: September 27, 2026.
- Critic scores: available, three platforms, 85+ across the board.
- User scores: not yet available on Metacritic and Steam.
- Multiplayer coverage: not yet included in any published review.
For the mechanics those reviews are judging, the gameplay and campaign page lays out the four difficulty tiers and mission types, and the coop and multiplayer page covers what none of these reviews tested yet.
FAQ
What is the Ace Combat 8 Metacritic score?
87 on PS5, 86 on PC and 90 on Xbox Series X as of September 27, 2026, with PS5 carrying the Generally Favorable label across 53 reviews. The Xbox figure rests on only 4 reviews.
Is 87 on Metacritic a good score for the series?
Yes. Polygon's roundup placed the game as the second-highest rated mainline entry after Ace Combat 4, press reported at the time of their snapshot.
Are user reviews on Metacritic out?
No. User scores are listed as not yet available (TBD), and Steam has no user reviews because the game launches on October 2, 2026.
Is the IGN 9/10 final?
No, it is a provisional score covering the single-player campaign only. Multiplayer was not reviewed, so the number may change once ACE COMBAT ONLINE is assessed.
When did Ace Combat 8 reviews unlock?
September 25, 2026. The exact unlock hour is not officially stated, only the date.
How many reviews has OpenCritic counted?
43 reviews, averaging 88 with 98 percent of critics recommending it, which qualifies for the Mighty badge. Figures as of September 27, 2026.
Related Guides
- What Is Ace Combat 8? Overview and Facts — the ninth mainline entry, its platforms and its October 2, 2026 date.
- Ace Combat 8 Gameplay and Campaign Structure — what the reviewers actually played: difficulty tiers, mission types and campaign length.
- Ace Combat 8 Coop and Multiplayer Modes — the half of the game no launch review covered.
- Ace Combat 8 Release Date and Unlock Times — the exact moment user reviews become possible.
More Ace Combat 8 Guides
ACE COMBAT 8 gameplay pairs four difficulty tiers with two control schemes and four mission types, inside a campaign press reports at 25 to 30 hours.
ACE COMBAT 8 Hour Zero is a four-episode live-action prequel, not a game chapter or DLC. See the episode schedule, the cast and what the series adds.
Ace Combat 8 PC requirements: Windows 11, 16 GB RAM, RTX 2060 or RX 6600 XT, hardware ray tracing and a 150 GB SSD for 1080p at 30 fps on Low.
The Ace Combat 8 PS5, Xbox Series and Steam versions launch October 2, 2026. PS5 adds Pro Enhanced support; Xbox lists 4K, HDR10 and ray tracing.
Pre-order any Ace Combat 8 edition before October 2, 2026 to get the F-14A plus Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. Here is what you get.
Steam and Xbox preload for Ace Combat 8 is not yet confirmed. PS5 preload is press reported for September 29 at about 108.672 GB.
Ace Combat 8 unlocks worldwide on October 2, 2026 at 22:00 UTC. See the release date converted to PT, ET, BST, CEST and JST.
Tasha Severskaya is Joker Flight No. 3 and a former Zvezda star in ACE COMBAT 8. See her backstory, voice actresses Emi Lo and Chika Anzai and her costume.