Hardly anyone noticed this but in this mission, *EVERY SINGLE PILOT* the Allied Forces have to offer is now dead, having used themselves as bait to make sure Cipher and PJ destroy the V2.
It says something when your best pilots are charging into a death trap just to give someone else the opportunity to do what needs to be done - those pilots were ballsy and respectable.
This entire mission has to be, hands down, THE single most iconic moment in the franchise. It has all of the references and legendary memes to show for it.
notice how PJ is in front of Cipher when the laser hits him. That laser was meant for YOU. If PJ would've broke right, Cipher would've been shot down, and PJ would have likely been taken out by Pixy, resulting in a victory for AWWNB. PJ saved the world in his final moments without even realizing it.
The thing that confused me a little at the time was why PJ broke left instead of right. It would make sense to break away from formation rather than potentially crash onto each other. What might've actually happened was that Cipher couldn't react in time, thinking it was the end, he thought that was the end of the mission. PJ saw the TLS coming in from a distance, and instinctively blocked it off, saving Cipher and indirectly, the world
Laser doesn't work that way you know, it was aimed for PJ. He's an unwanted person in Pixy's perspective for his duel with Cipher. Pixy probably knew in his thought that Cipher is the only one who can stop him, cause in his deep feeling, he probably still have little faith in humanity, in Cipher
PJ sacrifice imself, that's why Pixi ask cipher if he found a reason to fight... Before he kill PJ this one told you that he got someone waiting for him.
I only just realized with the cutscene of Pixy being shot down that the two of you hold true to Pixy's coin analogy. Even at the end, both refuse to see from the way of the other.
Yeah, many people seem to misunderstand his "coin" speech thinking it's another "we're not so different, you and I", while it's actually about how different they are despite both being mercenaries.
I've always curious about one thing, and this comment made me even more curious. Simply... Why does Pixy want to meet Cipher again? Is it just to tell him that Cipher didn't manage to kill him? I feel like no matter which route you choose, Cipher meeting Pixy won't really go well. Knight Cipher will see him as PJ's killer. Soldier Cipher will see him as a traitor. Mercenary Cipher might try to kill him for good this time.
@@lyonvensa actually I think that knight cipher might forgive him, soldier cipher will kinda forgive him but cling to the tragic past, mercenary will never forgive him
14:52 What I like is that it’s not just your (Cipher) story. Pixy, your wingman has his own legend and the fact that things keep happening years after you “Disappear” makes this world feel vibrant and complete. So many stories just end when the player wins, or they still follow the player. You get the feeling that you didn’t just defeat these aces, but you permanently changed their lives cause you crossed their lines and shared a sky with them for a few critical minutes.
Cappuchronix What makes it worse is that it’s quite obvious that PJ swerved into that Laser strike. If he stayed still, he would have lived... Galm 1 would not. Pixy wasn’t even aiming for PJ... But PJ took the hit anyway. Normally, the “family at home” trope feels like it gets justified by getting distracted. But here... PJ was quicker to notice the attack than even Galm 1
@@spindash64 That's what i tought at first for many years. But cipher doesn't even flinch. And the shoot should have killed both if it was aimed at the player and pj just got in the way. Pixy wanted wanted its 1v1 with cipher and did solo wing.
Zero, Sol Squadron, Megalith, the Unsung War theme, Agnus Dei and Kings by Jose Pavli. These songs play absolutely rent free and in constant repeat whenever I play games.
I got nightmares from 6:38 as a kid. It was SUCH a chilling moment. The futuristic and demonic sound effects of the Morgan coupled with the Spanish guitar had such an epic effect
This is my literal favorite playthrough of Zero because it has the best sync out of them all between the OST’s crescendo and the missile launch at 9:53. I always end up rewatching it there because the sync is so hair-raising
I love how the small cutscene between the launch and you facing Pixy one last time uses each character moment of Razgriz effectively. As Pixy bitterly praises V2, Razgriz is feared as a demon. As we learn about the air intakes, Razgriz slumbers. And as the cutscene ends with AWACS praying for your success, you fly fearlessly towards Pixy with the chorus crying out "RAZGRIZ!" at the point of his redemption AND as soon as you gain control again with the cutscene's end. A-fucking-plus timing on the uploader's part.
I think this is why for Ace combat 7 they built the timing of shield drop to the music. The designers of the game knew that was the crescendo that the players have come to love and desire in the games.
@@outrunno4563 holy shit, i always used the stall technique whenever im in a dogfight against an aircraft thats more agile from me, Gelb Team to be precise
Top 5 quotes from this battle: 5. They're 4. All 3. Good 2. "Fire away you coward" (fire away is also the title of a banging AC2 soundtrack) 1. RADAR LOCK
I just realized that while fighting pixy said that they were opposite sides of the same coin, never facing the same direction. And in that final cutscene, pixy and cipher are facing away from each other, just like his words
What a fucking masterpiece, even today i still cant find games with a story that has such a strong emotional grip on me. This game and its fellow saga companions (except AH) should be considered some of the best games ever. Its not the graphics, or mechanincs. You felt the story, you played for something. You loved and hated characters. You just cant find this today. This game along with AC 5, bring me so much good memories, yet their lessons still inspire me to this day. My pre fight song is Zero. The Flamenco style, the dance with pixy on the last fight. I dont know, maybe its the nostalgia talking. But this was so fucking good.
Why are you hating on assault horizon it's got more fun mechanics like you get to pilot/ man the guns on helicopters and it's got a whole new mechanic making dogfights much easier
when Choir starts singing after V2 launch and the fact that lyrics said Razgriz at 10:48 right after player takes control again after V2 cutscene, feels like you got a blessing/guidance from Razgriz himself = even more epic
Notice how PJ yells out just BEFORE being hit, despite the TLS strike hitting his aircraft from below, where he shouldn’t be able to see it? He just saved Cipher’s life... The best buddy we ever had just had to be the one who couldn’t stay alive
It says a lot about this game when even my first timer friend was hyped as hell during this final misison and said it was one of the most exciting final bosses he’s experienced ever
Good thing I went for the "Knight" path, cuz hearing PJ say > which makes me less sad about his death. It's just... what about his girlfriend? His boyfriend went to get milk and never came back.
@High Roller Quinn Not only that but Pixy himself is Belkan. That's probably why he takes the 7 detonations so hard, he's been fighting and bombing his own country this whole time and instead of just admitting defeat they shoot themselves in the stomach as a big fuck you to Osea and Ustio. If your own country did that and you weren't fucked up by it, I'd call you heartless
Watching this final mission and ending brings me old good memories. In some point of the final interview I cried some tears (today) while recalling the thrill and emotion that Game Story gave me + that music. It may sound silly, but I would never forget that story!
This jousting match is one of the most epic final boss battles in video game history, hands down. The fight and the spanish guitar just complement each other perfectly.
When I was still in 7 grade, this mission was really hard and too emotional to me. I run my ammo out except the gun which it was infinity (easy difficulty) on the third part of the game. The moment I took it off with a gun, really scary. But then, I learnt that the story was beautiful. That's why I still play the game on holiday.
Really Ace Combat Zero is a masterpiece and all this leaves me with such a strange feeling, Zero was my first game in the franchise and moving forward, a while ago I heard a theory that Cipher was the inspiration for the Razgriz team and that this was him first, even in Ace combat 7 with references, it leaves me with a feeling of melancholy just thinking that at some point we as players control Cipher, the best Ace in history.
Yeah...it was great times..I once challenged my self by fighting Morgan by the A-10 and F-117 The moment when the view on the fighter when it look at pixy after he fired the V2 And at the last breath of the Morgan it was like my fighter is saying : ” enough dancing it’s time for your crash landing” It was priceless
I played this game so much on my PS2. How much did I play it, you may ask? I beat the game all the way through on the hardest difficulty...with EVERY plane. This is not an exaggeration.
As for me, I believe that there's a high chance of Cipher and Phoenix (Scarface Tactical Squadron) being the same person. That several months after his disappearance, is very much linked to the first operation in air combat (Acecombat 1), during the Skully islands insurrection. Later, after the events in Acecombat 2, he went on training pilots for IUN, before the events of Ulisses fall and a little longer after that before retiring for good. There are good reasons for his moving to another continent. He was probably on the death list of many people, still bitter with him ( and he knew that very well too), probably should be investigated in the future for the events in hoffnung campaing, and a new job as a sldier for hire; and maybe a way to escape his past. Mobius one is his most possible disciple and alumni, some sort of redemption from his"Demon Lord" legacy ( He has something to fight for beyond the money). This is why we see him facing Mobius one as the last boss in the SP mission "The gauntlet". It's "dream mode" (or maybe a nightmare) where Cipher is facing his demons, he people he has defeated/killed, and his final legacy. And this is one of the reasons of why we see Pixy in Delarus, 2 months after the events of Acecombat 4. I imagine the most likely scenario and chain events from it all: - Cipher went to Usea as a merc again, fought in both wars (skully island insurrection and the coup d'etat), continued as a flight and combat instructor and retired. Mobius one is the first generation after him, fought in he continetal war, became a legend himself and somehow went to Osea as a flight instructor too ( probably his fame reached there overseas), trained Blaze probably in some flight and combat lessons, and finally, Blaze most probably trained three stripes (the 2nd and 3rd generation so far).
One of the saddest parts of the final mission was PJ's death... When i played it i got goosebumps when he died and i almost cried when the cutscene was going on😭😢
@Gabriel Mac Dougall ye he did die... At the last cutscene we get to see the bokeh lying under a tree... That bokeh was PJ's which he wanted to use as a proposal for marriage to his GF.
I guess it's a good thing that Cipher (サイファー Saifā) (who is well known for having an extraordinarily high number of kills in Area B7R, which earned him the nickname "Demon Lord of the Round Table") disappeared from the skies several months after the war, never to be seen again, because I bet my Bottom Dollar that he would've been right at the top of The Grey Men (灰色の男たち Haiiro no otoko-tachi) Hit List.
The cutscenes in this were so cool to see back when this game came out, I remember at the time thinking that the people were real for a little bit when I was a teenager, it just looked that good for the time. It's still holds up today.
The whole Cipher vs Pixy duel is really reminding me of Toreador vs Bull situation. The music, the attacking from the front, and his red-painted plane really set in that impression for me.
I don’t have Zero myself, but I’d still wager it’s better. 5 is FANTASTIC, don’t get me wrong, but just from what I HAVE seen of zero, it’s just so well done.
Okay, in my opinion, Zero is better. I'll explain my reasons why. Zero shows the perspective of how close the world was to destroying itself and how people much people can during the war. Seeing someone close to you change due to war is one of the most distraught emotions someone can experience but also someone dying in the middle of battle which is presented in 5. I know that someone mentioned about Tale Telling in 5 which is true but that's because their characters, and I a assume this, were growing up seeing this change in their country before enrolling to become a pilot. Galm 1 was the first to make these legends seem almost real which would explain the implication of The Demon of Razgriz. sorry if this is a rant but I tried to explain as best as I can
hmm Imagine this Zero = Mercenary because you are a literally one, 4 = Soldier because you're an ace pilot on a war, plain and simple , 5 = Knight because you're trying to end a war staged by the grey men
