Ace Combat 8 Secretly Has the Best Video Game Music of the Year
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is praised for its flying controls, missions and visuals, but the article argues its standout achievement is its soundtrack. Composers Keiki Kobayashi, Ryo Watanabe and Mitsuhiro Kitadani combine grand orchestral music with rock songs to heighten the game’s action and give emotional weight to its fictional war.
The score uses recurring musical themes, including a chant associated with rival pilots, which develops into the track “Hortus Regis Alti”. The squad’s fictional favourite band, Purple Magic, adds rock songs such as “Time Are Changing”, woven into the orchestral sound. The writer recommends listening to the soundtrack even for people who do not want to play the game.
- Ace Combat 8’s soundtrack is called the game’s greatest achievement.
- Orchestral themes and rock songs combine across the campaign.
- The music adds emotional weight to its fictional war.
New here? Start with this
Ace Combat is a long-running series of action games in which players fly military aircraft through fictional conflicts. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve continues the series, pairing flying missions with a story about rival pilots and a squad caught up in a war.
The music is by Keiki Kobayashi, Ryo Watanabe and Mitsuhiro Kitadani. It combines orchestral pieces with rock songs by Purple Magic, a fictional band in the game, and brings back musical themes associated with its characters and story.
Soundtracks help establish a game’s mood and connect its action to its characters. In this case, the music is being recognised as a major part of the experience, including for listeners who may not play the game.