The official Ace Combat X account has been gradually shedding light on the aircraft customization features in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. After unveiling the Aircraft Tree a few days back, which lets players unlock additional aircraft, components, and armaments, the latest reveal centers on the upgrade parts system, offering gamers expanded choices for planning and tailoring their loadouts.
In line with other installments in the series, the Aircraft Tree functions as a tiered tech tree where Military Result Points (MRP) earned through Campaign mode gameplay can be spent to access more advanced aircraft, upgrade parts, and weaponry. Each branch of the tree presents distinct aircraft, making it essential to strategize your path and allocate MRP wisely. As seen in the in-game screenshot, players can enhance their aircraft’s missile potency, bomb reach, and maneuverability.
Consistent with prior games, Ace Combat 8’s upgrade parts are categorized into three types: Body, Arms, and Miscellaneous.
Body components influence attributes such as acceleration, deceleration, and maximum speed. Arms components amplify the effectiveness of your armaments, impacting everything from machine gun damage to missile lock-on distance. Miscellaneous components grant your aircraft special capabilities, including improved stealth detection, damage mitigation, and diminishing enemy aircraft performance.
Given that the number of parts each aircraft can carry varies, selecting the right aircraft and loadout for every mission is crucial. If Ace Combat 8 mirrors its predecessor, it’s likely that certain parts will be exclusive to the game’s single-player and multiplayer modes.
Notably, while the English Ace Combat X post about the upgrade parts features an image of a soldier intently observing a jet in a hangar, the Japanese version of the post shows two pilots striking a T-pose beside an aircraft.
Ace Combat 8: Winds of Theve is scheduled for release on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows (Steam). Purchasers of the Deluxe Edition will gain access to the game up to three days prior to the official launch.