[[2026 Games#^53c076|2026 Games]]  There are a million reasons I'm in love with [[Ace Combat 8 - Wings of Theve|Ace Combat]], and I think there are a million reasons anyone who becomes a fan is never a casual one — anyone who loves **AC** is a diehard. But the biggest, I'd guess, is the fact that **Ace Combat** makes you feel like a fucking legend. A vast majority of videogames could be considered power fantasies — the numbers go up, you get stronger, and you obliterate everything that comes your way. You always win, which is in and of itself a power fantasy, because god knows I'm not winning that often, lmfao. So this aspect of **Ace Combat** isn't particularly new. But the way it *shows* you this is what sets itself apart from other games. The music swells when you arrive on the scene to do some insane feat that no other pilot would even think of. You can hear your opponents screeching when they find out it's you they're fighting. > [!Quote] Some poor shmuck in **Ace Combat** that I'm about to wipe off the map > You're not going to believe this John-Louise! They're all wearing ribbon insignias! In most games, it's expected for you to be "the chosen one." And it's often a duty that your player-character might be reluctant about, or feel is a responsibility that can't be shirked. But in the world of **Ace Combat**'s Strangreal, what you're doing on the battlefield *isn't normal*. No one expects some legendendary ace pilot to completely change the tide of a war. It makes you feel cooler without it feeling forced. Well, to an extent. One of the weakest aspects of **Ace Combat 7** is that they pile on with the whole "holy shit omg you're so fucking cool and amazing and badass" angle a little too quickly. By the third mission everyone is doing tricks on it, despite the fact that you're effectively a prisoner of war being forced into taking on missions, indentured servitude style. It makes the feeling of that legendary status less pronounced. And it's also why I appreciate **Ace Combat 8: The Wing of Theve** so much. It's the most restrained in handing you your accolades as a freak of nature for a variety of reasons. But it makes the feeling of everyone finally acknowledging that you are, in fact, a Legendary Pilot, all the more satisfying. If you want to be a Hero, play a videogame. But if you want to be the Greatest to Every Fucking Do It, play an **Ace Combat**.