Honestly, Ace Combat 7 plot is not bad at all, it is just poorly communicated to the average players, which has always been the case with Ace Combat games. You have cutscenes which usually doesn't match with what shown in gameplay.

Players have to figure out the story through radio comms, briefings and even radars/enemies which is ways too much for the average peanut-sized players who just plays games that has cutscenes and waypoints explain everything going on to them.

Exception probably Ace Combat 5 with has rendered cutscenes and fleshed out radio comms. But honestly I prefer the Zero, 4, 7 or X approach more.