The latest report from Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has arrived, and we’re giving you a first look at the team and technology that will put you in the cockpit of the most cutting-edge flight shooting game of this generation.

In this developer diary video from Project Aces, we’ll take a look at how Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is the culmination of 30 years of experience and expertise. 

One of the first things Ace Combat 8 explores is your role as a pilot in the world of Strangereal. As the new leader of a squad based on the carrier Endurance, you need to win your team’s trust which Kazutoki Kono, the series brand director, explains.

Your character is at the heart of a deeply emotional story, where you move between daily life on the aircraft carrier and high-stakes missions among the clouds as the Federation of Central Usea struggles to survive with limited resources in a bitter war.

To truly immerse each player, Project Aces engineered an innovation for the Ace Combat series, first-person perspective during story scenes. New levels of immersion are possible not only due to this new perspective, but also the huge leap forward in photorealistic rendering of your crafts, the environment, and, most importantly, that big, beautiful sky that’s just begging for a battle.

Developer and Producer Kosuke Itomi, Masato Kanno, and Keiichi Yamaguchi describe how the art team applied decades of experience and craftsmanship to the task of bringing each fan-favorite aircraft to life. 

We’re also excited to share more about the exclusive internal “Cloudly” engine, the “Lumen” lightning system which is used to render glorious, light-sensitive clouds and weather, and how this system changes the game for anyone soaring into that wild blue yonder. 

And of course, beauty isn’t everything. Producer Manabu Shimomoto explains how the team has been working on making Ace Combat 8’s dogfights an unforgettable pulse-pounding ride. You’ll hear about their philosophy of making this a flight shooting game that anyone can enjoy, from the first-time pilot to the battle-hardened ace, and Development Director Akira Yasui will talk about how the new tutorial system helps accomplish that goal as well.

This dev diary shares the feelings of a team with 30 years of development experience. Every ounce of that passion and commitment has been poured into environments that will immerse you, a story that will inspire you, and gameplay that will thrill you. Please join us as we prepare to take off for an unforgettable flight.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is coming to PlayStation 5 this year. Wishlist today.