Ace Combat 8 Like the Wind Guide
Like the Wind is tied to one of Ace Combat 8's advanced flight mechanics rather than a mission-specific objective. The main catch is that the post-stall maneuver has to be performed during Campaign mode, so practicing the same move elsewhere will not satisfy the trophy requirement.
Jump To Section:
How to Unlock Like the Wind
How to Perform the PSM
Which Aircraft Can Do It?
Why the Trophy Is Not Unlocking
How to Get Like the Wind in Ace Combat 8
To unlock Like the Wind in Ace Combat 8, successfully perform a post-stall maneuver with a compatible aircraft during Campaign mode.
Like the Wind Trophy
Mode → Campaign
Requirement → Perform a successful post-stall maneuver
Difficulty → Any
Specific Mission → No
Free Flight → Does not count
You do not need to shoot down an enemy while performing the maneuver or use it during a dogfight. The trophy is specifically checking that the aircraft completes the PSM successfully.
The easiest way to do this is during a calm section of a Campaign mission where you have plenty of altitude and room to recover.
How to Perform a Post-Stall Maneuver
Start by slowing your aircraft below roughly 500 km/h. Once you're slow enough, keep the aircraft stable, engage acceleration and braking together, then pull the nose upward to initiate the post-stall maneuver.
The aircraft should rapidly pitch through a much more aggressive rotation than a normal high-G turn. Recover by bringing the nose back under control and accelerating away before losing too much altitude.
Easy PSM Setup
Gain plenty of altitude
Slow below roughly 500 km/h
Keep the aircraft stable
Hold acceleration + brake
Pull the nose upward
Complete the rotation
Recover and accelerate
Do not attempt it just above the ground. A PSM intentionally puts the aircraft into a low-speed, high-angle state, so extra altitude gives you room to recover if the first attempt turns into a stall instead.
For a more detailed breakdown of the maneuver itself, including setup and recovery, see the Ace Combat 8 post-stall maneuver guide.
Which Aircraft Can Unlock Like the Wind?
Not every aircraft in Ace Combat 8 can perform a post-stall maneuver, so repeatedly trying the inputs with an incompatible plane will not work.
Aircraft capable of performing a PSM include:
F-22A Raptor
F-35C Lightning II
MiG-29A Fulcrum
Su-33 Flanker-D
Su-47 Berkut
FA-36
X-40 Nightmare
You do not need one of the final post-game aircraft specifically. If you already have access to a compatible plane during the Campaign, that is enough to attempt Like the Wind.
If you're deciding which aircraft to unlock or use beyond this trophy, the Ace Combat 8 best planes guide covers the strongest options for different mission types.
Easiest Way to Unlock Like the Wind
Do not try to earn the trophy in the middle of an active dogfight. Pick a Campaign mission where you have a quiet stretch of airspace, climb to a comfortable altitude, and create your own setup.
Level the aircraft, slow down gradually, then attempt the PSM once you're below the required speed range. If the aircraft only pitches normally, continue slowing and try again rather than forcing increasingly aggressive inputs at high speed.
The trophy is much easier when treated as a controlled maneuver test instead of something you try to accidentally trigger while chasing another aircraft.
Post-Stall Maneuver vs High-G Turn
A high-G turn does not count for Like the Wind.
High-G turns tighten your normal turning radius while rapidly reducing speed. A post-stall maneuver deliberately takes the aircraft beyond normal low-speed handling and allows a much more dramatic pitch rotation.
If the aircraft simply makes a very tight horizontal or climbing turn while retaining normal forward movement, you probably performed a high-G turn rather than a PSM.
The Ace Combat 8 High-G Turn guide covers that separate maneuver and when it should be used.
Why Like the Wind Is Not Unlocking
If you believe you completed a post-stall maneuver but Like the Wind did not unlock, first make sure you are actually playing Campaign mode.
The trophy description specifically requires the PSM to be completed in Campaign, so successfully practicing the maneuver in Free Flight does not satisfy the requirement.
Next, verify that your aircraft supports post-stall maneuvers and that you slowed down enough before attempting it. Trying the same control sequence at normal combat speed will usually produce a regular pitch or high-G maneuver instead.
If Like the Wind Does Not Unlock
Make sure you are in Campaign mode
Use a PSM-capable aircraft
Slow below roughly 500 km/h
Use acceleration and braking together
Pull into the full post-stall rotation
Recover from the maneuver rather than immediately crashing
Once the game recognizes a successful post-stall maneuver during Campaign, Like the Wind should unlock without requiring any additional kills, score, or mission-specific objective.
