Review: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - I finally get the hook

Project Aces (Bandai Namco ACES)/Bandai Namco EntertainmentPC, PlayStation, Xbox$70US/$93.50CDNBuy a discounted Steam key from Fanatical or Green Man GamingIntroductionI picked up Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies for the PS2 on a whim back in the day because I didn't have anything else to play at the time (remember when that was a thing?) and I'd read a couple of reviews that said it struck a unique balance, being not as arcadey as something like After Burner but not remotely a sim either. It grabbed me right away and I've since beaten the entire series, going back to Air Combat on the PS1 and even the handheld games.This franchise is one of those that's never been a smash hit but always did well enough to keep getting sequels. Players tended to either love them or got nothing from them. I was definitely the former but I could never quite figure out what exactly made them so appealing to me. With Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve being the fastest selling entry in series history, it looks…