Players will experience dogfights through photorealistic visuals, including rendered cloud-filled skies in three-dimensional space. Realism of this kind also entails various weather and conditions which can be used to gain a tactical advantage.

Risky maneuvers like rushing through thunderclouds to wipe out enemy aircrafts or avoid hostile missiles are part of strategic action in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. Players will need to predict and deal with different meteorological events. Lightning strikes or icing may cause system problems and restricted visibility. The game also includes details such as water droplets on the canopy.

Set on the same Usean continent as in Ace Combat 3 and Ace Combat 4, the story revolves around the Second Usean Continental War which takes place in the year 2019. Players will join the Osean Air Defense Force and get involved in conflicts that cannot simply be divided into good against evil. The humanity of the characters and the fight of manned vs unmanned aircrafts on the battlefield are part of the overarching storyline.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown will also feature new weapons and flight controls. This allows for a wider range of tactics, including new futuristic superweapons and planes like the sturdy A-10C Thunderbolt II, as well as multipurpose fighter F-35C and high-performance aircraft Rafale M.