Ranking EVERY Armored Core Soundtrack
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มิ.ย. 2024
- Upwards of 500 individual tracks listened to multiple times and around 6 months in the making:
The Definitive Armored Core Soundtrack Tier List (My Tier List).
This video does not contain every single track ever produced for the series because, obviously, that would be an absurdly long video to make. What it does have are songs that I chose from each individual game that I think represent their best, worst and most interesting artistic decisions.
Armored Core has been such an underrated franchise for so long, and only recently with the popularity of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon has it garnered more mainstream appeal.
However, this newer title deviates a LOT from what the previous games were going for when it comes to style, substance and musical motifs, and since most newcomers haven't experienced the older titles, I wanted to make something that facilitates that process.
Hopefully I can convince you to try some of these other Armored Core games, and maybe, just maybe, you'll find something you really love - just like I did.
If that doesn't happen, at least you get to keep some cool songs for your playlist.
Enjoy my Armored Core Music Tier List!
And here's the full playlist with the GREATEST HITS in the series:
• Listening to my ORGANI...
Oh and @MarcoMeatball I know you are a huge fan of Armored Core, so maybe this video will interest you!
@VaatiVidya not really 5 hours long like your massive project but I'm trying my best here! Big fan, thanks for putting Armored Core on the map!
@armoredcorelore Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this information, for sure I messed up somewhere ahah, thanks for all the support
And shoutout to my Patrons, Members, all subscribers and all viewers.
All you fellow content creators, I love you too.
This is me being really nerdy about something I adore!
Enjoy the video.
Sections:
0:00 - Introduction
2:49 - Generation 1: Armored Core & Project Phantasma
8:56 - Armored Core: Master of Arena
14:09 - Generation 2: Armored Core 2
20:14 - Armored Core 2: Another Age
26:17 - Generation 3: Armored Core 3
32:41 - Armored Core: Silent Line
38:45 - Generation 3.5: Armored Core: Nexus
45:29 - Armored Core: Nexus 2nd Disk
49:25 - Armored Core: Mobile Missions
51:35 - Armored Core: Nine Breaker
59:57 - Armored Core: Formula Front
01:04:53 - Armored Core: Last Raven
01:11:42 - Halfway Checkpoint
01:12:11 - Generation 4: Armored Core 4
01:18:44 - Armored Core: For Answer
01:29:06 - The Answer
01:35:52 - FreQuency Reprises
01:40:26 - Generation V: Armored Core V
01:48:04 - FreQuency Sunrise
01:53:07 - Armored Core: Verdict Day
02:01:09 - Armored Core: Verdict Day DLC
02:05:23 - 20th Anniversary Outtakes & Singles
02:12:41 - Generation 6: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
02:19:06 - Fires of Rubicon OST Disk 3
02:25:52 - Tier List Result
02:27:09 - Takes Us Anywhere
DISCLAIMER
I am NOT a music expert or anything like that. I just really love Armored Core and its soundtracks.
Yes I suck at some of these games, there might be some typos, editing mistakes, wrong information and really bad descriptions of things happening on screen but I tried my best!
Soundtrack
Literally all of them.
All Credit goes to From Software and OCRemix.
Thanks again to Sukejan and mashimo3d for the mobile mission footage.
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Thank you for watching!
Armored Core 6 Launch Trailer:
• ARMORED CORE VI FIRES ...
Abide with Rubicon.
#armoredcore #armoredcore6 #fromsoftware #soundtrack #tierlist #music #eldenring #ost #ac - เกม
it’s so cool that someone else is as obsessed with AC music as me.
I hope there are a lot of Ravens like us out there, because AC music is the gift that keeps on giving
real.... its such a bop this ac type of music the metal vibe to it its just ahhhhhh best shit oh and the 4th gen music with the religious combined with it its peak imo
back here at the end of summer break, now with time to watch this (final projects are hell) armored core soundtracks are indeed, such bops, and re finding the garage theme from ac1 is quite literally a godsend
The music in the game is ethereal
I go to bed with for answer music on while sleeping.
"ranking every song from ac" finally. a video made just for me and the five sickos next to me.
There are a a lot of us completely invested in it ahah
and boy am i glad to see it! frequency is a top band for me, and evergrace II's ost is one of my favorite albums, ever. i'll take any chance to go hog wild about kota hoshino
The "Contact with You" disrespect smh
Maybe it was stockholm syndrome (thanks Balteus) but that song goes so fucking hard, def a 10/10 for me
Agreed, always getting goosebumps hearing that soundtrack
Also that's such a great title for it that it's immediately moved up a peg for me
Felt like 95% of the ost was too "ambient". Can only remember like three-four tracks including contact with you. Need more vocals.
It's AYRE'S THEME! HOW CAN ANYONE NOT LIKE _HER THEME???_
It's the beat that got me
After beating Balteus and totally gain PTSD from it, it gave me a Monster Hunter moment where i jumps in to fight that enemy again because the music slaps and eventually mastered it
"... Rated every single track ever produced for the series..."
aight, Bring out the whole ocean!
Jokes on you most if not all of these are on my playlist already because a random person in a drive through knew it was Armored Core music and that gave me an ungodly amount of confidence.
Goddammit random person, well at least your playlist is already goated!
'Someone is always moving on the surface' it's the best track in the ENTIRE AC franchise.
i agree with this wholeheartedly. its the one i ALWAYS come back to
I love how the tier list doesn’t have a downright “bad” tier. It’s all so good but in various levels of awesome
Oh absolutely, I don't think there are any bad AC soundtracks, they all nail their purpose just with varying degrees of success and quality!
Right on, Raven.
I love every Armored Core OST, but "Cinders" literally made me cry. It was fucking beautiful, i can't even imagine what kind of mission it should be to have such a banger.
I will always remember...
9:02 no way you would not add Apex in Circle to your playlist, it’s such a bop
I wouldn't add THAT version, but maybe some other later down the video 😎
@@SilverGlintok ok. fair enough. but my favourite version is probably the original or the new one
@@SilverGlint have u heard the new apex in the circle from the new disc of ac6 its just such an upgrade imo
@@IO-BLANK-OI nah, the original still sounds better, but I'd be a filthy liar if I said the remix didn't sound good
I'd rather have it as a ringtone
Karasawa to your head, name five AC: Mobile songs
ALSO HOLY MOLY A 2 AND A HALF HOUR SLIVER GLINT VIDEO LET'S GO
UHM UHM UHM, Mobile Mission part 1, part 2 part3, mobile mission 3 opening, mobile mission 3 ending lmaoooo
*karasawa 🤓👆
Top 5:
Bravado
Dirty Worker
Morning Lemontea
Autobahn
Fall
Take Me Anywhere should instantly make Disc 3 skyrocket into “Disc 3” tier above Ninebreaker
Ahaha yeah I kinda agree with that
Scorcher is basically OUR boss theme because we're the threat
I cannot comprehend putting Flood and Red Butterfly in the bottom tiers of Nexus. I know its got an insane average to match, but those 2 songs in particular are definitely in the upper echelon of that game's OST.
Maybe I just don't vibe with it too much, but it's a good thing we disagree, so there's a lot to talk about!
Thank you so much for making this!
This is a video that needed to be made, and you are just the Raven that needed to do it, I've been a fan since your unorganized Armored Core Playlist videos!
Armored Core's soundtrack and the people behind it are honestly amazing, exquisite and one-of-a-kind for this industry. The musical ideas and evolutions over this long-running series are something I have never seen anywhere else and is truly special to me and you, whether this is the first time you are hearing these tracks or the nine-thousandth time, you can feel this is something insanely passionate and unique.
Thank you, Kota Hoshino, Tsukasa Saitoh, Keiichiro Segawa, Shoi Miyazawa(Giovansen),FreQuency, and thank you for carrying this passion over into this video Silver Glint! I hope so many Ravens new and old see this and carry this fire with us, as it Takes Us Anywhere!
Thank you so much for backing me up Raven.
I know full well there are others like us out there, that are filled to the brim with fervor, love and appreciation for these games, and I want to spread that as far as possible.
Most of it is raw art and it transcends anything I could ever make to describe it, but I hope I got near enough to hitting the emotional notes I was aiming for!
Big hug.
1:15:47 The instrument you were talking about is the organ. The thing is if that organ layer is removed, the song easily becomes a solid 8.0 imo. Great video dude. Cheers :)
Yeeees exactly glad you think that way too!
When you started pulling fan albums, I was kind of hoping you'd bring in Keisuke USUDA's absolutely ascended remixes/covers. But since he doesn't categorize his work into albums and really just releases everything as singles on Twitter and TH-cam, I guess his stuff can't really be organized into a tierlist like this unfortunately.
I didn't cry while listening to Goodbye, Thinker but the 20th Anniversery Disc on the other hand... In those times it wasn't unrealistic to believe this was it, the end of Armored Core. And the music felt that way too, it's so rich. A few summers ago I started going on walks in unusual places, mainly industrial or tucked away commercial complexes for really specific needs, usually, like, services for other companies. Places like that in the afternoon always kind of reminded me of AC. One of those days when the sun was getting low, I played Reminiscence. I'm glad I was alone then. That's also the video I left my corny "ACVI finally ravens" type comment when the reveal trailer dropped. Also that mini MAD you put together for Long Way to Go was really nice.
No you're right, ER/DS can't touch the heights of AC's OSTs and I'm convinced they kidnapped Rio Hamamoto for the guitar on 4 The Answer. Disc 3 and Armored Core VI is...
ALL WE WANTED
ALL WE NEEDED
ALL WE WAITED
ALL WE'VE GONE THROUGH
See you on the next battlefield, Raven.
I'm so grateful for you sticking around through the end, I'm glad we share the same vision for what AC music represents to us Ravens as it really does transcend the game medium itself and becomes more of an integral part of our personal journeys, that's how powerful it is - even outside it's intended context.
Thank you for Watching!
Fun fact: Nine novem is the version used as Nineball Seraph's boss theme in Another Century's Episode R.😊
Cosmos and Cosmos NV always give me Knights Of Sydonia vibes
I love Knights of Sydonia, I totally get what you mean!
A YO!! i thought I was the only one who loves Knights of sydonia, glad I'm not alone
@@steelfox8468 Blame! And Sydonia are peak
@@SilverGlint i am a big fan of APOSIMZ and BioMega too. I dont like Sydonia's "harem" line. Nihei's Tower is looks good too
YOU AND I MUST FIGHT FOR OUR RIVES
i love it when high speed mecha action is paired with guitar leitmotif soundtracks.
even in anime it fucks so hard
the description of Mister from last raven really caught me off guard lmfaoooooooo
Ahaha it does kinda ring true doesn't it??
@@SilverGlint it really does not gonna lie lol
A 2,5 hours long video on my favorite videogame franchise from a youtuber i never heard of? splendid way to spend my evening
Glad to have you Raven! I hope you enjoy the ride!
Vaati dropping the AC6 lore video, AC6 1.07 update, and now this? what a week!
EDIT: I pray to god that this video gets attention
EDIT 2: In twitter, Kota Hoshino himself mentioned that The Encounter World is the "most refreshing (or pleasing to hear) song in all of AC series" (ORIGINAL TEXT: AC史上最高の爽やか楽曲The Encounter World。). this song deserves to be in a playlist
EDIT 3: Writing this on half way point. I am surprised how much I can disagree to your opinions, while also being able to agree. Funny what different tastes can do, huh?
EDIT 4: "What the fuck is actually happening in this one?", ill tell you whats happening: Chief is happening. and he will do whatever the fuck he wants. this, along with stain is his theme that represents him very well.
EDIT5: ISTG everyone in Japan loves Life in Ash (and day after day),,, thats not saying much because the series isnt too famous
EDIT6: Peak A Boo feels like a song that would play when fighting biological weapons, maybe because those funny looking guys do look like biological weapons
EDIT7: speaking of day after day, im not sure about this but this song can replace the final fight with maggie, because the song is about her. This song for me was an anthem for us who have been waiting for a new game "day after day... staying around far away". (also whats up with AC characters losing their arm?)
EDIT8: It's the first time listening to point five remix, but it kinda reminds me of AC6.
EDIT⑨: Just finished watching the entire video. Good shit!
As a new fan (been a fan for only 3, 4 years) to the AC series and had no damn clue on how to access the games, music and lore (mostly music) was the majority of my AC experience. Sure there were some points in the video where I wouldn't necessarily agree, but it was mostly reasonable and even insightful and interesting. And for the points that I agree to, it helped me understand more on why I liked that particular song, and was fun to listen to.
I'd like to thank you, as a fellow Raven for posting a hell of a video. Through this video, I hope that new players may listen to the OST's of AC games and discover hidden gems.
Sorroy for the long comnet
Yeah I swear it was not on purpose ahah, me too! One can hope vaati sends his legion towards this video 😎
Mildly bummed that Resolve from VI didn't get some love here. The somber piano notes do a lot in making it memorable for me.
"Halfway Unit". You're a hard worker Silver Glint, making sure we got the best tunes to rock out when we're in our ACs. It was really nostalgic as someone that started with the PS1 era games to listen to all these familiar tunes once more. Keep up the good work
Thank you so much Raven, I try the best I can. And yeah everyone should have easy access to such incredible tunes
1:15:45 That instrument is a Hammond Organ, common in protestant church music and jazzy music.
Also thanks for including Rain in the video, it's a severely underrated track from AC4, which kind of speaks to how amazing 4's OST is but Rain feels so introspective and the title just seems to fit so well. The lyrics were never released but I always hear, "All is ending, all the time." which is really melancholic.
Thank you for the info! Yeah Rain is absolutely one of my favourites.
Seeing your gameplay makes me want to replay all the games again, dammit.
I'm evil like that, yes, play the games 😎
Honestly I'd rank Rubicon at the lowest. Not because it was bad, but because it just feels so jarring when compared to everything else. The composers who did those did the Elden Ring tracks and I love those too. But when the Raven came down I at least expected something to make a return. Saying all this makes me feel like the old AC fans complaining about AC4 & FA lmao. Solid tracks for sure though. I'm just happy AC is back ❤
Yeah, but you do have a point it's very jarring! Once you throw your preconceptions of what it should sound like(based on previous games) it is quite amazing though! But I totally get you
@@SilverGlint For sure. It did what it was suppose to do though. The game was a reboot to bring in potential new fans from the souls series who liked their games as well. The music was probably picked for that reason in mind. Going back and giving everything a listen again, I really did enjoy a lot of the new tracks.
Yeh I’d also put 6 into the lowest tiers. It is in a literal sense a “game soundtack”, where it serves to add that feeling within the gameplay to enhance it and make it atmospheric. In that area, it’s probably the best in the series hands down. Unfortunately, there are so little songs that are pleasing to listen to while I’m doing anything else but playing the game. In that sense, it’s similar to Last Raven. But hey at least it’s not last raven.
I think the best AC6 music is together with the best of AC4, FA and 5 myself and it doesn't feel jarring to me when they do change a bit of styles and music from each generation, but I can understand why people don't like it compared to others. Though I could never be putting it together with last raven that has actual mediocre to bad songs in it, I like some couple songs on that game but its definitely an average ost as a whole, though I have take a liking to some due to stockholm syndrome prob XD, loved the difficulty on that game, having to spend couple of hours trying to get a nice build to defeat a level was peak AC experience
Generation 4: If Nexus represented the first initial transition to the Kota Hoshino-led garage rock feel, 4th Gen pretty much solidified it as a mainstay of the franchise for some time. That said, I do love and appreciate the more intense orchestral tracks as well, and how they're made into rock hybrid tracks, like all the remixes of Overture that exist in the soundtrack (With Heat, Mr. Adam, etc.). I do wish there was one full, definitive version of Overture that encompasses all the best parts of each individual track that borrows its melody and leitmotifs, but we do have USUDA to thank for putting out a remix recently that comes relatively close!
Panther is one of the most nostalgic songs for me in the entire franchise. Getting to the first full level of AC4 and hearing that piano for some reason gets me emotional, and not because the song is sad in any way.
I do agree with your assessment that despite 4's strengths, there are a few tracks that show this new musical style needed refinement (which it would eventually get in For Answer). Grid Room and Pump me Up feel tonally off for the vibe AC4 tries to capture, and a small handful of those riff heavy tracks could've used some curating. My biggest criticism is less with the soundtrack itself and more with how FromSoft integrates songs into the game itself. A lot of the best tracks you hear in the arena and then later in the campaign to the point where they feel ill=placed and hampers their impact. The lone exception to this is Thinker, which is an all time classic song that inspired some of the best remixes ever.
Soooo I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything when it comes to For Answer's soundtrack: Someone is Always Moving on the Surface is my favorite song in the entire franchise, and one of my favorite video game songs ever. For Answer gets #1 on this list for me for this song alone, its a truly transcendent piece. There's a reason why even people who have never played or barely know about Armored Core are familiar with this song, it's primal and moving on a level that's beyond what words can really do justice.
Songs like Scorcher and Remember help to remedy the issue I have of previous AC games sorta throwing random songs in for missions inappropriately. In the former's case, it's the theme of Strayed, so the fact that it plays for the final mission of the Destruction Path where remnants of ORCA hunt you down (as you are the biggest threat in that ending) makes lots of sense. Remember's lyrics "Oh I'm scary/So I'm scary" feel apt given the two-man genocide you're partaking in. (Weird fun fact, Old King hums "Thinker" over the com in the Japanese dub of the game, I think they just changed it to him humming a nondescript melody in English, HUGE missed opportunity).
I honestly completely forgot how good Cicada was until you played it here, so thank you for that.
In general, For Answer resolves the issue I had with the tone of some of 4's more rock-heavy tracks. Nothing truly feels out of place or too upbeat/positive for the game, so I feel as if both its highs are higher and lows are higher in turn.
The Answer is, top to bottom, the most consistently great album in the franchise. I usually put a pretty fat asterisk next to both the Tribute and Remix albums because they're not official soundtracks featured in the games (well, until Verdict Day), but I can't deny that all but maybe one track is on a playlist for me. They really dug deep into the bag of less immediately popular AC songs to sample melodies from in these tracks, rather than just (re)playing the hits. Morning Thinker and Goodbye Thinker are two of my favorites, and yes, the latter does get me similarly emotional-- another one of my all time favorite tracks in the franchise.
FreQuency Reprises is actually not an album I remember all that well shockingly? Though the tracks I do recall I am certainly a fan of. Their remix of Nine reminds me a lot of what they would do in Super Smash Bros. when remixing and giving a facelift to old songs from dated Nintendo franchises (though maybe I'm just making this comparison because I saw a fanmade trailer for a Nineball mod in ACVI that used Nine -novem- as the bgm, not sure). I will say though that I vastly prefer both the original and Nexus remixes of In My Heart over the Reprises remix, though I do very much appreciate the drums.
Generation 5: ACV's soundtrack feels, in a word...like sludge. It perfectly captures the tone of V as a game and for that reason I think it's a success. My only issue is that I don't particularly like V;s visual direction all that much, and in turn the soundtrack doesn't do as much for me! The very gritty, crude and dreary color palette of V feels reflected in the grimy, abrasive bass tones> Both the visual style and sound of V feels like FromSoft's attempt at capitalizing off the popularity of gritty western titles like Gears of War (though I could be extremely wrong in this assessment), deviating significantly from the visual tone and style of 4th Gen in a way I found rather offputting. V and Vulture as songs reflect this well. Describing the OST as something close to the "Sound of War" is something I very much agree with, which is why I can at least respect V's soundtrack even if it doesn't speak to me. Well, I would say that, but the start of Lament Over the Howling Age reminds me WAY too much of Teardrop by Massive Attack for me to take even remotely serious. Idk, I love Massive Attack I guess.
Despite my criticism, I do really love tracks like Mech Dinosaur, Stain, and especially Why Don't You Come Down. The latter track feels like the musical equivalent of trying to breaststroke through a tar pit, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.
Sunrise has maybe the most comfy album cover of any AC album, I'm certainly a fan of that at the very least. It's prolly my least favorite FreQuency project (but that's not saying much, cause it's still very good).
Verdict Day was the answer to all my negatives of V, both as a game and a soundtrack. It manages to both capture the same tone and feeling as V while also adding so much more depth and dimension to its sound. Dirty Worker as the opening level track is the perfect example of this, the first 30 seconds of that song still give me chills every time I hear it. A lot of Verdict Day's strengths relative to its predecessor remind me of what made Silent Line stand out relative to 3, Trickster gives me that same cinematically intense Call to Arms vibe that I adore. Verdict Day does still have that sludgey component that V embodied, particularly with On the Land of Barking Smell, but I found those tracks in VD slightly less grating.
I always found it especially intriguing that V as an AC game was largely disconnected and devoid of even slight references to previous games in the franchise, and yet Verdict Day feels in many ways like a love letter to the franchise; from minor details like character names referenced in menus, to full remixes of older tracks used for multiplayer stages (High Fever: Sweetest Thing is prolly the least emotional song to ever get me emotional, but any time they remix the first level song in a franchise, I'll prolly react that way). This sort of hit its apex with Mechanized Memories, definitely an all time classic track and a perfect final boss theme (at least, until before the DLC released).
Speaking of which, peak music alert. Day after Day? Classic. Love that it's used as the alternative track for the Blue Magnolia fight in Chapter 9. Cosmos new version? Even better, probably a top 5 AC song for me and though its maybe technically less fitting for a final boss theme than Mechanized Memories, I think I may still prefer it overall. The other tracks are pretty good, but I love the music expansion for those two tracks alone.
I can empathize with those that thought the 20th anniversary album was effectively the end of Amored Core as a franchise, and with the way some songs in particular elicited a climactic and bittersweet feeling, it's hard not to look at it as such. Fallout remains an incredible track. We Still Have a Long Way to Go is a song that I don't think I have the heart to listen to a second time. Felt a little TOO hard the first time I listened to it and it's a bit difficult to relive that.
Beautifully crafted video, it was a pleasure to watch it until the end! I found it endearing how i had different opinions especially in regard to how Sunrise and Reprises would be ranked, as i think they were some of the best songs the team has ever made. Awesome video!
Thank you for watching it all Raven, I really do appreciate it
I really enjoy this format for soundtrack reviews, it lets the audience absorb the music while you can make commentary. Would love to see more videos like this but with different franchises. Also extremely based Scorcher take
Noted! I would love to go into Nier, Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy etc... Eventually. But I think this is a cool format! Thanks Raven
hm, the section with the strings in verdict day's version of demolition got cut out in both the official release of the soundtrack and the 20th anniversary one.
im guessing it's from the in-game version of the track, but that's nowhere to be found on youtube.💀
I was going to praise the restraint you exercised despite describing Verdict Day's soundtrack as chock full of anthems, but my man, the scores for Vendetta and Forgive an Angel! Stain! I would have love to see them higher.
That was a very fun ride, thanks.
Thank you so much for watching it all, I hope you had fun.
And yeah I tried to stay strict to my criteria, otherwise AC4 an FA would've stolen the show!
Stain is very good, just maybe not on my particular interest!
This is a ranking found on the Internet and voted on in Japan in 2018.
1 Day After Day
2 Thinker
3 9
4 Remember
5 Mechanized Memories
6 Shape Memory Alloys
7 Fall
8 Cosmos new version
9 Shining
10 Apex In Circle
In my opinion as a fan of the Armored Core series all my life, the ACVD DLC Ver songs are the best. Not only because the songs are good, but also because there are many self-homages in the game that, when combined with the songs, create an emotional impact.
By the way, why no mention of Vanising and Ever Green Family Ver2?
I had to make a tough concession for a lot of these songs, I went through all of them outside the video, but I could only put so much in from every game to make it balanced and enjoyable to watch, I skipped remember from FA too. It's just time constraints + personal opinion
It is a great video, but Hurts my heart that you din't mentioned the 'Original Stain'.
Stain, Remember, the og In my Heart... Sadly I can't get to them all :(
Stain is GOAT man
I didn't know about the song at 2:08:44 "We Still Have A Long Way To Go" and I've fallen in love with it.
It's fantastic isn't it?
nice to see some shining appreciation i dont see that song talked about enough its the most emotional and soulful ac track to me and probably my favourite out of every game
also last raven being so low is criminal tbh to me it has the most consistently good ost and pride of lions is a top 5 track in all of ac for me
its rare to see people giving ac music the appreciation it deserves to this extent so this is a sight for sore eyes
Thank you so much for the kind words, it's all really special to me so I think it deserves that kind of attention!
53:04 the guitar in this song is really pleasant and actually gives me evergrace vibes
halfway unit
Halfway Unit Chad detected
i need to emulate gen 5 so badly
Glad to see Someone Is Always Moving On the Surface getting the perfect score it deserves. Definitely my favorite track in the series.
Honestly Verdict day had me rockin a med biped mobility spec most of the game cause the music made me feel pumped up enough to play it fast and risky (I started using this one particular build using only kinetic protection parts after beating J in a 1 on 1 with it... Though I'm still trying to experiment with getting a better armor balance it's just easier to go with 1 or 2 and neglect the 3rd stat... Honestly the rock paper scissors system for armor is the only real let down with gen5 in general)
I find myself liking Gen 5 more and more everytime I try it out
I’ve been looking for a video like this, thank my luck this came out today lmao.
Thanks for ranking.
Literally brings a tear to my eye to see the series getting the attention it gets these days. It sat dormant for so long, like something out of one of its own plots. I hope they make more, and that they tap into vibes of the old music. AC6 needed more breakbeat/jungle stuff.
Oh and Remember was good enough that it's the one full videogame cover I've ever done. It's soooo good.
Remember is stellar.
You're right it's so poetic in a way, the actual franchise had a sort of plot development similar to what one can find actually in game!
a product of pure love to armored core's fantastic tunes on par to the 146 track mix. also the beautifully designed graphic to go with the songs. the hud? the audio visualizer??? the DIALOGUE BOX? UGH. equally entertaining and substantial. this video is truly well-done. an amazing format for music review.
also: justice for BEATMASK??????
Justice for BeatASS, seriously though, thank you so much for watching and paying attention to all the details I tried cramming in there.
It took me a long time to get it all done and seeing positive comments like yours is what makes it all worth it.
Thank you Raven
Watched this whole video non-stop. Great job! You put a lot of time and effort into this! I played the first Armored Core on the original PlayStation back in the early 2000s and have played them all since as they came out (except I missed out on Verdict Day). Your rankings of each game pretty much match up where I would expect mine to rank so I think we pretty much agree there. I think our opinions only differ on a handful of individual songs. Anyways, keep up the good work!
Thanks a lot! Crazy that you managed to sit through the whole thing, I'm happy to know that!
I'm heartbroken you didn't include not 1 of the 3 versions of Stain. Such a banger. But I did love this ranking so much.
Thank you Raven! A lot of people indeed mention stain a lot, I personally don't really think it's amazing but I find it good!
About the DLC OST for ACVD:
Most of those tracks replace the main mission tracks, for example, day after day plays in mission 9: forgive an angel, where you fight maggy.
Cosmos replaces mechanized memories in mission 10.
With this context i think you seriously undersold the context in which this tracks are used.
But just my opinion, still, great dedication for doing this whole video.
Thank you so much for sticking around and watching.
Yeah for sure, I am the least familiar with gen 5 especially VD multiplayer.
I understand I might be underselling it because I lack a lot of the context and "you had to be there" energy. Big ups Raven
Ayy, nice to see you finish your list! I still remembered doing mine a while ago like it was yesterday, trying to do it all in one sitting but it took a week to do lmao. Then only compiled the A and S tiers into a playlist for mecha related games.
I've always had the urge to do this with so many videogame series I can't believe I'm not alone
We are together, alongside many other Ravens, in being completely obsessed with this.
Morning, Lemontea... Oh you poor thing. :( One of my top 5 in the Franchise.
The tier list I've been waiting for
Came to the right place then Raven :)
Great video! An absolute halfway unit!
Halfway Unit gang, adding one more to our ranks.
Been hoping to see someone put out a video like this where they also take into account things like the missions the songs were used in. Well done! Only a quarter of a way through the video but will definitely be finishing this as a fellow huge fan of the Armored Core OSTs. Also love that you included the "non game" albums like the Reprises and Sunrise.
I'm glad you're enjoying it! Yeah I think getting the context right was a big thing for me in this video, I wanted to get as close to the intent as possible
Well I have to say this is fantastic work Glint! Its like a journey through the ac games with songs and of course a great pair of narrators giving us laughs and thoughts. Morning lemon tea, shining, shape memory alloy 2, Fake facer along with a lot of the ff sound tracks, thinker, sunrise and rough decent among many others are some of my favourites and this video I feel proves that the music of ac is something special. Halfway unit and the all the way to the end too. Keep up the good work as always.
Thank you so much ACL, your support has been paramount in me continuing to try and do different things around the franchise, ever since I started.
Halfway Unit Chad.
I hope it was a good journey :)
@@SilverGlint Glint it was a very chill and enjoyable journey. In fact i even put my own video on hold to listen, i knew i had too.
Awesome to know that, hopefully it didn't delay your schedule too much ahah
@@SilverGlint Ha ha nah. But i knew i had to give my full attention to it. Again fantastic work.
Just got here after dipping my toes into Nexus after getting to AC3, just to experience alil of "ds2 AC", and I BEAT THE WHOLE GAME WITH A BUILD I'M GENUINELY HAPPY WITH WHILST ENJOYING MY TIME WITH IT??? Truly, AC Nexus is the DS2 of AC, as with the right build (fast reverse leg sniper build), the game is so much fun.
With all that said, AC:Nexus Shinning S teir, everything else E teir for not being Shinning, and Nine-Ball theme to NB teir.
I am not done with the video yet (currently at 1:35:53) but honestly... thank you for creating this video.
Armored Core has been a part of my life for years, from the first time playing a demo of AC4 on PS3 as a kid to nowadays where I am emulating the older games on my PC and playing the hell out of AC6. What always captivates me and makes me feel happy is.... just the atmosphere, the music especially.
I love Mecha as a genre and then you have this absolutely amazing music here, which almost always manages to draw every emotion out of you, whether that be joy or sorrow, excitement or fear... or hope and despair.
AC4 and For Answer especially really captured my heart with their soundtracks and they're still on my playlists today and I'll never stop listening to them.
Thank you for taking the time out of your life and sharing this great list with us, because of you I discovered some older tracks that I would've otherwise missed from my favorite franchise. Keep up the great work, you are what is so great about this community.
Thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot to me.
I do not like the ranking of Conversation. The police sirens are integral to it. But HOLY SHIT that remix of 4 the answer goes hard.
I've been jamming to armored core music for over a decade now and continue to do so, absolute bangers within the series. Personal faves involve monkey likes daddy and whiz drop nutty
Man, I get that AC6 ost had to follow a certain theme(and did it quite well) but not including Rusted Pride from Disc 3 feels almost criminal
kinda sad the handler walter boss theme isnt there but you included some bangers that i havent heard before. Thanks!
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it Raven.
Trickster honestly reminds me vaguely of the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack with the big loud drums and almost *foreboding* atmosphere.
Silent line is a 10 for me just for the track Scrambling Film, it feels like I’m stuck under a never ending storm
I did expected a ranking of every song, maybe one day i will do it
Every game has a final section ranking every song, and there's also a pdf file ranking every individual song with all the related scores up on my Patreon if you're interested.
MEMORIES and MECHANICAL MEMORIES , Flood of Life
I played ac6 with ac2 and ac3 soundtrack, there were moments where the music fit perfectly, I love those old games, also beatmask is a gem
I’m a new Raven, got in to armored core at ac6 and instantly fell in love. It’s my 2023 game of the year and was so good. One thing I’ve been doing since playing and 100% ac6 is going back and playing the older games to see what ac was like before. So far it’s kinda been a struggle with the controls but otherwise having a blast. I’m a huge music nerd but I haven’t really heard much of the ac music other than the must listen music like The Answer. This video was super cool to all the games music and how it has changed over the years. I overall agree with the tier listing, but personally I think Stargazer should have been higher, that song is such a love letter to the community and an invitation letter for the new comers like me. This franchise has already cemented a place in my heart and I can’t wait to see where the franchise goes in the future, both in gameplay and in music. Fly high ravens
im surprised you didnt score Prankish Jelly higher :( its such a bop
Silver offering a 2 hour and 30 minutes ranking of the OST and soon Vaati offering a 5 hour 30 minutes lore video? Good times. Going to need to schedule a day for these.
Please do, I have a feeling you'll enjoy that day off!
Fun fact (not sure it's a fun fact or not but let call it that way.) :
Take me anywhere isn't the only one where the whole composer and the staff sings along.
Square enix also done this in Neir:Automata with the Weight of the world at 5th ending where not just a combination three language (English, Japanese and Chaos [Neir latin language]) but the whole staff and children would sing along to the song
Awesome to know that's a thing, more people should try that, I find it's an amazing concept
This just made my day, ty. Oh and Halfway Unit.
That makes me happy to no end, halfway unit gang.
love to see other people so similarly obsessed with the AC OST's!! They're such underappreciated gems
Gotta say Perfect Rose is my fav, though the remix version from Usuda of Perfect Rose has to be my all time favorite because it really captures the cold grittiness of Verdict Day so well!
Super Monkey Likes Daddy is a Legit jam. It's literally in my soundtrack.
Halfway Unit reporting.
I've never actually listened to the Disk 3 tracks before this video, and I'm extremely satisfied with it. Also, the third generation of games is my favorite generation as well. Thank you very much for this gem of a video.
You're welcome Raven, happy to be of service!
No WAY! gonna be a great vid (btw I love the 20th anaversary versions of the songs idk if they are in the vid tho)
They are! I love them too
Armored 4 and For Answer are just absolute PEAKS, not only in the videogame perspective. These are just one of the best albums I've ever heard
Pd : My favorite song is Mechanized Memories in the end, especially the aniversary version. God I pass my college final exam with this song in mind, if that's not inspiring I don't know what that is.
Pd2: Oh GOD! Remember -on yor memory- I listened this version 10x times more than the original. Man, if they do an official port to pc from the ACs before VI i would inmediatly bought them all. Day after day I've been thinking about this.
Thanks for watching along Raven!
Yeah these albums are some of the best music composed out there, period.
okay fine whatever the last raven soundtrack isnt for everyone, but OLD PEAL IN C?? daaaaaaaamn
A bit odd desicion to add smth like 'mech dinosaur' to playlist but say no to "cosmos" and "remember" lol, but still, man, what a great job you've done, glad people like you make such passionate projects
Yeah a lot of people seem to miss Remember from the FA section, but it's a compromise I had to make for making the video more interesting and hopefully more even in track distribution!
But there's Remember reprises in there, and Cosmos is there too in two versions
I loved playing some of these songs on loop while doing something or disable all music options in a game and have this running in the background on loop too.
I really feel like you underranked the mobile titles' tracks here. The ones you highlighted were certified bangers, and the composition on something like Mobile Mission 2 Ending is actually astounding. The synth runs emulating the whine of a high-tuned electric guitar, with meaty synth bass and those orchestral hits really tying it all together. And don't even get me started on the backing melody. Rating it a 5.25 is an absolute crime, man.
Edit: Great video, though. It was hilarious watching you hardline the shit out of the laser rifle as much as possible.
Forgive me for my sins Raven, I am but a mere mortal made of flesh.
Thanks for watching though, really appreciate it
I looked through this video again to search for time stamps, and get some idea's again for songs to listen to from AC games I missed. 2:01:10 Bro holy hell how did I miss this the first time watching, I must have been distracted with something else. Day After Day has *INSTANTLY* shot into my top 5 AC songs next to Fall, Thinker, and Remember. I missed it back in the day because I didn't bother much with ACVD's multiplayer. Honestly that song could have easily fit as the credit song to VD and been perfect.
Every time I see something spinning, even if the Unit only goes Halfway, I can't unhear Shape Memory Alloys.
It's a Brain Poison that's permanently altered the way I view reality.
Every time something spins, it's DUN DUN DUNNA...
DUN DUN DIN DUN DUN.
DUN DUN DUN DUN, doot doot doot doot
Add to playlist?
HELL YEAH!!
Something so niche yet so beautiful.
Absolutely beautiful
wow you really pulled out all the stops for this! I agree with a lot of the takes here tbh, im kinda sad that the ac6 disk 3 wasnt in the game, but hey maybe we'll get some of them in the dlc/ac6.5 :3
It always so wild to me how so much of the original soundscape is has such a different vibe to it than everything post ps2. The 4/5/6 games all have such different but memorable soundtracks compared to the 11 games that came before them.
To my surprise though, 6's sound track kinda goes halfway to unite the old gen and new gen armored cores. A good compromise to reboot the series for a new era of gaming. I just hope (and that disk 3 makes me really hopeful) that wherever the 6 dlc/part 2 goes next it tries to establish itself more rather than invoke nostalgia for the entire series.
Absolutely and I see what you did there Raven!
incredible video as always. my only disappointment is that you didn't showcase my favorite garage theme in the whole series, which is the one from nexus. absolute 10/10 bop
World navigation, such a vibe track. my all time fav garage bgm
Some of the best OSTs of all time belong to OldGen in my opinion. Will fight anyone to defend this.
I agree! And that's what the list ended up reflecting, self fulfilling prophecy
What an incredible video. Thank you so, so, so much for doing something like this. I end up agreeing with so much, TOO MUCH, of this list, and I'm happy that we basically appreciate Armored Core music pretty similarly. I do miss the way old AC sounded. From gen 1 up to 4. Armored Core 6, although an amazing game, ended up disappointing me a lot on the OST. I only managed to really appreciate Stargazer, and to some extent, Rusted Pride.
Disk 3 really felt like a return to form, and always makes me wonder "Why didn't they go with this instead?". I guess for the sake of focus and experimentation, but man, it really feels like they were afraid of experimenting instead...
Also, since you didn't mention it, "Stain -final version-" of the Armored Core 6 Disk 3 Album, is definitely my favorite out of those in that album. I really love how aggressive it sounds, even compared to the original one, and I think the "moaning" adds a lot. It even feels like somewhat more desperate too? It's just so pure of intensity.
I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much, when I was making this I had this constant feeling in the back of my head about whether or not people would get how much this means to me, turns out it means a lot to a lot of people too - and that's what it's all about. Thank you
To me my top OSTs are Gen1, Silent lines and Gen4. AC5:VD has a few that I love and so does AC6. AC2 I only really like Red Impulse.
Awesome video man. I love it.
Thank you so much, glad you liked it! I appreciate your list
The thing about previous Gen 3 below there is always that noise the editor forgot to stop and kill the vibe, like act Zero. Cut some extra sound that looping unnessesaryly and it will be fixed
Awesome video, especially as an equally hyperfixated Armored Core fan who also did a similar full franchise soundtrack ranking project of my own last fall. Here's what my takeaways were in comparison to yours:
Generation 1: I always found it odd that Dooryard was used as the credits theme for AC1, but that's also indicative of a larger issue I face with all of the first four generations of AC: Songs are chosen rather unfittingly for most campaign missions, and the fact that many (especially in Gen 4) are played on shuffle in the arena does take some suspense and tension out of hearing them in the campaign. They seemed to be far more intentional about music choices in Gen 5 and especially 6, thankfully.
Perhaps it's nostalgic immunity, but I do resonate with a large chunk of first gen songs being memorable, yet mediocre.
I personally ADORE Grip, though. It's in my top five for the entire generation, especially as the loop continues and it builds upon itself, though it's funnily enough a track that I developed more appreciation for in retrospect after hearing the "Grip - the otherside" remix on the Nexus Disc 2 soundtrack (but more on that later).
The opening 10 seconds of Insurance Money are an all time classic, gets my blood pumping every time.
A good chunk of 1 and Project Phantasma's soundtrack goes on my driving playlist when heading to and from work, as that's where I tend to feel like trance and jungle works best for. Overall, up there with Nexus for my all time favorite AC Soundtracks.
I imagine your take on Apex in Circle may upset some classic AC fans who hold that song in extremely high regard. I totally understand why it's adored by the fanbase to the level it is, it's one of the better songs in Master of Arena, though I do find the melody a bit tiring after awhile. It also doesn't help that the recent remix on ACVI's Disc 3 has become the definitive version of the track in my eyes, and makes going back to the original or the Nexus remix nearly impossible.
9 is an undisputed perfect track, and probably my second favorite song in the entire AC franchise. I will fight anyone who argues otherwise (not you, thankfully).
Other than Demolition and Ambiguity, though? MoA's soundtrack doesn't do as much for me as 1 or PP's does. Maybe that makes me in the minority? Not sure. I do love 9 and Ambiguity quite a bit. Adore Gen 1 overall!
Generation 2: Man, those first few tracks on the AC2 soundtrack feel like seamless stylistic transitions from first gen. Roundabout is no Shape Memory Alloys, but it's still pretty great.
2nd Gen implementing some slight jazzy motifs in tracks like Cord E, Airport, and Boiled Wars Man (massively underrated by you imo) is such a wonderful touch, and it never manages to undermine the synthetic/robotic overtones of those tracks.
Beatmask is just a meme song, though. I can't even be mad at it.
Another Age feels like an interesting progression on some of the ideas in 2's soundtrack, though not quite as bold. Incidentally, does anyone else get reminded of the Super Mario Bros. underground theme when they hear the synth notes in Act Zero? It always threw me for a loop.
The irony in the song "Waves" is that it's prolly the least "wavy" song I could imagine, feels more start-stop and "blocky" if anything.
Coating with Plastic is my absolute favorite from Another Age, the melody is repeated quite a bit, but it has this climactic vibe that has me leaning forward in my chair when I hear it.
Gen 2 feels like a worthy successor musically to Gen 1 in my opinion!
Generation 3: Your point about Gen 3's soundtrack reinforcing the more "grounded" feel is quite true, but it's also why (very hot take), AC3 is close to the bottom of my list for soundtracks overall. I adore In my Heart, one of my favorite tracks in the franchise, and I enjoy the motifs of all the versions of Artificial Sky, but I feel like the departure from the jungle and trance of the first two generations in favor of the pseudo orchestral pieces was a bit of a misfire. A lot of the tracks that try to employ that gritty, movie score-esque vibe feel rather cheap (especially the MIDI sounding strings), and I think the soundtrack excels only when it deviates from that. I used to find the vocals in the later versions of Artifical Sky rather annoying, but after reaching the ending of campaign where the sky opens up and you see the world above the ground is actually full of life, I found the use of the vocals effective enough and grew to appreciate them.
Ironically enough, I actually think Silent Line's attempt at doing the epic, orchestral vibe was a far greater success compared to base AC3, it's especially clear how much more refined said sound is on tracks like Rise in Arms (it also helps that the mission it plays in is incredible, one of the few times in old gen AC where they absolutely nailed picking the song for the mission). Morning, Lemontea feels like an appropriate follow up to In My Heart, and I appreciate that it was eventually sampled in Morning Thinker from The Answer Armored Core Tribute album.
If Rise in Arms feels straight out of Metal Gear Solid 2, then Disrespect feels straight out of Metal Gear 2 for the MSX2. Elite stealth vibes.
Scrambling Film, though? One of my all time favorite tracks. Overall Silent Line just blows 3 out the water, and I can't blame you at all for putting it at the top thus far.
3.5 is really quite dense as a section when analyzing soundtracks. Nexus represents something pretty huge in the shift of Armored Core music, as they started to fully depart from their trance roots in favor of a more garage rock sound with some electronic influence that's now synonymous with FreQuency. Shining is the posterchild for this transition. I used to actually kinda hate the song for its vocals, but much like Artificial Sky III and IV, it grew on me as I began to accept the song for what it was. The rest of the soundtrack is complete fucking bangers, top to bottom (Chronocrash, Red Butterfly & Flood of a Life are among my favorites, though I may also just be a bigger fan of the electronic parts of this soundtrack compared to you).
I love everything about Disc 2 of Nexus. The remade missions, the new songs, it's all such a wonderful tribute. I definitely agree on the Apex in Circle extended remix being more up my alley compared to the original, and I love what they did with tracks like in my Heart more heart and Grip the otherside.
I almost completely forgot about Mobile Missions. I don't have much to say about them, beyond that they're fine for what they are. Gotta give a bit of leeway on these ones. I will give credit to Mobile Mission 2 opening!
I admire that both Nine Breaker and Formula Front's respective soundtracks understood the assignment of creating a more lighthearted tone with their soundscape, and The Encounter World does a pretty perfect job of this (even if its ACVI remix absolutely blows it out the water). Up Down sounds like penis music.
I will say that Formula Front may be a bit less consistent in quality by comparison (prolly cause too much volume), but I don't think there's a song in Nine Breaker as good as like, the fourth remix of Fake Facer or Isaku - No. 373.
Ahhh Last Raven, pretty much universally considered to have the worst soundtrack in the franchise. Is it wrong that I kinda disagree with this notion? it's the least listenable, for sure. The whole game rejects melodies in favor of jarring, uncomfortable noise, but I think that's EXACTLY what was intended and fits perfectly the abrasive tone Last Raven is going for. I get that people want their game soundtracks to be exclusively "bops" but I wish ambient soundtracks got more appreciation and respect.
Describing Mister as "Mr. Krabs walking" had me choking on my drink laughing. I will never unhear this.
I'll Talk You is a total clusterfuck of a track and is not listenable in any other context, but it fits the disturbed chaos of the closing mission of each story route well by my measure.
It's rather difficult to summarize 3rd gen's music, especially given how many titles exist within it and how many stylistic transitions occurred as well. it exemplifies some of the strongest and weakest aspects of the franchise's music and audio design.
HALFWAY UNIT. Please do not read any more of this I am purely typing into the void at this point.
Wonderful breakdown of everything so far, I can tell you're definitely as passionate about it as I am Raven, thanks for your input it's so fun seeing where opinions diverge and meet.
Would like to hear your thoughts on the rest of it going forward, big ups and thanks for the support!
Got into the AC series super late (only played ACFF, 3, and a bit of LR right before AC6 released), and man, I missed so much both in terms of games and music 😅
I'm quite partial to the weird, more experimental work found in Gen 1 and 2, having grown up with similar(ish) sounding stuff in the WipEout and Rollcage series around that same time. Great stuff!
Thank you, Older Generations' music still has a place in my heart it's all still really good
Me seeing this after spending the past couple weeks constructing a playlist to play armored to. It’s mainly armored core butt with some tracks from other games that seem fitting(mainly ratchet deadlocked)
Deadlocked is goated
The only song rating I would dispute is Contact With You, that thing is the second most hype song in AC6, right behind Rusted Pride.
Well done. This franchise is always my favorite . Its hard to find music like ac
Extremely hard, in fact I don't think there's anything like it.
Thank you so much for the dedication and passion, Even from the briefest of glances I can tell this is important. God bless From Software and FreQuency for all they've given us. It shall forever remain for my entire life and onwards. Gen 4 is my favorite time not for music but game play, story, motifs, and characters.
Thank you Raven, we have been given a lot by them over the years, I'm just celebrating it all with everyone
No Stargazer in the video, seriously? Jk, its all good. Thank you for making this video. You earned a subscription from me
Thank you so much Raven, glad you enjoyed it!
Halfway unit
There was a song in the mobile game section that got a mid score that i think actually fucked pretty hard, but so far im digging the tier list and music
Halfway Unit gang, yeah the mobile music is actually all really good especially for the hardware and budget.
But we're bound to have different tastes! Thanks for watching, Raven
I got to around the half way point (halfway unit) and I have to admit that this video is crazy well made and the effort was well worth it btw I think Sound You Smash needs a heavy bassline to astablish the grave situation you're in all the 4 and 4A tracks are insanely good and make me feel something that no other game can acomplish. I guess I have to play 4A now. Thanks for the great work Silver Glint keep up the good work.
*on a side note are you going to pick up any of the models for armoured core
Awesome, I'm glad You're going to give FA a try, you won't regret it! It'll make you feel things that's for sure. And thank you for the support, it means a lot to me.
Yeah I have been eyeing the models recently, I already had an old White Glint VOB kit, and a Stasis kit, but hadn't really looked at any other yet.
@@SilverGlint Yeah 4A is awesome I have it on disc but I don’t have any audio hooked up to it 😭. Im a big Gunpla collector and I really want to try some Ac kits but shipping is crazy. I found a Noblesse Oblige kit near me I might pick it up.