Parents' Guide to

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

By Jeff Haynes, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Take to the skies in challenging, fun aerial combat game.

Game PlayStation 4 , PlayStation VR , Windows , Xbox One 2019
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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age 11+

Based on 3 parent reviews

stopbruh
stopbruh Adult
June 17, 2022
age 10+

Outstanding game, but may not be suited for some children. Information on the game is provided in the review for the sake of easing decision-making.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the most recent instalment in the Ace Combat series. The story of the game can be followed decently well on the first playthrough, however subsequent playthroughs where the player performs better will reveal more information. As for the gameplay itself, it’s easy to learn, but the learning curve is sharp. By using “Expert” controls over “Standard” controls (objectively the correct choice to make if one wants to play better), more advanced manoeuvres can be performed. Some parts of the control system are left for the player to discover, such as Post Stall Manouvres, which require specific button inputs at specific speeds. The characters of the game vary quite heavily, and the dialogue does too. If your child is afraid of “scary things” or you do not want them seeing as much adult content, the following should be taken into account: During mission 3, one of your allies is toyed with into having a mental breakdown by a far more skilled pilot, and many other pilots are taken out of the sky due to an incompetent mission command. During mission 4, a former president is assassinated and the player is blamed for it, as well as many ground troops being killed. During mission 5, characters bet on each other’s deaths and ask for cigarettes. During mission 7 a highly skilled enemy ace downs many of your allies. During mission 9, one of your allies is intentionally killed by your AWACs due to repeatedly leaking classified intel. During mission 11 multiple civilian deaths are indirectly caused by your actions. During mission 12 if you fail to/barely defend your ground forces from waves of enemies, they will beg for help, mention loss of limbs or be eventually reported as gone. During mission 13 your child may become irritated or upset. During mission 15 you perform an attack on the capital city of your enemies. During mission 16 you may accidentally kill allies. During mission 17 you will hear detailed descriptions of horrific war crimes over the radio chatter, which may even rattle fully grown adults. During mission 18 you partake in the morally questionable task of bombing a culturally significant site containing refugees in order to gain supplies. During mission 19 characters are crushed by falling aircraft. During mission 20 many characters are killed by enemy drones. There is a lot of swearing in this game, and the role models may vary as some characters you’re allied with are great people whereas others are prisoners with no regard for others.

This title has:

Educational value
Great role models
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
silel Vox
silel Vox Adult
November 10, 2020
age 11+

May contain violence and some words to look out for. BUT ITS A GREAT ADVENTURE!

I think this game is very good it has an awesome story. The game is about going on different missions with a fighter jet to save to stop the war. The game is good on the story details and graphics and music rhythms for each mission. 5 stars! Watch out for swearing, and excessive violence.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN is set in the middle of a conflict between the Osean Federation and the Kingdom of Erusea. The Kingdom launches a massive surprise attack upon the Osean forces, capturing the former Osean president along with a large amount of territory. Players are cast as Trigger, an Osean pilot that tries to repel the invasion along with the rest of his squadron. Unfortunately, during a rescue mission of the president, Trigger is accused of shooting down the escape plane, resulting in a court martial and the assignment to a penal base. Over the course of 20 missions, Trigger will fight alongside a variety of pilots and squadrons to regain standing in the air force, eliminate the Erusean threat, and bring an end to the war. Based on how successful players are during missions, they'll acquire resource points that can be used to purchase new planes, weapons, or plane upgrade parts. They can also earn these points through multiplayer matches. PlayStation 4 owners can get farther into the cockpit with VR missions, making the action seem much more explosive in the skies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (6 ):

The latest installment in this long-running flight franchise brings fast-paced action to the skies, and while difficulty can sometimes be steep, there's a lot of aerial fun to be had. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown brings players into a new conflict between two rival nations. They'll face off against a variety of hazards, ranging from anti-air vehicles to drones and even enemy fighter aces. The story can be somewhat confusing, especially because Osea, Erusea, and the continent of Usea where this takes place all sound very similar. That makes it possible to mix up sides and storylines, especially with the cutscene narrators. Fortunately, you can ignore that in favor of destroying your objectives from the seat of your plane that's bristling with missiles and ammunition. Each plane (many of which are real planes, like A-10s, F-16s, and others) is incredibly nimble and responsive, and in minutes, you'll feel like you've been soaring through the skies for years. Pulling off inverted turns and high-speed banks and flying through canyons will start to feel like second nature. If you have a PS4, you can dive further into this with the VR missions, which really make you feel like a top gun.

That's extremely important, because the difficulty can really soar between some missions, especially in annihilation missions, where you're tasked with reaching a specific score in a limited amount of time. These can be some of the hardest stages to complete, because you have to be incredibly accurate, destroying your targets quickly to rack up enough points to pass the level, all while avoiding incoming fire. While the difficulty of these missions decreases as you unlock some of the more advanced planes (which require a lot of multiplayer matches or fights through previously cleared missions), they'll still test your flying skills, which can possibly frustrate you as you replay them over and over. Annoyance aside, Ace Combat 7 flies with action that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about positive character traits like perseverance. The pilots in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown frequently face seemingly impossible odds and still accomplish their goals. Can you take anything from this perseverance and apply it to your life?

  • Is the violence in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown affected by the lack of realistic violence shown, even though you're constantly destroying enemies? Would the violence be intensified if you were destroying pilots from real countries instead of the fake nations in the game?

Game Details

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