Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – Deluxe Edition

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – Deluxe Edition places players in the cockpit of advanced fighter jets amidst a high-stakes modern war in the fictional Strangereal universe, where tensions between nations like Osea and Erusea escalate into intense aerial battles. As Trigger, a skilled pilot, you navigate a gripping single-player campaign filled with dogfights, strategic missions, and dramatic story twists, enhanced by deluxe content including exclusive aircraft, emblems, and additional DLC packs, all optimized for immersive gameplay across platforms like PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – Deluxe Edition: Review

Introduction

Imagine the roar of jet engines slicing through thunderous clouds, the split-second thrill of locking onto an enemy fighter, and the adrenaline surge as missiles streak toward their target—all from the cockpit of a high-fidelity warbird hurtling at Mach speeds. This is the essence of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, a game that reignites the pulse-pounding aerial combat legacy that Project Aces has been crafting since 1995. As the seventh mainline entry in the storied franchise, Skies Unknown marks a triumphant return to form after the experimental free-to-play detour of Ace Combat: Infinity (2014), blending arcade accessibility with cinematic spectacle. The Deluxe Edition, bundling the full campaign with the Season Pass’s six DLC packs—including exclusive emblems, aircraft like the F-104C Avril, and the Top Gun: Maverick Aircraft Set—elevates it further, offering fans a comprehensive package of unlockables and expansions. My thesis: Ace Combat 7 not only revitalizes the series’ high-octane formula for a new generation but also stands as a pinnacle of flight simulation in gaming, proving that even in 2024’s Switch port, its skies remain thrillingly unknown and endlessly replayable.

Development History & Context

Bandai Namco Studios’ Project Aces team, the dedicated unit behind the Ace Combat series since its arcade origins on the PlayStation in 1995, spearheaded Skies Unknown with a clear vision: to harness next-gen hardware for unprecedented realism while preserving the franchise’s arcade roots. Released in January 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows, the game was built on Unreal Engine 4, a bold choice that allowed for photorealistic skies, dynamic weather systems, and detailed aircraft models—elements that pushed the boundaries of aerial combat simulation. This engine upgrade addressed past technological constraints; earlier entries like Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (2001) on PS2 were limited by hardware to simpler polygons and fixed camera angles, whereas Skies Unknown introduced full 360-degree freedom and environmental interactions, such as turbulence from storms affecting dogfights.

The development context was one of redemption and evolution. After Ace Combat: Infinity‘s mixed reception as a free-to-play multiplayer title on PS3, Project Aces refocused on single-player storytelling in the Strangereal universe—an alternate Earth with fictional nations like Osea and Erusea, steeped in the series’ lore of superweapons and ace pilots. Creator Kazutoki Kono emphasized “aerial innovation” as the core theme, drawing from real-world aviation history while incorporating near-future tech like drones. The 2019 gaming landscape was dominated by open-world epics and battle royales, but Skies Unknown carved a niche in the flight sim genre, competing with more simulation-heavy titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator by prioritizing fun over procedural accuracy. Budget constraints from Bandai Namco favored a linear campaign over vast open skies, yet the result was a polished experience that leveraged PS4’s power for 60 FPS visuals. The 2024 Nintendo Switch port, arriving five years later, exemplifies adaptive development: optimized for the hybrid console’s aging hardware, it maintains core fidelity while introducing portable play, a strategic move amid Switch’s dominance in the handheld market and the series’ historical absence on Nintendo platforms.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

At its heart, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown weaves a gripping tale of redemption, technology’s double-edged sword, and the fog of war, set against the backdrop of Strangereal’s latest conflict between the democratic Osea and the beleaguered kingdom of Erusea. The plot kicks off with protagonist “Trigger,” an Osean pilot court-martialed for a tragic incident involving a drone strike that kills civilians—mirroring real-world debates on autonomous warfare. As Trigger rises through the ranks of the elite Strangereal Tactical Armament Program (STRATOS) squadron, the story unfolds across 20 missions, chronicling Erusea’s desperate invasion fueled by advanced AI drones and a mysterious superweapon. Key characters like the hot-headed Mihaly A. Shilage, a veteran Erusean ace with personal ties to Trigger, and the idealistic Princess Rosa Cosette D’Elise add emotional depth; their arcs explore mentorship, betrayal, and the human cost of mechanized conflict.

Dialogue crackles with military jargon and radio chatter, blending terse commands (“Bandit at three o’clock—engage!”) with poignant briefings that humanize the chaos. Japanese voice acting, available alongside English, lends authenticity, with performances evoking the stoic resolve of anime war dramas. Thematically, the game delves into innovation versus humanity: drones symbolize dehumanized warfare, contrasting Trigger’s intuitive piloting skills, while recurring motifs of shattered skies recall earlier titles like Ace Combat 04. Subtle fan service—callsigns like Wardog and Garuda, emblems from past games—rewards series veterans, but newcomers aren’t alienated; the narrative’s linear progression builds tension through CGI cinematics that rival Hollywood blockbusters, depicting massive fleet battles and personal duels. Flaws emerge in occasional exposition dumps via briefings, but overall, the story critiques blind technological faith, culminating in a finale that questions whether aces like Trigger can outfly an era of unmanned skies. In the Deluxe Edition, DLC missions like “Unexpected Visitor” and “Anchorhead Raid” expand this universe, introducing side stories that probe espionage and relief operations, enriching the themes without overshadowing the core campaign.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Ace Combat 7‘s core loop is a masterclass in accessible yet deep aerial combat: select a mission, customize your aircraft, launch into dynamic skies, and rack up kills through dogfights, ground strikes, and boss-like superweapon takedowns. Combat emphasizes arcade flair over hardcore simulation—planes handle with responsive joypad controls, allowing barrel rolls, missile locks, and 360-degree maneuvers that feel exhilaratingly fluid. The HUD is clean and intuitive, displaying radar pips, weapon counters, and G-forces without cluttering the cockpit view, though some criticize its minimalism for lacking depth in navigation aids.

Progression ties to a meta-game of tuning: earn credits from missions to upgrade parts like engines (for speed) and weapons (e.g., QAAMs for agile tracking or XMA for multi-lock barrages), fostering replayability as you experiment with 20+ aircraft, from agile F-16s to heavy bombers. Innovative systems shine in dynamic weather—rain reduces visibility, forcing adaptive tactics—and the Ace Combat Alert System (ACS), which simulates radio traffic for immersion. Multiplayer, supporting up to 8v8 battles, adds variety but suffers from balance issues (e.g., overpowered DLC planes like the Darkstar) and sparse lobbies, especially on Switch. Flaws include the inability to adjust difficulty mid-campaign—novices might restart on Normal after botching Ace mode—and occasional UI quirks, like small fonts in handheld view. The Deluxe Edition enhances this with DLC packs: the Season Pass adds three aircraft sets (e.g., ADF-01 Falken) and four missions, plus Top Gun content like F-14A Tomcats with Maverick skins, introducing nicknames and emblems for customization. On Switch, the 30 FPS cap and minor frame dips during explosions temper intensity but don’t derail the satisfying loop of chaining kills and evading SAMs, making it a portable triumph.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Strangereal’s world-building is a tapestry of plausible fiction: a planet mirroring Earth but scarred by past wars, where nations wield real-world jets alongside experimental drones in conflicts over resource-rich skies. The Osean-Erusean war unfolds across diverse theaters—from urban sprawls like the anchored fleet of Alice Island to stormy channels and orbital stations—creating a lived-in atmosphere of geopolitical tension. Art direction leverages Unreal Engine 4 for photorealistic vistas: clouds billow with volumetric depth, cities gleam with satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe, and destruction feels visceral as bridges crumple under missile fire. The Switch port impresses with its optimization—docked mode rivals originals at “High” settings, while handheld maintains detail via strategic pop-ins, though asset loading can hitch.

Sound design elevates immersion: roaring afterburners vary by plane (e.g., the F/A-18E’s guttural hum), explosions boom with layered reverb, and dynamic weather adds pattering rain or howling winds. The orchestral score swells during epic sorties, blending triumphant brass with tense synths, while radio chatter—delivered in dual-language VO—builds camaraderie. These elements coalesce into an atmospheric symphony: a dogfight amid lightning feels alive and urgent, contributing to the game’s escapist thrill. In the Deluxe Edition, added Top Gun tracks for multiplayer infuse Hollywood flair, reinforcing the sense of soaring through a blockbuster.

Reception & Legacy

Upon 2019 launch, Ace Combat 7 soared critically, earning an 81% Metacritic average across platforms for its visuals and combat, though some docked points for a “predictable” story. Commercially, it sold over 3 million units by 2020, buoyed by DLC integrations, proving the genre’s viability. The Deluxe Edition amplified this, appealing to completionists with its bundled value. The 2024 Switch port, however, redefined its reception: critics lauded the “impossible” conversion, with scores from 70% (IGN, citing dated mechanics) to 90% (Nindie Spotlight, Touch Arcade, Nintendo Life, MKAU Gaming) for performance on “aging hardware.” NintendoWorldReport and 3rd Strike praised its portability and fan service, calling it a “gateway” to the series, while Impulse Gamer noted its fidelity. Player scores lag at 3.0/5 on MobyGames (sparse reviews), possibly due to multiplayer woes, but the port ranks #342 on Switch, collected by few but appreciated for on-the-go play.

Legacy-wise, Skies Unknown influenced the genre by popularizing hybrid sim-arcade flight games, inspiring titles like Reverse: 1999‘s aerial segments and boosting interest in real aviation sims. It revitalized Ace Combat‘s 30-year run—celebrated by Bandai Namco in 2025—returning to Strangereal and paving for future entries. On Switch, it fills a void, proving ports can extend lifespans, though its niche appeal limits broader industry waves. Evolving reputation: from 2019’s solid hit to 2024’s “late-generation gem,” it cements Project Aces’ enduring craft.

Conclusion

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – Deluxe Edition masterfully blends heart-pounding gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and technical prowess into a flight sim landmark that defies its age, especially via the stellar Switch port. From its Unreal Engine-fueled skies to thematic probes of war’s humanity, it captures the series’ soul while innovating for modern play. Minor gripes—like multiplayer sparsity and difficulty rigidity—pale against its strengths, making the Deluxe bundle an essential for aerial enthusiasts. In video game history, it secures Ace Combat‘s throne as the premier arcade flight saga, a soaring testament to innovation that invites pilots to conquer the unknown—verdict: an absolute must-fly, 9/10.