The official Ace Combat X account has been slowly revealing more of the aircraft customization options in Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. Following the introduction of the Aircraft Tree (which allows you to unlock more jets, parts, and weaponry) a few days ago, the recently revealed upgrade parts system gives players more options for planning and customizing their loadouts.
Similar to other games in the series, the Aircraft Tree is a hierarchical technology tree that allows you to spend Military Result Points (MRP) gained from playing the Campaign mode to unlock increasingly advanced jets, upgrade parts, and weapons. Since each branch of the Aircraft Tree features different jets (which are the main draws for going down a certain path), you’ll want to plot your route and allocate your MRP accordingly. Based on the in-game screenshot, players will be able to upgrade their jets’ missile power, bomb range, and mobility.
As with previous games, Ace Combat 8’s upgrade parts are divided into three types: Body, Arms, and Misc.
Body parts affect stats like acceleration, deceleration, and top speed. Arms parts increase the power of your armaments and affect everything from machine gun damage to missile lock-on range. Misc. parts give your jet unique abilities, such as enhanced stealth detection, damage reduction, and reducing enemy jet capabilities.
Since the number of parts that each jet can carry varies, you’ll want to pick the right aircraft and loadout for each mission. If Ace Combat 8 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, chances are that certain parts are unique to the game’s single player and multiplayer modes.
Interestingly, while the English Ace Combat X post about the upgrade parts includes a photo of a soldier looking intently at a hangered jet, the Japanese version of the post features two pilots who are stuck in a T-pose beside a jet.
Ace Combat 8: Winds of Theve is set to release on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows (Steam). Those who purchase the Deluxe Edition can play the game up to three days early.
