Ace Combat 8 Secretly Has the Best Video Game Music of the Year

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve revitalizes the long-dormant series with refined controls and visually impressive missions, but its most striking feature is its music. The game’s soundtrack, composed by Keiki Kobayashi alongside Ryo Watanabe and Mitsuhiro Kitadani, elevates the aerial combat experience with sweeping orchestral arrangements that emphasize scale and emotional depth.

The score’s centerpiece, the main theme "Everflow," exemplifies the game’s ambition, featuring expansive choirs and strings that mirror the intensity of blockbuster film scores. Tracks like "Hortus Regis Alti" demonstrate how motifs tied to rival pilots are woven into broader compositions, creating a cohesive musical narrative that reinforces the game’s war setting.

Beyond orchestral pieces, the soundtrack incorporates rock tracks from the fictional band Purple Magic, including "Time Are Changing," which the in-game squad uses to hype up during missions. These songs are not mere interludes but are integrated into the score, blending modern rock energy with classical arrangements to enhance cinematic moments.

The soundtrack’s standout quality lies in its ability to evoke the emotional weight of the Sotoa-Usea War without requiring players to endure the game’s intense aerial maneuvers. Even for non-players, the full album offers a compelling listen that captures the game’s dramatic arc through music alone.