Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - ADF-01 FALKEN Set (DLC)

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is an arcade-leaning air combat game that leans hard into spectacle, feel, and a story that commits fully to its over-the-top lore. The ADF-01 FALKEN Set is a DLC pack for that game, adding one of the series' most beloved legacy aircraft to your hangar. If you played Ace Combat Zero or the older entries and felt the FALKEN's absence in your loadout, this pack was designed specifically to scratch that itch. The FALKEN brings its signature FORTRESS laser cannon alongside its distinctive split-tail airframe, and it handles like a heavyweight with teeth. Within Ace Combat 7's systems, where managing special weapons alongside your standard missiles is a core loop, the laser changes the calculus on certain mission types. It rewards patience and precise angle management over the spray-and-pray approach that weaker specials invite. That is a meaningful mechanical difference, not just cosmetic nostalgia padding. Where I need to pump the brakes slightly is on value framing relative to what you get. This is a single aircraft with its associated parts. It slots into the existing upgrade tree and works within campaign and multiplayer modes on Xbox Series X and Xbox One. The base game's progression system already offers a wide roster, and the FALKEN competes in a pool of strong options. If you are the type of player who optimizes loadouts by mission type, you will find a genuine use case for it. If you are a more casual pilot who picks aircraft by looks alone, the FALKEN still delivers on aesthetics, though the argument for the price gets thinner. The base game itself holds up well for what it is. Skies Unknown is not a simulation in the DCS sense; rudder management and realistic stall physics are not the point. The point is threading a supersonic jet through missile trails at low altitude while an orchestral score peaks and the story delivers its next absurd plot beat. It does that consistently well across its campaign. The cloud system, which can obscure enemies and force radar-reliant flying in certain sequences, adds a layer of genuine tension that elevates it beyond pure arcade feel. For strategy-minded players, reading the engagement environment matters here more than in most action games of this type. The FALKEN Set is for committed fans of the series and players deep enough into the base game to want hangar variety with mechanical backing. It is not an entry point and it will not meaningfully change the experience for someone still working through early campaign missions. Know what you are buying. Diego, Scout Team