Powerful Yet Honorable || Ace Combat 4 Retrospective 

"You won't believe this, Jean-Louis! They all have blue ribbons" is such an amazing line. You are a hero and now there's more of you, so the enemy has no choice but to give it all as well

Blockade is honestly the music that perfectly captures Ace Combat’s identity to me, awe-inspiring and epic.

Is anyone else gonna agree that “Silent” is the creepiest song in the whole game

Fun Fact: AC04 was originally supposed to be a remake of another popular Namco game "Gradius." Unfortunately the project was scrapped, but the engine that AC04 uses was carried over to the game we all know and love today. EDIT: I got the name wrong. It was Xevious, not Gradius. The two titles sound the same lol

Im surprised you also didn't mention the final hangar speech. Just hearing the CO give his final speech to all military personnel before heading into the final battle gives me goosebumps every time!

I honestly can't believe that you didn't include The Northern Eye as one of the best tracks, because it is. Hearing its booming crescendos as you look at the tops of snowy mountains is almost a spiritual experience. Without words it still exudes the sheer majesty of the mountain range that you're flying over.

The cherry on top is that 18 years later... we find out about and fight Yellow 13's teacher, ... Mihaly *(insert 50 middle names here)* A. Shilage

Also regarding Keiki Kobayashi, when FF7 Remake was first released, the track called “The Valkyrie” caught some attention because it felt like an Ace Combat track and people jokingly at the time said they brought in Kobayashi to do just one track, but then it was confirmed later that yes they actually did bring him on for that one track, and it’s one of the stand out new tracks of the FF7 compilation. Highly recommend everyone to give it a listen if you’ve not heard it.

Megalith's theme and the mission itself will always give me goosebumps

I will always love this game for what is and for being one of the first games I ever beat in general. Hell i even made a lets play series of it becuase i love it so much. That ending song always gets to me every time I hear it. Thanks for making a great video of this beloved game of the series. I still wish they would make a remaster for the holy trinity of Ace Combat games.

Man, that was a great retrospective! Ace04 was my second game of the series I've played (the first was Air Combat PS1), it really holds up to this day. Hearing the vocals and seeing Mobius 1's F-22 roaring pass a flock of seagulls in the opening sequence was a huge nostalgia rush when playing it again for the first time in a decade.

In regards to Stonehenge, I love that in AC7 the mission objectives are reversed; instead of destroying Stonehenge, you have to defend it

TBH I don't know whats with the sudden boom of AC videos but I like it... keep em up boiz EDIT: I don't agree that in the Final mission the Yellows there are rookies. Fun fact Jean-Louise is Yellow 1 or the leader/boss of Yellow squad if you listen trough the coms in Comona. Also since Yellow squad isnt TGT you dont have to shoot them down but if you dont Mobius squad will be destroyed.

Absolutely incredible video. Ace Combat is my favorite game series of all time and I spent many hours as a kid playing it on the PS2.

I love this so much, you speak with so much love and passion for this game. I work as a bush pilot in remote Western Australia and I listen to these soundtracks every time I fly.

Another really well thought out long-form video on the Ace Combat series - thank you Unfortunately I never played AC4 (and no longer play video games) but AC5 was one of my formative gaming experiences and remains dear to me. I really enjoyed 6 too, and am glad to see such a special franchise get the retrospectives it deserves

Been waiting for this. Ace Combat 4 to me while not my first played(That honor goes to AH unfortunately). It is the one I feel leaves me the most emotional, a short(relatively) and to the point narrative. It's war scenario is the most realistic I feel, and is self contained, and the characters introduced and the war itself I feel is the most fleshed out of the conflicts. Yellow 13 and Mobius 1 I feel are the true breakout protag pilots and something about this OST especially the "USEA national Athem" and more obviously Agnes Dei leave a special place in my heart. Especially the Final mission hanger speech. Also in regards to 9:12, I had that experience as they set up AC7 at the Oceana 2023 Airshow. Which I experienced, and it was quite the fun.

My favorite tracks are invincible fleet, comona, megalith and blue skies

AC04 was the first AC game I finished the campaign for. (I played AC5 when I was like 4 or 5ish) The feeling of watching that end cutscene and credits (and hearing 'Blue Skies' for the first time) is something I'll never forget. Also, great job with the video man. You're making great stuff really consistently!

Amazing vid! I never knew about the Air Show Demo. That is such a amazing marketing move. Would have been so epic to be there. I am a massive long time fan of the series and 4 was my first and to this day one of the most influential games of my life!

The coms chatter is my favorite part of ace combat

Cant wait to see your vid about obscure games in the franchise such as Ace Combat Advance and Ace Combat Northern Wings :D

I've been thinking of making a love letter to ace combat video, mostly to just have my opinion out there, but also youtube is helping small channels. I should learn how to animate stuff tho

OOOHHHH THIS IS GONNA BE FANTASTIC

On my first run of this game, I did Megalith with the F-15C, in honor of the Demon Lord of the Round Table, Galm 1 Cipher. I also have a mod for GMod that replaces the HL2 menu sounds with AC04 menu sounds. From one fox-hybrid (Dogxim) to another (Folf), I tip my metaphorical slouch hat to you (my PFP isn’t my sona).

This game was so magical. I must have replayed it 10 times or more

Fantastic job. This was the entry that got me into the series

Thanks!

I like how this game is getting attention all these years later

Let's gooo!

Game Conservation ???,Ace Combat ??? , you got me , ill join the channel

I play on psp as a kid now i play ace combat 7 on rog ally brings back good memories

qaam in other ace combat games: anti air missile with stronger firepower and more sharp manuver qaam in ace combat 04: once fired and you are at high altitude your done for because this missile never stop unless it hit it target

you mentioned about AC4 being done even after AC3 was deemed a financial failure, in my opinion what made this happen was the fact that everyone always talk possitivily about AC3 gameplay, but when everyone knew that the japanese version was far superior in history, had branching paths, the game was harder (believe me, I've played both versions back in the day) people looked a little bit with desdain towards the western release, so I think namco thought, well the game didn't sold well but it wasn't the game's fault, it was our decision to not invest in the western release wich did it to not sold well

Greatest war story ever told in a video its not some mustache twirling villain hes just like you only on the other side

AC 4,5,6 (Zero) reminds me of Star Wars ep 4,5,6 (the coincidence is just too real). 4 to start it off. 5 the perfect sequel. 6 (Zero) the perfect ending.

Thank you very much for this video. Always liked people whom covers "Generic" looking games but with deeper than appeared meanings, makes you re-discover things that was not apparent. Ace combat strange real world is expansive one even though we get to experience it mostly through the cockpit Hud of an aircraft and its that sense of the unknown that gives it its well deserved charm and depth. But then again, that maybe a mirror towards what we want to believe 🤣

I played in this order 3 0 5 7su 4 lol

To me it’s Not all about the Story But about EVERYTHING ELSE basically, Mostly about the Immersion of the Gameplay at least with Games like This With the Exception of Unsung War ! That Blew me away like I said, being the Second in the Franchise that I have ever played 🤷‍♂️ Like I said I still have Plenty of Ace cOmbcats to experience Though probably still won’t change my view that Ace04 is The Definitive but Ace5 is the definitive Story telling

What did you think of the music from mission 3?

Damn brouh, It’s like StarWars almost with “Does it Really matter what Trilogy you start with ?” I think it Does personally; I was introduced Chronologically but Ace04 in 2003 Greatest Hits 😅 Then Ace5 2005 😎 Then AceZer0 around Release ALL Thanks to my Dear Father Now out of ALL the games in this franchise That is viewable Thanks to RU-vid; I Really do think Ace04 is Simply The Essential Title ! When you think about it, Compare and Contrast With the whole Franchise it is Shattered Skies/Distant Thunder that has Basically ALL the things that is necessary Or ALL that was good from Previous installments into one So Far ! Now I could explain in depth but that would be too long; let’s just say Flight Model aka Flying Graphics/feel of flight or how planes Move, 💯 perfectly balanced with jump-in “arcade” learning curve With Sophisticated and Realistic FLIGHT MODEL So with that out of the Way, basically ‘Gameplay/Visuals/Music/SFX/ and Lastly Story’ ALL complete with 2Player Split-screen So yeah personally even when watching On YT all the games in the Series, it is Ace04 that Truly gives me that Aviation/Military Fantasy Passion FEEL out of ALL the Rest With that being said, I find it Unfortunate and Fortunate at same time that I Started with 04 When it was relatively new And Still think it’s Best Can have that stupid “Nostalgia Goggles” effect when explaining to others 🤷‍♂️However I truly believe it is 04 that perfected everything that came before it AND TO THIS DAY No other Installment has had the same Perfection at least having all that was before it, Honesly Ace5 is probably my second Fav mostly because yes it’s NOSTALGIC But also (AGAIN Watching All Other games in comparison as I have not played them all yet) The Story was Blew Me Away And was Perfectly blended in with Physical Gameplay As it had that most Adventure Which still makes up for Lack of 2Player and A Bunch a Other imperfections (Flight Model) Like I said I could type several pages but I leave it here 😊

I named my ship in sea of thieves farbanti

So i just had a newborn a fu months back and i play blue skies from Ace combat 4 to put her to sleep

i might be wrong here but whenever i use the enemy paint on my plane enemy AI seem to confuse me with one of their own and actually start flying in formation with me. wich admitedlly makes me feel guilty for shooting them down.

Hell's yes for this upload and more Ace combat retrospective video essays on 5 , zero and 7 please 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🪷🪷🪷😭😭😭😭😭

He forgot about ace combat 6

I played 4 zero than 5.

Ro review b2b apocalypse now it has ended

Ok

27:43 you'll not gonna believe me when I say that I downloaded the extended version of this soundtrack and the ac7 main menu these were the only extended ost I have 🥲🥲