Seeing Marco cried, just really show to us game can literally gave that feeling of the moment you experience, especially when you Finnaly listens "The Unsung War" and played that mission the experience just advance even more, Salute to you Marco
5:13:08 I didn't process this as a kid, but Chopper's dog Kirk howling as a plane flies overhead, knowing that Chopper never came back to base ... someone's cutting onions in here. Also, if you take out Ofnir and Grabacr with time to spare in mission 27+, you're rewarded with about 2 minutes of beautiful dialog where your squadron reminisces to fill the time, and the piano piece "15 Years Ago" replaces the intense dogfighting music. There's a clip of it on TH-cam if you want to see it in context, "Extra Razgriz Dialogue in Mission 27+"
If you defeat Grabacer Squadron and Ofnir Squadron fast enough during The Unsung War you get this dialogue Nagase: I see light to the east... Morning's coming. Grimm: Our night flight is over. Grimm: I can't wait to see it. The most beautiful sunrise ever! Snow: And the sun will continue to rise, now and forever. Grimm: I just remembered...my birthday's coming up next week. Snow: See? Aren't you glad you're still alive? Grimm: I bet my mom will be happy to see my brother come back home from Yuktobania. Snow: You oughta go make her happy, too. We're almost done here. Snow: Captain, I want to thank you. Grimm: Captain Snow? Snow: Flying as a wingman again, I now know how my men felt. Nagase: I vowed to myself that I would never lose another flight lead. Nagase: And that's what kept me flying up to now. So please... Nagase: Please, Blaze, let me fly as your wingman just a little while longer.
@@MarcoMeatball They have this talk as 15 years ago plays as well, its such a beautiful introspective moment. Then ya got to rush to clear the tears to fight the SOLG lol.
At the time in 2019, when Ace Combat 7 was released I came across a trailer for the game, I didn't know anything about airplanes but it seemed like a fun action game. It turned out that my father knew the series from the time it was on arcade machine. He then purchased the deluxe edition of Ace Combat 7 which included Ace Combat 5 as a bonus. I played Ace Combat 7 then Ace Combat 5 and I loved it, at first I also thought it was just a "silly plane game", but no it was much more than that, the storyline, the music, it was incredible. Anyway, today I am a 2nd year aeronautical engineering student. Ace Combat introduced me to aeronautics and never before had a subject fascinated me and motivated me so much. Ace Combat changed my life.
I had a similar experience with battlestar galactica and joining the navy. Chief Tyrol was my role model. Love ace combat too but I'm not cut out to be a pilot.
I've always wanted to be fighter pilot, following in the footsteps of dear old Dad, and getting involved with the Ace Combat franchise has only magnified that aspiration.
Back in 2005 my parents bought me this game for Christmas, I was too young to know how to play at the time, but because both my parents were in the military I had a mild obsession military history and equipment the game mesmerized me and changed me forever. I now work as a Aircrew member on a AWACS providing support to all our pilots in the blue sky and I don’t think I ever would have chosen this career path if it wasn’t for this game.
When the Unsung War came up, despite hearing this track dozens of times. It still gave me chills. And I gotta admit, I almost cried too when you almost did.
"it's just a silly game about planes" Man... AC left melodies and characters and pieces of dialogue and situations and places burned in my heart like no other game did and a lot of years passed since i played them for the last time yet those memories come alive whenever i listen their voices or music or even the missile alerts and the engines... idk, it's awesome, just awesome
Seeing you cry during The Unsung War is something I saw someone else describe why Ace Combat is such an amazing franchise: It doesn't want you to waste time with realism or serious plane jargons, it wants you to FEEL.
Only watch the 1st few hours of the stream and fell asleep because it's late at night and i'm tired as hell, watch the rest of the VOD in one sitting while working and the emotions just get through me man i can't even type correctly lol. Congratulations Marco, for finishing Ace Combat 5. Those tunnel runs are quite something eh? This is still, to this day, the best video game i've ever played, and that'll never change until i die. imagine experiencing this when you're like 10, when i got my first PlayStation 2, and the best part is that i bought this game on a whim! I just saw cool jets and thought "hey this game's pretty cool" completely oblivious to what's in store for me. This game is one of the few that made me started to think about and appreciate musics, characters and stories in video games, and i'll forever be thankful for that.
Thank you and congratulations. I enjoy watching your passion for the arts of music in gaming to the point that you find the old console just to experience the game and never give up on the frustation. That tunnel run makes me cheer for you more than any sports team in my life. Watching this live as an Ace Combat fan since Ace Combat 2 makes me proud of the community and love this series even more. I can't wait for Zero.
Its been a pleasure watching the playbacks of your streams on the ace combat games Marco! As with a lot of people I definitely choked up with you as Unsung War played in context. I love all the remixes of the theme leading up to it. Giving you just enough to have it recognizable so once it does hit in its full glory its such a good release. There is a reason the fans love the music and have to constantly quote the games. Its more than just a silly plane game. It evokes such passionate emotion, its criminal it doesn't get more recognition.
I remember stumbling upon your channel because you reviewed the song, "Zero" some time back. You went from just feeling through the music to feeling through the game and the story of Ace Combat 5 in it's entirety. Glad I stuck around to see you make it through it. The game, its story and soundtrack hold a special place in my heart, and I've kept it with me through my ongoing enlistment. Thank you for giving this game the attention it deserves.
I feel like AC5 is the closest the series gets to fully mythologizing the player. Like, the Razgriz framing and - as you mention - the nigh-liturgical music elevates this particular "silly game about planes" and, in specific the *player* to *mythology*. The next closest is of course Zero, but that's more "legendary" than it is "mythical". King Arthur, as opposed to Gotterdammerung. Don't get me wrong, the other games in the series are brilliant, but "the Ghosts of Razgriz" really has a different ring to it than like, "The Demon Lord of the Round Table", "The Angel of Emmeria", "The Ribbon", or "Three Strikes".
Such an incredible journey to along with you. Only a year ago you decided to react to AC music and now you're flying high shooting down satellites and ending world conflicts. You're a true Ace. And i can't wait to see your future endeavors. You can be on my wing anytime.
Very few games can convey emotion like this... who knew a game about aerial combat could be this good? Truly a special series in my heart. It was very validating seeing you get emotional...this music is so damn good!!
Thank you for playing one of my top games in history. Especially your reaction to the final battle and song. For me it has always been that knowledge of stakes SOLG isn't a high intensity dog fight. It is not a tight time trail weaving through tunnels. It is a dumb piece of metal satellite that carries enough explosives to level a capital and too many lives. It does not require high octane music blasting through your ears. Unsung War is a song, that describes the fight, the journey and your will to finally take this piece of junk down. Your wingman say the same thing. It is an accumulation of all the sacrifices of people besides and before you to do this one mission. And you will not let them down. And tears flow because of it. The slow but impactful melody, takes your wings and flies. Every missile you send is an ally that you met along the way. Praying for your success. Every piece of the SOLG that breaks off is an Obstacle overcome. Thank you for reading my rant, memories resurfaced again watching, and listening to the music...
This series was a real treat to watch. I felt the speech on the last take off about it being the last mission. I love how the game still has more to offer for runs through higher difficulties too. There's some optional content that feels great and fulfilling to complete. I still remember when I found the true strength of a jet I slept on till then & laughing when it shredded the Hrimfaxi like it was paper.
Aldo non aveva idea, he was not ready, not gonna lie, seeing you playing the whole trilogy of (in my opinion) best ace combats, really make me a lot happy, glad you did this journey!
This game franchises lore is so much deeper then the stories portray it. You only see aspects of war from Ocea’s perspective, but if you really pay attention to all the games dialogues and actions taken in missions, Ace Combat Zero really does say it best. “Who knows who’s the victim, and who’s the aggressor?”
Hello Marco, been a longtime viewer. I really enjoyed watching the streams while at work. It was incredibly nostalgic to watch your first playthrough of Ace 5. This was the first game that got me into the series, and I'm truly sad I can never experience Ace 5 for the first time again. All those feelings of anxiety and stress, especially during the ACES tunnel run, I can totally relate! I was always terrified of crashing as a child, but I believe that thrill of FINALLY clearing a tough mission, FINALLY exiting the tunnel, and the relief you mentioned after finally making it through is what makes Ace Combat so special, and makes you feel alive. Ace 5 is incredibly special to me, and is easily in my top 3 games of all time. The story, the music, and the characters are as special to me as any of those which you would find in a Final Fantasy game. I'm very happy you enjoyed your journey through Ace 5, and yes I agree, its crazy to think how amazing and impactful a "silly" fighter jet game about destroying targets for a high score can be. Looking forward to your Zero stream!
Unsung war, followed by Unsung heroes in the following cutscene never fail to bring out the emotions in me no matter how many times I watch the scenes. Bravo Marco! Now comes Zero. My favourite of the trilogy.
Watching your playthrough has made me appreciate just how much more dynamic and reactive the missions are in AC5 compared to AC04. In AC04 most of the missions were just variations on "score X points" and "destroy all marked targets", but I don't think there's a single point-based mission in AC5. Instead, you have specific objectives, and you have to attack the things in the way of that objective. When you're escorting a helicopter, you have to kill the stuff that's shooting the helicopter. Not because you need points or because they're marked as required targets, but because if you don't kill them, they'll shoot down the helicopter. It certainly makes things a bit more chaotic and unpredictable, but at the same time it really gives you a sense of agency over the battlefield when you see the situation react to what you're doing in real time. I actually wish they had done even more to highlight this, because in hindsight it's one of the biggest gameplay innovations in AC5, but unfortunately it's not always obvious that it's happening during the chaos of battle, especially since in a plane you can't just stand still and watch it unfold. AC7 is interesting, because they decided to go with a mix of AC04-style score attack/target missions (e.g. Long Day) and AC5-style objective-based missions (e.g. that one where you escort the defecting general through town after the IFF goes down). AC7 really feels like a "holy trinity greatest hits" collection in a lot of ways.
Congratulations Marco! Personally this is also my favourite game in the series. It's such a beautiful and epic tale and the score is fantastic and its so fun and satisfying to play. I hope you enjoy Zero as well!
Nicely done Marco! I'm glad you're able to articulate to us what I never could to others. Ace Combat is an emotional experience and I've found myself wondering at times how you can explain why you're crying to the stupid plane shooting game. So awesome. Thanks for the streams man
Welcome to AC5 a silly little plane game that leaves you as an emotional wreck by the time you finish it. Replayed the game like a dozen times at this point and there are still certain points in this game that makes me bawl my eyes out every single time.
4:02:40 this right here was my first experience with "tunnel tension" back in 2004 when i first had this game. Welcome to Ace Combat's originaly *difficulty tweak* objects in the tunnel AND tunnel shutters. Now imagine doing that while holding down the boost the whole time. That gets intense and it gets intense QUICK. Well done keeping your composure though dude, the lack of checkpoints hurts, but this is how we grew up gaming. We earned those raw thumbs and crow's grasp resting positions on our fingers (basically when gamers sit at a table with their hands out, their hands naturally sit in the way the controller they most used is configured, you can tell XBOX and PlayStation players based on how far forward their left thumb sits. xD)
Seeing you going through this journey (pun intended) 😂 both live and in vods and seeing you go through the emotions and challenges in this series is as much as I could have hoped for. I'm glad this game has had a place in your heart. I can't wait to see the next chapter Tuesday. Tally Ho.
The golden trio were peak storytelling in the series. And they all approached their storytelling very differently from each other. Very creative. From a gameplay standpoint, Ace Combat 6 and Ace Combat 7 are better games though. 6's gameplay features probably the single best representation of the mass scale of war in the entire series and Ace Combat 7 is essentially designed like the golden trio but on steroids. It really perfected what these games were trying to do. Ultimately, I'd rather play 6 and 7 because they make the golden trio feel a bit antiquated. But the storytelling in these 3 games were top notch and some of the more creative work Namco was doing back in the early to mid 2000s. I like 6 and 7's stories but they're simply not nearly as well executed as 4, 5, and Zero. Seeing your reaction to this really takes me back. I will say, 5 is a super long game and is exhausting to play through. I've played through 5 the least amount of times among all the Ace Combat games I've played because it's like 8 missions too long. But still, I'll never forget playing through this for the first time and your reaction is essentially what mine was. I'm no opera singer and was never interested in it but it's impossible not to be moved by the implementation of it in AC's music. The context of hearing it within the game is a highly emotional experience. Watching you play through these games reminds me why I fell in love with this series in the first place. You're awesome dude.
Marco: Cries once The Unsung War starts to play. Me: Cries because this is my absolute favorite video game. It's amazing that the game is 20 years old already! Thank you so much for playing through the entire game Marco, especially with it's brutal setbacks. Once you clear that tunnel section you're not only free but you become a true Ace, absolutely invincible even, and in my opinion it played a huge role that the last mission hits as hard as it did.👏
Listening to Ace Combat music without playing the game is one thing. Playing Ace Combat while listening to its awesome soundtrack elevates your experience to a whole other level! Congrats Ace!
Just finished the watching all the Vods as i was working when you were playing, Time for me to watch zero. I just want to say thank you so very much for going through this experience, this is BY FAR my favorite game series of all time and the music and storytelling are the biggest reasons As for your tunnel runs i was laughing so hard remembering back to my first runs haha. I have a video on my channel of me doing the tunnel run in free fly (no enemies) but i do it upside down 😂
Damn near 20 years later Ace Combat 5 still rocked me to the core just like my first time I finished the game back then, Ace Combat is not just a fun plane game but an **EXPERIENCE** And the Unsung war in particular? No game ever fill me with so many emotions *Nothing else come close*
Heya Marco!, watching this on the vod, missed out the live stream, soz i was busy with work, but i am so pleased to see how you liked ace combat 5 so far!, this game is my favourite game of my childhood. And it's great to see more and more people appreciate the hidden gem that this game is. It really is a true work of art that goes beyond anyone's expectations. Here's an extra piece of info on AC5, in the mission ACES, when all the osean and yuktobanian pilots are singing in unison while heading towards the Gründer HQ facility. If you listen closely, you can hear Chopper, Captain Davenport, join the chorus midway. It's subtle, but it means a lot. It means that Chopper is indeed watching over the Razgriz squadron on their final missions. There is an OST rip of the pilots singing on youtube, somewhere, where you can hear it without the game's SFX interference.
You love that f-14, but this game never gets old. It gets to me each time I play it, and I enjoyed seeing you play it and go through some of the same emotions I went through and still go through
Just an important thing to remember before playing AC:0 is that all the mentions of events of "15 years ago" in Unsung War refers to the events of Zero (prequel) so you'll be seeing the full context on what really happened hands-on
Great playthrough! Still my favourite ace combat game. If someone ask what most epic series of games on ps 2 i would answer Ace Combat. Especially Unsung war and Zero. Just everything well made in this games. Mastercraft fusion of breathtaking soundtrack, cool history, characters, and fun gameplay. And this is why i allways back for one more playthrough every year to play this once more.
Full speed on the recon mission is nuts... I had to fly it like right above the river (say 20 feet) to do it fast but that also means braking hard for the tight turns... the recon mission is ass! But yeah staying low to the river surface most of the way is the easiest way if you ask me... oh also tip for whrn you get to zero: pressing L2 and R2 simultaneously will start the autopilot which automatically stabilizes you meaning its a nice trick for tunnels and low flights to stop you dropping into the ground whrn you're losing control.
Oh man I haven't realized how much of banger the whole OST of AC5 is. Its been so long since I last played and everyday woes just distract me too much not to have realized it TWO decades ago.
I audibly gasped and my hands flew to my face at that one crash at the very end of the run. Kudos for keeping with it after that, I would've gone and done something else for the rest of the day. Edit: Oh god it happened again. Love how much you enjoyed the game. I think you'll appreciate Zero as well, a bit shorter of a game but the story and everything is just as iconic.
I'm looking forward to checking out your LP of Zero next, but before I go, I want to say: I was here early on in the channel's life, and when you heard Zero before The Unsung War, I was a bit sad, because the build was so impactful, that coming back a year and a half plus later fills your chest and makes you feel it. Well, you came back to The Unsung War, almost two years to the day after you first heard it (maybe exactly, the video was only four days later), and you felt it fill your chest. You got what I wanted for you when you first walked in the door, even if by other means. Welcome home.
This is the pinnacle of the Ace Combat series for me. A lot of people prefer Zero and I get why, but it's loved from a gameplay and "this is badass" perspective. None tells as grand, dramatic and personal a tale as The Unsung War. That said, I'd love to see what you think of the first three games one of these days, or at least their soundtracks.
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is a bit darker than AC05. Zero is my all time favorite in the game series. You will become "The Demon Lord of The Round Table", prepare yourself. Also there's a secret plane in AC05 call the ADF01 Falken. It's also in Zero.
Oh and because I cant help saying it, I replayed ac5 after before watching the final stream just to remind myself of whats coming, and I still love it. But I think that what makes this and zero so much more impactful than 7 is that these games cares about it's characters and they make a difference in your missions whereas the characters in 7 are either cannon fodder or strictly cut scene characters... much more like 04. Which is a little sad given how damned good the ganeplay is in 7 Edit: also am I crazy or am I hearing the building blocks of triggers leitmotif in the scene where the kestrel sinks?
I get how Marco feels about Unsung War. I feel the same about Final Fantasy VI (Symphonic Poem: Born with the Gift of Magic). Does anyone else drive to a playlist of Ace Combat OSTs or just me?
I hope you play Project Wingman after you finish the Ace Combat games, the music is also phenomenal; you listened to and reacted to Kings from their soundtrack awhile back!
"@Fafdax anything involving low altitude, I kinda dislike lmao" Skill issue. LOL Man, seriously. I had the same reaction as you when I saw the razgriz emblem. It just gets you pumped realizing what that means.
Oh, only 27 missions? (... "Only", huh.) Oops, I thought it was 37... Anyway: Big hecking ending! 5:18:00 - Yeah, that's me after most Mahler symphonies.
Damn, i overslept during the mission ACES in livestream since it was late night, that i missed the peak moment of this game with you guys. But now you know why we urged you to play Ace Combat 5, Marco. Welcome to the holy trinity of the Ace Combat 🎉 Would you replay the last mission, The Unsung War to unlock the conversation with the squad, Marco?
I missed a 6th grade school project because I couldn't put this game down back in the day. My mother got so mad that I had left it to the last minute, but Im sure you ALL understand why I did that. Aces all the way!
So this is why I didn't really enjoy AC7 as much. I feel like the devs/directors were a bit rusty and as such they spent much longer to release than AC4, 5 and 0 did. Again I can't stress those were 20 years ago. AC6 was also pretty good though it doesn't connect to the other games as much but does have its own bangers. After this man.. its just not the same. Something is missing. The story just doesn't land for me and as such the music doesn't hit as hard. AC7 had some really clever gameplay stuff but you can feel how games are made today aren't the same. The planes need "mods" to install or the planes are DLC. AC5 and 0 have some hidden planes that need secret objectives to complete or achieve S rank on hard mode and higher.
Seeing Marco cried, just really show to us game can literally gave that feeling of the moment you experience, especially when you Finnaly listens "The Unsung War" and played that mission the experience just advance even more, Salute to you Marco
The Unsung War is the first game that made me FEEL like I was in the story, it's the game that made me a Gamer.
If you don't cry when listening to Unsung war, you are a Belkan.
5:13:08 I didn't process this as a kid, but Chopper's dog Kirk howling as a plane flies overhead, knowing that Chopper never came back to base ... someone's cutting onions in here.
Also, if you take out Ofnir and Grabacr with time to spare in mission 27+, you're rewarded with about 2 minutes of beautiful dialog where your squadron reminisces to fill the time, and the piano piece "15 Years Ago" replaces the intense dogfighting music. There's a clip of it on TH-cam if you want to see it in context, "Extra Razgriz Dialogue in Mission 27+"
If you defeat Grabacer Squadron and Ofnir Squadron fast enough during The Unsung War you get this dialogue
Nagase: I see light to the east... Morning's coming.
Grimm: Our night flight is over.
Grimm: I can't wait to see it. The most beautiful sunrise ever!
Snow: And the sun will continue to rise, now and forever.
Grimm: I just remembered...my birthday's coming up next week.
Snow: See? Aren't you glad you're still alive?
Grimm: I bet my mom will be happy to see my brother come back home from Yuktobania.
Snow: You oughta go make her happy, too. We're almost done here.
Snow: Captain, I want to thank you.
Grimm: Captain Snow?
Snow: Flying as a wingman again, I now know how my men felt.
Nagase: I vowed to myself that I would never lose another flight lead.
Nagase: And that's what kept me flying up to now. So please...
Nagase: Please, Blaze, let me fly as your wingman just a little while longer.
>
Jesussssssss
@@MarcoMeatball They have this talk as 15 years ago plays as well, its such a beautiful introspective moment. Then ya got to rush to clear the tears to fight the SOLG lol.
Don't forget the most important part, while this happens, 15 years ago is playing in the background.
At the time in 2019, when Ace Combat 7 was released I came across a trailer for the game, I didn't know anything about airplanes but it seemed like a fun action game.
It turned out that my father knew the series from the time it was on arcade machine. He then purchased the deluxe edition of Ace Combat 7 which included Ace Combat 5 as a bonus.
I played Ace Combat 7 then Ace Combat 5 and I loved it, at first I also thought it was just a "silly plane game", but no it was much more than that, the storyline, the music, it was incredible.
Anyway, today I am a 2nd year aeronautical engineering student. Ace Combat introduced me to aeronautics and never before had a subject fascinated me and motivated me so much.
Ace Combat changed my life.
Jesus! Take that video game haters!
I had a similar experience with battlestar galactica and joining the navy. Chief Tyrol was my role model.
Love ace combat too but I'm not cut out to be a pilot.
I've always wanted to be fighter pilot, following in the footsteps of dear old Dad, and getting involved with the Ace Combat franchise has only magnified that aspiration.
Back in 2005 my parents bought me this game for Christmas, I was too young to know how to play at the time, but because both my parents were in the military I had a mild obsession military history and equipment the game mesmerized me and changed me forever. I now work as a Aircrew member on a AWACS providing support to all our pilots in the blue sky and I don’t think I ever would have chosen this career path if it wasn’t for this game.
You wouldn't HAPPEN to be stationed at Geilenkirchen AB? If so let's meet up some time, I wanna buy you a drink. :>
@@Atlessa nah, I’m currently stationed in Japan
5:04:15
“Unsung War” begins its emotional attack on Marco
When the Unsung War came up, despite hearing this track dozens of times. It still gave me chills. And I gotta admit, I almost cried too when you almost did.
"it's just a silly game about planes" Man... AC left melodies and characters and pieces of dialogue and situations and places burned in my heart like no other game did and a lot of years passed since i played them for the last time yet those memories come alive whenever i listen their voices or music or even the missile alerts and the engines... idk, it's awesome, just awesome
Seeing you cry during The Unsung War is something I saw someone else describe why Ace Combat is such an amazing franchise: It doesn't want you to waste time with realism or serious plane jargons, it wants you to FEEL.
Beautiful
Only watch the 1st few hours of the stream and fell asleep because it's late at night and i'm tired as hell, watch the rest of the VOD in one sitting while working and the emotions just get through me man i can't even type correctly lol.
Congratulations Marco, for finishing Ace Combat 5. Those tunnel runs are quite something eh? This is still, to this day, the best video game i've ever played, and that'll never change until i die. imagine experiencing this when you're like 10, when i got my first PlayStation 2, and the best part is that i bought this game on a whim! I just saw cool jets and thought "hey this game's pretty cool" completely oblivious to what's in store for me.
This game is one of the few that made me started to think about and appreciate musics, characters and stories in video games, and i'll forever be thankful for that.
It’s an incredible experience! Thanks for finishing the vod ❤️
The Mission when Chopper dies hits me every time. Can't help but cry even after years of playing
Another wonderful journey ends here... and another begins in ZERO. See you then, Aces.
Thank you and congratulations. I enjoy watching your passion for the arts of music in gaming to the point that you find the old console just to experience the game and never give up on the frustation. That tunnel run makes me cheer for you more than any sports team in my life.
Watching this live as an Ace Combat fan since Ace Combat 2 makes me proud of the community and love this series even more. I can't wait for Zero.
Thank you so much
These games are why Project Aces now has their own studio under Bandai Namco and why they are still making great stories and games 25+ years later.
Its been a pleasure watching the playbacks of your streams on the ace combat games Marco! As with a lot of people I definitely choked up with you as Unsung War played in context. I love all the remixes of the theme leading up to it. Giving you just enough to have it recognizable so once it does hit in its full glory its such a good release. There is a reason the fans love the music and have to constantly quote the games. Its more than just a silly plane game. It evokes such passionate emotion, its criminal it doesn't get more recognition.
❤️❤️ appreciate you watching
9:15 This mouth organ song was played by the main character boy who appears in Ace Combat 4 side story.
I remember stumbling upon your channel because you reviewed the song, "Zero" some time back. You went from just feeling through the music to feeling through the game and the story of Ace Combat 5 in it's entirety. Glad I stuck around to see you make it through it. The game, its story and soundtrack hold a special place in my heart, and I've kept it with me through my ongoing enlistment. Thank you for giving this game the attention it deserves.
It’s a joy ❤️
I'm not the type to feel patriotic, but Ace Combat just brings out that primal emotion of fighting for one's homeland. Long live Osea!
I feel like AC5 is the closest the series gets to fully mythologizing the player. Like, the Razgriz framing and - as you mention - the nigh-liturgical music elevates this particular "silly game about planes" and, in specific the *player* to *mythology*. The next closest is of course Zero, but that's more "legendary" than it is "mythical". King Arthur, as opposed to Gotterdammerung.
Don't get me wrong, the other games in the series are brilliant, but "the Ghosts of Razgriz" really has a different ring to it than like, "The Demon Lord of the Round Table", "The Angel of Emmeria", "The Ribbon", or "Three Strikes".
Zero comes close, as Demon Lord
I feel X's protagonist deserves a mention, "nemesis" is a pretty dope title too.
Mobius 1 will always be the god of the skies to me.
Such an incredible journey to along with you. Only a year ago you decided to react to AC music and now you're flying high shooting down satellites and ending world conflicts. You're a true Ace. And i can't wait to see your future endeavors. You can be on my wing anytime.
Very few games can convey emotion like this... who knew a game about aerial combat could be this good? Truly a special series in my heart. It was very validating seeing you get emotional...this music is so damn good!!
Thank you for playing one of my top games in history.
Especially your reaction to the final battle and song.
For me it has always been that knowledge of stakes SOLG isn't a high intensity dog fight. It is not a tight time trail weaving through tunnels.
It is a dumb piece of metal satellite that carries enough explosives to level a capital and too many lives. It does not require high octane music blasting through your ears. Unsung War is a song, that describes the fight, the journey and your will to finally take this piece of junk down. Your wingman say the same thing. It is an accumulation of all the sacrifices of people besides and before you to do this one mission. And you will not let them down.
And tears flow because of it.
The slow but impactful melody, takes your wings and flies.
Every missile you send is an ally that you met along the way. Praying for your success.
Every piece of the SOLG that breaks off is an Obstacle overcome.
Thank you for reading my rant, memories resurfaced again watching, and listening to the music...
I cried with you at the climax of this game, it's just so beautiful. Well done Marco!
This series was a real treat to watch. I felt the speech on the last take off about it being the last mission.
I love how the game still has more to offer for runs through higher difficulties too. There's some optional content that feels great and fulfilling to complete. I still remember when I found the true strength of a jet I slept on till then & laughing when it shredded the Hrimfaxi like it was paper.
Aldo non aveva idea, he was not ready, not gonna lie, seeing you playing the whole trilogy of (in my opinion) best ace combats, really make me a lot happy, glad you did this journey!
This game franchises lore is so much deeper then the stories portray it. You only see aspects of war from Ocea’s perspective, but if you really pay attention to all the games dialogues and actions taken in missions, Ace Combat Zero really does say it best. “Who knows who’s the victim, and who’s the aggressor?”
Hello Marco, been a longtime viewer. I really enjoyed watching the streams while at work. It was incredibly nostalgic to watch your first playthrough of Ace 5. This was the first game that got me into the series, and I'm truly sad I can never experience Ace 5 for the first time again. All those feelings of anxiety and stress, especially during the ACES tunnel run, I can totally relate! I was always terrified of crashing as a child, but I believe that thrill of FINALLY clearing a tough mission, FINALLY exiting the tunnel, and the relief you mentioned after finally making it through is what makes Ace Combat so special, and makes you feel alive. Ace 5 is incredibly special to me, and is easily in my top 3 games of all time. The story, the music, and the characters are as special to me as any of those which you would find in a Final Fantasy game. I'm very happy you enjoyed your journey through Ace 5, and yes I agree, its crazy to think how amazing and impactful a "silly" fighter jet game about destroying targets for a high score can be. Looking forward to your Zero stream!
Thanks for the comment and sharing your story with me Rick!
Unsung war, followed by Unsung heroes in the following cutscene never fail to bring out the emotions in me no matter how many times I watch the scenes. Bravo Marco!
Now comes Zero. My favourite of the trilogy.
Watching your playthrough has made me appreciate just how much more dynamic and reactive the missions are in AC5 compared to AC04. In AC04 most of the missions were just variations on "score X points" and "destroy all marked targets", but I don't think there's a single point-based mission in AC5. Instead, you have specific objectives, and you have to attack the things in the way of that objective. When you're escorting a helicopter, you have to kill the stuff that's shooting the helicopter. Not because you need points or because they're marked as required targets, but because if you don't kill them, they'll shoot down the helicopter. It certainly makes things a bit more chaotic and unpredictable, but at the same time it really gives you a sense of agency over the battlefield when you see the situation react to what you're doing in real time.
I actually wish they had done even more to highlight this, because in hindsight it's one of the biggest gameplay innovations in AC5, but unfortunately it's not always obvious that it's happening during the chaos of battle, especially since in a plane you can't just stand still and watch it unfold.
AC7 is interesting, because they decided to go with a mix of AC04-style score attack/target missions (e.g. Long Day) and AC5-style objective-based missions (e.g. that one where you escort the defecting general through town after the IFF goes down). AC7 really feels like a "holy trinity greatest hits" collection in a lot of ways.
Congratulations Marco! Personally this is also my favourite game in the series. It's such a beautiful and epic tale and the score is fantastic and its so fun and satisfying to play. I hope you enjoy Zero as well!
It is time to start over from "ZERO".
That's what V2 is for
Nicely done Marco! I'm glad you're able to articulate to us what I never could to others. Ace Combat is an emotional experience and I've found myself wondering at times how you can explain why you're crying to the stupid plane shooting game. So awesome. Thanks for the streams man
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Welcome to AC5 a silly little plane game that leaves you as an emotional wreck by the time you finish it. Replayed the game like a dozen times at this point and there are still certain points in this game that makes me bawl my eyes out every single time.
4:02:40 this right here was my first experience with "tunnel tension" back in 2004 when i first had this game. Welcome to Ace Combat's originaly *difficulty tweak* objects in the tunnel AND tunnel shutters. Now imagine doing that while holding down the boost the whole time. That gets intense and it gets intense QUICK. Well done keeping your composure though dude, the lack of checkpoints hurts, but this is how we grew up gaming. We earned those raw thumbs and crow's grasp resting positions on our fingers (basically when gamers sit at a table with their hands out, their hands naturally sit in the way the controller they most used is configured, you can tell XBOX and PlayStation players based on how far forward their left thumb sits. xD)
Amen. Full speed I don’t think I could do it.
Seeing you going through this journey (pun intended) 😂 both live and in vods and seeing you go through the emotions and challenges in this series is as much as I could have hoped for. I'm glad this game has had a place in your heart. I can't wait to see the next chapter Tuesday. Tally Ho.
Thank you so much!!
The golden trio were peak storytelling in the series. And they all approached their storytelling very differently from each other. Very creative. From a gameplay standpoint, Ace Combat 6 and Ace Combat 7 are better games though. 6's gameplay features probably the single best representation of the mass scale of war in the entire series and Ace Combat 7 is essentially designed like the golden trio but on steroids. It really perfected what these games were trying to do. Ultimately, I'd rather play 6 and 7 because they make the golden trio feel a bit antiquated. But the storytelling in these 3 games were top notch and some of the more creative work Namco was doing back in the early to mid 2000s. I like 6 and 7's stories but they're simply not nearly as well executed as 4, 5, and Zero.
Seeing your reaction to this really takes me back. I will say, 5 is a super long game and is exhausting to play through. I've played through 5 the least amount of times among all the Ace Combat games I've played because it's like 8 missions too long. But still, I'll never forget playing through this for the first time and your reaction is essentially what mine was. I'm no opera singer and was never interested in it but it's impossible not to be moved by the implementation of it in AC's music. The context of hearing it within the game is a highly emotional experience. Watching you play through these games reminds me why I fell in love with this series in the first place. You're awesome dude.
Ace combat 5 is my favorite out of the ones I've played, I'm so glad I got to watch your experience through 4 and 5 I'm off to binge watch you play 7
Marco: Cries once The Unsung War starts to play.
Me: Cries because this is my absolute favorite video game.
It's amazing that the game is 20 years old already! Thank you so much for playing through the entire game Marco, especially with it's brutal setbacks. Once you clear that tunnel section you're not only free but you become a true Ace, absolutely invincible even, and in my opinion it played a huge role that the last mission hits as hard as it did.👏
It was such a treat
Listening to Ace Combat music without playing the game is one thing. Playing Ace Combat while listening to its awesome soundtrack elevates your experience to a whole other level! Congrats Ace!
They’re both incredible experiences!
Just finished the watching all the Vods as i was working when you were playing, Time for me to watch zero.
I just want to say thank you so very much for going through this experience, this is BY FAR my favorite game series of all time and the music and storytelling are the biggest reasons
As for your tunnel runs i was laughing so hard remembering back to my first runs haha. I have a video on my channel of me doing the tunnel run in free fly (no enemies) but i do it upside down 😂
This made me break my old PS2 out. It's such a damn good game. Especially when you start it thinking it's just a cool game about planes.
Damn near 20 years later Ace Combat 5 still rocked me to the core just like my first time I finished the game back then, Ace Combat is not just a fun plane game but an **EXPERIENCE**
And the Unsung war in particular? No game ever fill me with so many emotions
*Nothing else come close*
Heya Marco!, watching this on the vod, missed out the live stream, soz i was busy with work, but i am so pleased to see how you liked ace combat 5 so far!, this game is my favourite game of my childhood. And it's great to see more and more people appreciate the hidden gem that this game is. It really is a true work of art that goes beyond anyone's expectations.
Here's an extra piece of info on AC5, in the mission ACES, when all the osean and yuktobanian pilots are singing in unison while heading towards the Gründer HQ facility. If you listen closely, you can hear Chopper, Captain Davenport, join the chorus midway. It's subtle, but it means a lot. It means that Chopper is indeed watching over the Razgriz squadron on their final missions.
There is an OST rip of the pilots singing on youtube, somewhere, where you can hear it without the game's SFX interference.
You love that f-14, but this game never gets old. It gets to me each time I play it, and I enjoyed seeing you play it and go through some of the same emotions I went through and still go through
Just an important thing to remember before playing AC:0 is that all the mentions of events of "15 years ago" in Unsung War refers to the events of Zero (prequel)
so you'll be seeing the full context on what really happened hands-on
Yes!
Great playthrough! Still my favourite ace combat game. If someone ask what most epic series of games on ps 2 i would answer Ace Combat. Especially Unsung war and Zero. Just everything well made in this games. Mastercraft fusion of breathtaking soundtrack, cool history, characters, and fun gameplay. And this is why i allways back for one more playthrough every year to play this once more.
Im glad you were able to find the amazing AC family here to join you along your journey
Full speed on the recon mission is nuts... I had to fly it like right above the river (say 20 feet) to do it fast but that also means braking hard for the tight turns... the recon mission is ass! But yeah staying low to the river surface most of the way is the easiest way if you ask me... oh also tip for whrn you get to zero: pressing L2 and R2 simultaneously will start the autopilot which automatically stabilizes you meaning its a nice trick for tunnels and low flights to stop you dropping into the ground whrn you're losing control.
Just finished the vod m8,
so good
Like Project Aces said, “Nothing else comes close”
God bless man, Jesus loves you.
And this is why playing the older Ace Combat games is a transformative experience
4:02:46
I crashed into that same platform on my first try too!
You're one of us~
Amazing, can't wait for zero and 6
Oh man I haven't realized how much of banger the whole OST of AC5 is. Its been so long since I last played and everyday woes just distract me too much not to have realized it TWO decades ago.
Fun fact: combining the first letter of each your wingmen, Archer, Edge, Chopper, Swordsman, you get ACES. Combine your own, Blaze, you get B ACES
I audibly gasped and my hands flew to my face at that one crash at the very end of the run. Kudos for keeping with it after that, I would've gone and done something else for the rest of the day.
Edit: Oh god it happened again.
Love how much you enjoyed the game. I think you'll appreciate Zero as well, a bit shorter of a game but the story and everything is just as iconic.
I was 14 when I beat this masterpiece. Your emotions brought me back to being a kid playing this game again.
Crying because of catharsis is one of those things I've appreciated in older age.
I'm looking forward to checking out your LP of Zero next, but before I go, I want to say: I was here early on in the channel's life, and when you heard Zero before The Unsung War, I was a bit sad, because the build was so impactful, that coming back a year and a half plus later fills your chest and makes you feel it. Well, you came back to The Unsung War, almost two years to the day after you first heard it (maybe exactly, the video was only four days later), and you felt it fill your chest. You got what I wanted for you when you first walked in the door, even if by other means.
Welcome home.
🙏
This is the pinnacle of the Ace Combat series for me. A lot of people prefer Zero and I get why, but it's loved from a gameplay and "this is badass" perspective. None tells as grand, dramatic and personal a tale as The Unsung War.
That said, I'd love to see what you think of the first three games one of these days, or at least their soundtracks.
I dont know, pixy has a pretty compelling existential crisis
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is a bit darker than AC05. Zero is my all time favorite in the game series. You will become "The Demon Lord of The Round Table", prepare yourself. Also there's a secret plane in AC05 call the ADF01 Falken. It's also in Zero.
Around 5:08:05when the music hit its crescendo while the voices of the characters go silent
Oh and because I cant help saying it, I replayed ac5 after before watching the final stream just to remind myself of whats coming, and I still love it. But I think that what makes this and zero so much more impactful than 7 is that these games cares about it's characters and they make a difference in your missions whereas the characters in 7 are either cannon fodder or strictly cut scene characters... much more like 04. Which is a little sad given how damned good the ganeplay is in 7
Edit: also am I crazy or am I hearing the building blocks of triggers leitmotif in the scene where the kestrel sinks?
Congrats on clearing AC5 Marco! Can't wait to see ZERO as well XD
yes, it's unrealistic, and sometimes, even corny
but Ace Combat 5 is one hell of a beautiful game
I once purposefully crashed on the final mission to hear the song again.
I get how Marco feels about Unsung War. I feel the same about Final Fantasy VI (Symphonic Poem: Born with the Gift of Magic). Does anyone else drive to a playlist of Ace Combat OSTs or just me?
I hope you play Project Wingman after you finish the Ace Combat games, the music is also phenomenal; you listened to and reacted to Kings from their soundtrack awhile back!
I actually did but seems like pt1 isn’t on the other channel for some reason
I remember when I was playing the Unsung War mission. My mom came into my room, and told me. Why are you crying?. I was 26 when that happend.
"@Fafdax anything involving low altitude, I kinda dislike lmao"
Skill issue. LOL
Man, seriously. I had the same reaction as you when I saw the razgriz emblem. It just gets you pumped realizing what that means.
That was epic
I cant wait for the Belkan war
See you all there
I really miss the game and all of it...
P.s. when you unlock the ADF-01 Falken, this game gets even more fun, if that's possible
2:52:58 If that's not a clip idk what is.
Oh, only 27 missions? (... "Only", huh.) Oops, I thought it was 37... Anyway: Big hecking ending!
5:18:00 - Yeah, that's me after most Mahler symphonies.
Damn, i overslept during the mission ACES in livestream since it was late night, that i missed the peak moment of this game with you guys. But now you know why we urged you to play Ace Combat 5, Marco. Welcome to the holy trinity of the Ace Combat 🎉
Would you replay the last mission, The Unsung War to unlock the conversation with the squad, Marco?
Maybe some day ❤️
I missed a 6th grade school project because I couldn't put this game down back in the day. My mother got so mad that I had left it to the last minute, but Im sure you ALL understand why I did that. Aces all the way!
Man, now we need Zero
When the sky speaks latin...
So this is why I didn't really enjoy AC7 as much. I feel like the devs/directors were a bit rusty and as such they spent much longer to release than AC4, 5 and 0 did. Again I can't stress those were 20 years ago. AC6 was also pretty good though it doesn't connect to the other games as much but does have its own bangers. After this man.. its just not the same. Something is missing. The story just doesn't land for me and as such the music doesn't hit as hard. AC7 had some really clever gameplay stuff but you can feel how games are made today aren't the same. The planes need "mods" to install or the planes are DLC. AC5 and 0 have some hidden planes that need secret objectives to complete or achieve S rank on hard mode and higher.
I mean this is peak story telling
You see now why even though AC7 was great gameplay wise, for fans of the originals (some fans i should say, me included) its story fell way too short.
Dammit!! I hadn't finished wiping my years for ALVIN H. DAVENPORT!!🫡