It’s time to take flight once again with the game, ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THIEVES. This game comes with  quicker combat, better environment graphics, new aircraft, new customization options, new weapons and even new online modes. If you’re new to the game, or a returning player from ACE COMBAT 7, learning about the different aircraft types, their upgrades and combat systems will help you survive in difficult situations.

In this ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE beginner guide, we explain everything that you should know before you begin flying, from aircraft types, aircraft upgrades, mission objectives, combat tips,online gameplay and more. But why stay stuck to your PC when you can enjoy your aerial battles from almost anywhere? With OSLink, you can play ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THIEVES PC version directly through your mobile by remotely accessing your PC, giving you more freedom to enjoy the game wherever you are.

Get to Know the Story Before You Fly

Before everything else, it is better to understand the storyline of ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE to become a better pilot and enjoy the gameplay. The game builds on the series’ storytelling while introducing a new war and characters, making the experience engaging for both longtime fans and new players.

You play as Rex (Joker 1), a silent pilot who inherits the legendary “Wings of Theve” title after the original pilot is killed. Alongside Joker 2 “Professor” and Joker 3 “Tasha”, you lead Joker Flight through dangerous missions while carrying the weight of the famous legend. 

Between sorties, you can explore the Endurance from a first-person perspective, meet its crew, and learn more about the people fighting alongside you. And also, you’ll face different types of missions that can be completed with various aircraft, keeping the gameplay fresh while giving you plenty of opportunities to practice and master different planes. Along the way, your performance and certain choices can also affect some characters and mission outcomes. 

Master the Core Gameplay Loop

One of the most straightforward methods of getting comfortable flying in the skies of ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is getting familiar with the core gameplay loop. Once you understand the basic flow of each mission, combat, wingman commands, and upgrades become much easier to manage.

All you have to do is select your aircraft and loadout before flight, take off from the Endurance, achieve your mission objectives, and come back to the carrier. During your journey, you accumulate Military Result Points (MRP) that unlock better aircraft and upgrades. 

Here’s how the core gameplay loop works to help you understand how to play ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE effectively:

• Choose your aircraft and loadout before takeoff

• Launch from the carrier and enter the mission area

• Complete the main objectives (dogfights, ground/naval strikes, or superweapon battles)

• Use wingman commands and manage your speed and position

• Survive and return safely to the Endurance

• Earn Military Result Points (MRP) from your performance

• Spend MRP to unlock new aircrafts, parts, and special weapons

• Repeat with better gear and stronger skills

Choose Your Flight Control Mode and Difficulty Levels

In ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, you have the option to select controls and difficulty according to your experience level. However, the most interesting part is that you have the chance to change both settings anytime, so start with what feels comfortable and adjust as your flying skills improve. 

Flight Control Modes:

• Standard – Simple turning controls, making it ideal for beginners.

• Expert – Provides fuller aircraft control and allows more precise movements and advanced maneuvers.

Difficulty levels:

• Rookie – Focuses more on the story and offers easier combat.

• Pilot – The default difficulty and a good starting point for most players.

• Veteran – Features tougher enemies and requires better missile evasion and loadout choices.

• Elite – The toughest option, designed for experienced pilots who can make quick decisions and manage multiple threats.

For beginners, Pilot + Standard is a comfortable starting point, because the controls are easy to learn and give you enough challenge to practice combat, movement, and missile evasion.

Basic Combat Tips to Become a Better Pilot

Becoming a better pilot in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE gameplay is more about building good habits than learning the complicated systems within the game. However, if you want to become a better pilot and progress through the gameplay, you can use these ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE beginner tips for combat techniques to survive longer, defeat enemies faster, and handle tougher missions with confidence.

• Lock on and fire missiles when enemies are in range, then use guns for close-range attacks.

• Switch targets and weapons quickly to stay focused during busy battles.

• Evade incoming missiles with flares or chaff while using high-G turns.

• Manage your speed carefully. Slow down for tighter turns and speed up when chasing or escaping enemies.

• Watch visual cues such as contrails, smoke, and sunlight glints alongside your radar.

• Use wingman commands to keep your squadron supporting you during combat.

• Focus on mission objectives instead of chasing unnecessary kills.

• Spend time learning how quickly different aircraft move so you can predict where enemies will be when your missiles or gunfire reach them.

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Cross-Platform Support

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Learn Aircraft Types and Pick the Best One for You

In ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, there are a variety of aircraft that are divided into four types based on their roles. Understanding these different types helps you choose the right plane for every mission and perform better in both the campaign and online gameplay.

If you are new to the series, it's better to start with a multirole aircraft like the F/A-18E Super Hornet as your best aircraft / plane to start because it can handle both air and ground targets.

Customize and Upgrade Your Aircrafts

One of the most unique and rewarding systems in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is the special Aircraft Tree that helps you improve your own fleet. As you complete missions, you earn Military Result Points (MRP) that can be spent in the Aircraft Tree to unlock new planes, special weapons, and upgrade parts.

And within this Aircraft Tree, upgrade parts are divided into three main categories:

• Body – Improves flight performance, including speed, acceleration, stability, and roll rate.

• Arms – Improves the power, range, and effectiveness of your guns, missiles, and special weapons.

• Miscellaneous – Provides additional benefits, such as improved stealth detection and reduced ice buildup.

You can freely explore and match these parts within the Aircraft Tree to create a loadout that matches your flying style and the mission ahead. Don’t forget you can also equip and upgrade the aircraft used by your wingmen, so the whole squadron gets stronger together. So, as a beginner, experiment with different upgrades to find a setup that works best for you.

Enjoy Ace Combat Online Multiplayer Battles

The Ace Combat Online feature in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is the biggest and most engaging multiplayer experience the ACE COMBAT series has ever offered. It's completely separate from the main campaign, and it lets you team up or compete with other player pilots around the world in intense multiplayer battles to test your flying skills.

Here's what you can engage with in Ace Combat Online:

• Air Base Hub – A social online lobby where you can customize your avatar, chat with other players, train, and find matches.

• Co-Op Assault (PvE) – Work with other players to defeat AI enemies while competing for a high score.

• Co-Op Warfare (PvPvE) – Battle another team while dealing with AI units on the battlefield.

• Scramble – Team up with other pilots to take on a powerful enemy squadron.

• Emergency Sortie – Join other players to battle iconic superweapons from the series.

• PvP Events – Take part in modes such as Team Deathmatch and Free-for-All.

• Seasonal Ace Pass – Earn rewards such as aircraft, cosmetics, and upgrades as you progress.

Conclusion

And here is the full ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THIEVES walkthrough for new players looking for a better start. In this guide, we covered everything from the core gameplay and aircraft types to combat tips and online multiplayer. So, now you can use these tips to become a better aircraft pilot as soon as the game releases. And if you want to play away from your PC, OSLink lets you enjoy the PC version directly through your mobile, so you can enjoy the aircraft action wherever you are.