Hearing Zero from Ace Combat: Zero For the First Time

Special shout out to my patrons: craneum123 & Tekdrake for suggesting this insane song. This is my first time hearing and reacting to this beast of a piece, so many twists and turns, I love every second of it.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:42 Music
5:48 Post Discussion
LINKS:
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CREDITS:
Series: Ace Combat
Developer: Namco
Composers: Keiki Kobayashi, Tetsukazu Nakanishi, Junichi Nakatsuru
Platform: PlayStation 2
Publishers: Namco, BANDAI NAMCO, Bandai Namco Holdings

[@MarcoMeatball]

I’m going to finally play 0. I just bought a ps2. I’m streaming it in April. I’m so excited I might cry

[@adrikiller360]

Wow i was just checking this video once again and i wasn't expecting such good news !

[@Genta.Aditya]

dude just went and bought a PS2 for AC0, enjoy the game mate!

[@CipherGalmTeam]

Glad to have you on the team... buddy..

[@benjaminurra2019]

yippee!! I love AC Zero

[@Nemteconto66]

Please post the streams of 0 on KZbin too!!

[@BackgroundSpace]

I've had people question why Ace Combat is my favorite game series: "It's just a game about fighter planes!" "You think I'm there for the planes? *Queue "Zero" opening*"

[@sorsfatum1370]

Lemme guess. After they check it out. You become Pixy "So,have you found a reason to fight yet? Buddy"

[@BackgroundSpace]

@@sorsfatum1370 Hadn't gotten that far but I will do so when it happens!

[@KLUCZESIA]

I'm almost at that state too, but since I'm more into Tanks than Fighter Jets, I don't know what to do yet. I love the AC music and the plot so far, but... help.

[@BackgroundSpace]

@@KLUCZESIA Tbh I feel it perfectly fine being into the series for the music and lore. It feels familiar yet foreign enough to have crazy things happen. Makes it a great world to enjoy.

[@KLUCZESIA]

​@@BackgroundSpace I forgot to say that I think I love the music and the plot, because I hate how no Star Wars game is like Ace Combat, and yes, I am a Star Wars fan and I am afraid of heights (I know, sounds weird while talking about video games, but fall damage exists for a reason), hence why I used to think that "flying is for droids", but now after seeing both the plot of AC:Zero and AC7, I might play 1 of them, just because of what I said earlier, and maybe finally to get over my fear, if this makes any sense. At the same time, I don't want to betray my love for tanks, so....

[@MarcoMeatball]

This is still my favorite

[@femboydoctrine]

I love that you're still back here over a year later xD

[@umbrum2]

idk ive seen your unsung war vid and you are speechless at the end

[@Bylov6812]

LMAO. Glad that you came back to say that 🤣

[@MarcoMeatball]

@@umbrum2 haha yes but this was the first you know???

[@grimstruck5300]

this is the first vid of yours I watched

[@WaluigiIV]

Funny that you mention the nationalistic elements of the music because one of the key themes of the game is the questioning of nationality, morality, and the value of the nation as a human creation. It is a really interesting story.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Whattttt I guessed. That’s cool.

[@ahmadhadi177]

​​​​@@MarcoMeatballConsidering the fact that the terrorist organisation that Pixy is part of,A World With No Boundaries,is composed of renegade soldiers of different countries such as Belka,Osea,Sapin,Yuktobania and Ustio,their hatred towards politicians for squabbling for resources in Belka after the war, If Gault 1 is any indication and aims to eliminate borders through nukes,it's probably likely what this game is intended.Also,I never see Zero's themes as nationalistic but If that's what you believe,then keep it that way.Sorry If I was being rude.

[@davidhines7592]

@@ahmadhadi177 a sub theme running throughout all the games is to question those who do not question what their politicians order in the name of the nation (and uber-nationalism) and just carry out orders without saying 'hold on, is this even ethical?'.

[@Jester456]

Them: Hey, this is a pretty good track, what's this game about? Me: Planes. Was wondering when you'd showcase some Ace Combat OSTs. The Ace Combat series is filled with masterful pieces, and the games would honestly be a shadow of themselves without them.

[@cloudmangalm03]

Just like Max0r says "Ace combat Zero is a game that first appears to be about planes and war. But then it hits the player with giant lasers and nuclear retaliation."

[@justinvenable917]

@@cloudmangalm03 You forgot that sometimes it hits the player right in the feels, like in AC5.

[@chesterstevens8870]

Not just planes, but planes that are pretending to be Arthurian knights.

[@xlawxc]

Ace Combat has the most varied and diverse soundtracks across the whole franchise and every song slaps HARD.

[@randallmart92]

Facts!

[@samnuell864]

wall to wall bangers

[@sabinor2560]

Even Tangoline?

[@xlawxc]

@@sabinor2560 Lukewarm take, the only reason the song is hated is cause the mission itself is 20 minutes long.

[@hellogoodsir2502]

Some of songs from the old playstation ace combat games slap, like "Sunset Glow" from Ace Combat 2

[@miss_bec]

The singing that begins after the guitar segment isn't a rendition of Ave Maria, but rather a poem from Ace Combat 5 translated into Latin. While I won't explain what the poem is about, I will suggest listening to "The Unsung War" from Ace Combat 5's OST. The lyrics are the same Latin poem, however the differences in the performance really help to punctuate what's happening in game. In Ace Combat 5, it's a slower orchestral build-up that starts with just deep male singers before female voices join in and the intensity begins to rise - in game, you chase a giant weaponised satellite that's about to crash into a city; its slow, but as it gets closer to its target it becomes more desperate and heroic. On the flipside, in Zero, you're dogfighting with your ex-wingman and friend in an attempt to stop a nuclear apocalypse; it's fast, its frantic, and if you interpret a 1v1 dogfight to be a dance in the sky then the guitar makes it a flamenco in the truest sense. The amount of range the series' composer has is astronomical and I'd love to see you cover more songs from the series ^^

[@SenseiRaisen]

Also considering the game goes with chilvary and knighthood motif, the literally "jousting in midair mannouver" was made really clever, included the part where you literally had to do that in the 3rd phase.

[@DonVigaDeFierro]

Cum historia mutat valde Razgriz revelat ipsum Primum daemon scelestus est Cum potentia sua Demon fundet Mortem in terram Deinde moritur Cum somnus Cum sounds finit Razgriz surget Surget iterum Magnus heros est

[@inconspicuousauthor5881]

@@SenseiRaisen I find it interesting how they go back to the ww1 philosophy of pilots for it. “Knights of the sky” they where proclaimed. Respected and feared by ally and enemy alike

[@catsgamingadventure9935]

In the male chorus part you could sometimes hear they sang the word "Razgriz", which is a mythical being from the fairytale in the Ace Combat universe: "When history witnesses a great change, Razgriz reveals itself... first, as a dark demon. As a demon, it uses its power to rain death upon the land, and then it dies. However, after a period of slumber, Razgriz returns, this time, as a great hero." The track "The Unsung War" from the AC5 soundtrack sang about the fairytale and it is sort of like a "predecessor" to this track (AC5 was released before AC Zero even though the story of AC Zero is a prequel to AC5) - both tracks share the same main melody so the lyrics of "Zero" might be the same or very similar to the one from "The Unsung War". There are videos of "The Unsung War" with the lyrics included floating about if you are interested :D

[@MarcoMeatball]

Wow coooool can’t wait to hear it

[@Donlad222]

It’s the same lyrics my dude. Its specifically sang on different notes, in a different order, and a different tempo when compared to The Unsung War since this part of Zero has a slightly different composition and tempo of the same melody. Given the context of the actual level the song plays in, it is an Unsung Battle that won the Belkan War, given the entire premise of ACZero’s story is an investigation on an unknown rumored ace pilot, just like AC5’s is on the story of an unknown rumored ace squadron. It also doesn’t help that both are timed missions and involve WMDs

[@DonVigaDeFierro]

Cum historia mutat valde razgriz revelat ipsum primum daemon scelestus est cum potentia sua demon fundet mortem in terram deinde moritur cum somnus, cum somnus finit razgriz surget, surget iterum magnus heros est.

[@Ren_Cruz]

There it is! Was looking for this comment.

[@hazt4167]

Permission to copy your quotes

[@MatthewLee90]

This still hits hard now even after 17 years since I first heard this. Back then, I was angry that Pixy turned and betrayed me. Yet, after the mission's conclusion, after shooting him down, it felt bittersweet. I was 16 then. I miss this feeling of when i first heard of this song. gonna be 33 years old soon, huh..

[@Cramblit]

And yet, despite being so angry that Pixie betrays you, you still tear up at the very end when he looks in the camera, and asks "yo Buddy, still alive?"

[@exumbra1399]

XD! 31 over here!

[@co-bruh1423]

Pixy: “We will reset everything back to zero!” Cipher: “The only thing that’s going to be zero… is competition.”

[@Timmysyt]

The most average roast battle in Ace Combat:

[@mrexists5400]

"Die you S. O. B!"

[@panzerkampfwagen8439]

to quote a comment on a similar video: "don't judge a book by its cover" indeed the story is about a debate on if borders are actually necessary as they are just made up lines drawn on a map. The reason this song is melancholic is because this plays on the final boss where you have to fight your ex-wingman over the remains of a nation that blew up 7 nukes on its own soil to stop an army from invading. The fight starts off with your ex-wingman saying "...here comes the snow" as nuclear snow begins to fall.

[@Hoopladoopa]

It's sometimes hard to explain to people who haven't played an Ace Combat game that it's more than just shooting stuff as a jet fighter plane. But those of us who know, are a loyal fanbase

[@Ikcatcher]

Ace Combat is peak melodrama with the music to back its wacky world and I love everything about it

[@kingzilladonx]

3:40 That smile when the vocals hit is so genuine. Its gets me so happy to see other people react to gaming music with so much joy

[@TheLonelyViper]

I regularly still play this epic track just to kick ass at whatever im doing

[@HypercaffinatedBees]

people have already mentioned Megalith Agnus Dei and Daredevil, so i'm gonna recommend Alicorn from AC7

[@Pup_Majestic]

The beautiful song of "Oh no, the water has started speaking Latin"

[@princeapoopoo5787]

I'm not gonna lie, I have listened to this song at least fifty times in the past month. It is my favourite piece of vgm ever written and I'm hoping that this reaction turns out great.

[@princeapoopoo5787]

The reaction turned out great.

[@coletrain329]

It was my favorite until I played through Ace Combat 7, which I think really knocked it out of the musically. Daredevil from AC7 is my favorite now

[@princeapoopoo5787]

@@coletrain329 Daredevil is a top tier song. Second best in the franchise for me. But it can't quite top Zero!

[@Bootstothemaximum]

ZERO is probably one of the greatest songs from the Ace Combat series, however my personal favorite from the series absolutely has to be Daredevil from Ace Combat 7.

[@samnuell864]

definitely check that one out, so good and fun fact, they delayed the game so the composer could perfect it

[@Not_MissHina]

For me, daredevil is second to the dark blue, the step by step in that music is like making the fight just getting more intense, making trigger becomes the last hope to destroy the ravens

[@NightingaleSunset]

Zero is singular for me, since it took samples from Unsung War, and improved an epic track all its own. Journey Home is something I sing to myself ans ppl have asked me what its from...

[@OphoisOne]

@@NightingaleSunset Reprisals always just hit hard when you've heard what its reprising so many times.

[@sacopanchez151]

I consider Hush slightly better than Daredevil

[@michaelpalacio5]

The Latin tells the story of how Razgriz shows up first as a demon, lays waste to the earth and is killed. When Razgriz awakes it appears this time as a glorious hero. It’s thought by fans that in ACZ you play as the incarnation of demon Razgriz and in AC5 you’re playing as hero Razgriz

[@NSEBMB]

Hell, the demon seems cooler to me ngl

[@michaelpalacio5]

@@NSEBMB Ace Combat Zero does a really good job of making you feel like a demon. Shoutout to my boys in Hoffnung

[@NSEBMB]

@@michaelpalacio5 if there are any left from my merc playthrough, that is...

[@lukasi.v4269]

"This game makes you feel like a demon" - some famous copycat KZbinr

[@combativeThinker]

In AC5, you’re simultaneously the incarnation of Razgriz and King Arthur…the “Demon Lord of the Round Table.”

[@XxExtremeSamX]

People have probably already recommended Daredevil, but I’d like to recommend Archange. Definitely my fav Ace Combat Track

[@ED-cc2mq]

and those Alicorn and it's Iterarion too

[@pixytokisaki1457]

I'd recommend "Battle of Farbanti" and "Hush" Both from Ace Combat 7

[@aaronhill8315]

I'd like to see him react to faceless soldier

[@BLAZE-ek5kv]

FINALLY SOMEONE CAN APPRECIATE THIS MUSIC AND BRING IT TO LIGHT. THE FEW PPL THAT PLAYED THIS GAMES KNEW THIS MUSIC WAS A MASTERPIECES

[@exumbra1399]

I'm just sad I can't play it anymore now that my PS2 is gone. I technically could play an emulator, but it's full of glitches and misbehaving textures.

[@isaacmacqueen9695]

​@@exumbra1399I'm happy to say the emulator for 4,5 and zero has been updated to the point of very few glitches and problems I'm having a wonderful time on it

[@Deamons64]

You made an excellent call listening to Zero. In my opinion, it is one of, if not the greatest final boss themes ever created. The incredible amount of tension portrayed in the music. The shifts and drops of the song. You can almost see the dogfight playing out in front of you. 2 ace pilots. Champions of the sky. Borderline mythical creatures of the battlefield, and now, they face. They may not be knights in the modern sense, and yet we bare witness to their final joust. Such a great, great piece, and it gets even better if you dig into the lore of the series. So. Damn. Good.

[@Sskysnake]

Actually is a poem about the demon of Razgriz. When history witness a great change, Razgriz reveals itself. As a dark demon, it rains death upon the land and dies. But, after a period of slumber, Razgriz returns, as a great hero. That is basically what lyrics are about

[@tiagopatricio3805]

And a great segway to AC5!!!! Cipher was the first part of the myth, Blaze was the second!!!

[@junehalog024]

Marco: "There's probably some loss in the game..." Me, as Cipher: "Yeahhh... I may have dropped that MPBM over civilian targets by mistake... Oh well... Time to go back and get my paycheck."

[@moblinmajorgeneral]

The playthrough order is always Knight>Soldier>Mercenary. Anyone who chooses to go Mercenary first is dumb because the Squadron fights get progressively more difficult the more evil you are.

[@junehalog024]

@@moblinmajorgeneral it's fun trying to keep my genocidal tendencies as a Knight, trying to keep in check so I won't deviate so much into Soldier and Mercenary routes.

[@alejandrocolman8437]

That intro clip of your performance was pretty impressive too, holy. Thanks for the review man! Ace Combat music is incredible.

[@MarcoMeatball]

🤩

[@aaron4832]

Such a heroic sounding theme. Still though, my favourite Ace Combat track is "Liberation of Gracemaria". Both excellent tracks! I need to pick this game up again at some point.

[@Sm00k]

You just like to dance with the angels, mister.

[@agp11001]

Liberation of Gracemeria just pumps you up for the final battle. As soon as it starts building up, you're just sitting on your couch, gripping the controller, daring the game to throw everything it has at you. The whole Strigon squadron, dozens of unnamed mooks, Snoopy on his doghouse, hell, toss another Aigaion in the mix as well, because it's time to dance with the fucking angels!

[@essexclass8168]

Liberation of Gracemaria's something i could mix Eisenhower's D-day speech to

[@Tvanon]

Never played Ace Combat, found this song 10 years ago, still blown away by it now

[@H31MU7]

... go play ace combat then?

[@gattonero2915]

Interesting thing about the soundtrack is that during the climax of the piece, the latin choirs you heard would be: Cum historia mutat valde Razgriz revelat ipsum: Primum daemon scelestus est. And this is important piece of the soundtrack, because this was the lyric used in "the Unsung War" soundtrack from Ace Combat 5, Ace Combat Zero's precursor (by release date, Zero was released after 5) and prequel (by chronological of the game's lore, the event in Zero happened in 1995, 15 years before Ace Combat 5)

[@mariofan1ish]

"ZERO" is one of the only songs that can bring me to tears all these years later. The music is so powerful and intense, and the choirs have so much feeling behind them that it's impossible for me not to be filled with emotions whenever I hear it.

[@sanctus9857]

I've never played or listened to the OST's from these games but damn I'm blown away. THIS is in a fighter aircraft game? Totally bonkers.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Oh I know and the story beats are what they are? I underestimated it

[@samnuell864]

the soundtrack is wall to wall bangers

[@Marmagon]

The AC games are exactly in the middle of simulation and arcade for me. The radio chatter + gameplay + the music blend into each other so well that you get suddenly super emotional in the middle of a high stakes combat encounter. Like as an example: Your funny best buddy wingman for all missions up to this point gets shot down and dies, everyone is sad, but you must protect the city from an unknown bomber squad, no reinforcements will come since someone in your HQ might be a traitor and now the enemy gets reinforcements. All this happens just in one half of a single mission and the music elevates such moments hard.

[@johnnychopsocky]

When listening to Ace Combat music, it's always important to remember "This is a game about flying airplanes."

[@JohnDoe-ug3su]

the combination of the OST, the in-game radio chatter and the missile warnings is something for your senses for sure.

[@overthinkingisbad]

when the skies speak Latin is when aces shine, The Unsung War from ace 5 is brilliant. one of very few true "tied for favorite" things i know this and The Unsung War

[@boxtank5288]

Everyone's Razgriz until the sky speaks Flamenco.

[@Majorrawne01]

You can see the exact moment he became an ace combat music fan XD

[@nicoferguson1215]

As a Ace Combat veteran, I would recommend the Razgriz theme, from Ace Combat 5

[@agp11001]

This. SO MUCH THIS. I would kick a nun down an elevator shaft for an orchestral world tour of just Ace Combat Soundtracks akin to FF Symphony or Video Games Live.

[@nyrahl593]

I cannot wait to see a reaction to Daredevil from Ace Combat 7!

[@MarcoMeatball]

Noted!

[@unseenpath]

Yes! Daredevil is amazing!

[@markjames6822]

Oh yes!! I'm so happy to see your react to Ace Combat music. The entire series has some pretty amazing music, so I hope you take a look at some others as well!

[@MarcoMeatball]

Had no clue!

[@ED-cc2mq]

@@MarcoMeatball I think, considering your expertise in this kind of work you can start with said "the unsung war" and "megalith-Agnus dei" to complete the old-school trilogy, then you can pick "Archange" and the iteration of "Alicorn" from AC7 or the "Chandelier" from AC6. maybe the Daredevil is also worth picking but kinda heavy in instrumental but the choir part is one of the memorable parts of the game.

[@tuskegeeace2840]

Zero never fails to give me goose bumps along with Megalith I think I love most how the music reminds you of two people dancing with each other. How Dogfighting can be equated with dancing. Always blew me away as a kid with that guitar comes in.

[@autofox1744]

It's even better in context. This song plays during a 1-on-1 dogfight between you and a nuclear-armed super-fighter flown by a pilot who was broken by the horrors of war, and was your best friend earlier in the game. The radio chatter between the enemy and input from your supporting AWACS makes it all just... _chills._

[@justinl8791]

This song is essentially a deadly flamenco dance between two former close comrades/friends who are driven by different ideals & who would fight to the death for them. The opera portion of the song is tinged with sadness because those two knights don't wish to kill each other but are now jousting one another in the sky almost literally because your former friend is piloting a super prototype fighter with(in addition to standard missiles & guns) a powerful laser cannon & anti missile countermeasures with it's two engine vents being it's only weakness, forcing you to fight him HEAD ON in CQC IN THE SKY. Fun fact, the male opera portion of this song is actually the shortened version of the lyrics from "The Unsung War", AC5's main theme. And that game had a side theme which was the Puddle of Mudd song "Blurry" lolz.

[@gigaslave]

You basically have to joust with missiles and it is intense.

[@chesterstevens8870]

I think the best synopsis I've read of this song is that it's symbolic of two dancing partners. It takes place during the final battle with your rival, who up until recently has been your partner and wingman. He's just as skilled as you are at the controls, knows all of your tricks, and is equally determined to overcome you as you are him. This is just as much a dance as a duel, two experts trading steps and ripostes as they try to outmaneuver one another.

[@d3m0n709]

Alright im new hear and love the reaction, but I was absolutely ASTOUNDED by your opera performance. You did that for sure 🔥💯

[@MarcoMeatball]

Thanks Rico!

[@garudalead]

You looked so happy to listen to this, brought a tear to this pilots eyes. I've been playing ace combat since 2 and absolutely ADORE the music.

[@Zenriesz]

"Those who survive a long time on the battlefield start to think they're invincible, I bet you do too, buddy."

[@AdamEl-Jefe]

I still remember the greatest moment during this mission. During the acoustic guitar interlude and build I flew as high as I could to try and get some distance from Pixy and mount an attack. When I reached the apex of my climb, my plane stalled, I dropped my thrusters to 0, and I used the gravitational momentum to perform on of the fastest 180s I've ever done, and right when the crescendo hits and the operatic section comes in was when I punched the engines to max and came screaming towards Pixy with a full 8-missile payload firing. Still gives me chills to think about to this day.

[@craneum123]

Ahh! Thank you so much for getting to this request so speedily! Absolutely awesome to see your reaction to this wonderful piece. I can't believe how well you caught onto the nationalism theme, which I suppose one could say would be present in any old war video game..but its almost a subversion of that. the game is about learning the consequences of leaning to heavily into that nationalistic pride, or some cases not heavily enough, about being consumed by the idea of countries and borders and such. This actually the theme that plays for the final boss, a rather sad joust like duel with your former wing man and friend. The stage is set over the skies of the remains of *his* country-- which you both helped with the invasion of, being mercenary pilots for hire. At the end of the last mission his home nation nuked itself as one last act of defiance against its invaders, you have to now joust with your former friend who is in a beast of an experimental, nuclear capable aircraft that can only be damaged from the front on, in order to stop him from retaliating against the world and "resetting this twisted game back to zero." Twas very much flamenco you were hearing here, the games sound track is littered with it as the director was absolutely enamored with how incredibly well he thought the style would fit with the dance like nature of 1 on 1 dogfights. I believe this was quite the hurdle for the games lead composer, who noted that the series had previously relied heavily on rock-and-roll, orchestral, or synthesizer music in the past and didn't know how he would ever fit the elements of flamenco the director wanted to hear. However..I think the results speak for themselves. Thanks again for reacting to this, absolutely wonderful video.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Omg you’re so welcome it sounds like an incredible story

[@matiascandia4946]

Its nuts how clearly u nailed the themes of the game just from the song. I know all these stuff from playing the games and making connections to the games. But u really accentuate how powerful the music is by feeling the themes without actually having played the games! Good stuff and thank you.

[@thiccchungo1041]

You’re an absolute legend for remembering Microsoft flight sim I used to watch my dad play it all the time when I was a kid, good memories. My favorite song from the series has to be Ace Combat 5’s “The Unsung War” the Latin paired with the music and the situation of the final mission create a moment I’ve never experienced in any game before

[@christianmariogreco9330]

I'm still getting chills after listening to it even tho I love this song since it came out with the game. absolute masterpiece.

[@Gakusangi]

I remember the first time I heard this track. I was just stunned into silence.

[@ebucehil9757]

You really, REALLY should listen Megalith from Ace Combat 4 my man

[@MarcoMeatball]

Ya???

[@ebucehil9757]

@@MarcoMeatball *y e s*

[@kai336]

It's amazing!

[@swvwc8393]

@@MarcoMeatball I agree, Megalith is just something else entirely.

[@MarcelloTheBandit]

Could you imagine being there when this was being recorded??? This gives me chills every time my playlist brings me to Ace Combat again.

[@BountyV]

Man just saw your reaction to Unsung War and was looking all over the place trying to find if you had reacted to Zero. Somehow this video isn't in your Ace Combat Playlist so took me a while to find haha. This song and Unsung War are hands down my favorite songs from the entirety of the Ace Combat franchise. I grew up on these two games, and regularly listen to both songs today.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Fixed that! It’s on the playlist now. Zero, I was so skeptical about I thought the music was going to be terrible. NOPE. One of my favorite experiences.

[@Worldoftankistenoob]

damn its always awesome to see someone discover one of the best ace combat ost, its so powerful and im glad you liked it, your reactions are precious !!

[@trevorditmar]

Not surprised you did video on this one too. THAT TRESILLO. And seriously, in terms of instruments you never thought would be perfectly matched with aerial combat.... castanets? They drive the tempo of combat so incredibly well.

[@manfreygordon]

just one more person recommending megalith (agnus dei) from ace combat 4, fantastic piece of music. love the reactions, very genuine and captures what i strongly suspect we all love about music, the ability to surprise us!

[@sithlord2225]

Just as a fun fact that took me almost 10 years to notice, the lyrics in Zero are the exact same from The Unsung War from AC5, if you listen carefully you'll notice!

[@saint_luiz]

Let's go! Thanks Marco! I am so happy to see that you listened to Zero! You made my day!

[@MarcoMeatball]

It’s wonderful!

[@RussianSevereWeatherVideos]

Your reaction was very similar to mine when I first heard that song, years ago and every time since. This is one awesome song!

[@alexripard]

KZbin recommended I rewatch this, and its so interesting seeing how you react to it, and at points seemingly have your mind blown. One track from Ace combat you really should listen to is Valley of Kings, it plays in the lead up to the final mission (when Zero plays) and is full of tension, in some ways i prefer it to Zero, which was always my favourite Ace Combat track. For extra fun, listen to it while reading the voice lines that play in the background, adds to the tension

[@michelcastilho5591]

Excelent video Marco my guy, this song just slaps, Ace Combat is one of these games that the music just matches, no error, no mistakes, just that feeling, pure action, and bravery. The flamenco guitar brings the momentum at the right time and the choir brings that heroic and bold feeling in the combat. amazing

[@hms3077]

"The national theme" is exactly the main theme of Ace Combat 5 the Unsung War, which is also known as Razgriz theme for it states a mysterious belief about a mysterious creature in the strange real world of the game and that creature is called "Razgriz". But its lyrics(totally in latin) is more like talking about what role a war plays. Both are composed by Keiki Kobayashi(小林啓樹) and Kobayashi really likes to use choir in his works for Ace Combat strange real world series. As a result there are a lot of choir parts in the latest works composed by him in Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown, such as "sol squadron" and "archange" which are considered as Mihaly's theme. Mihaly is a main character in the game and his callsign is archange. He is believed to be the king of the sky and fly to protect his people in the lyrics(also totally in latin). And "alicorn" or captain Torres theme which expresses a mysterious belief about "salvation" from DLC. I guess you'll like them.

[@twopence996]

It's not the most popular song but, given how you enjoy Nier's soundtrack, I recommend checking out Ace Combat 6's "Chandelier"

[@Calayna1]

Yes!!!

[@lewd2851]

I'm so excited to finally find someone react to this piece, its one of my favorite OSTs from video games in general and its so underrated

[@raymondmagat4025]

One of the best AC song's I enjoyed since my childhood. I'm excited for your reaction for AC5's The Unsung War and the Journey Home. I highly recommend them. Keep up the great work!

[@JohnDoe-ug3su]

I have listened to this song so many times but it still increase my adrenaline

[@CRCBenjamin]

pretty cool reaction video! AH yes, Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator, still remember the intro of the first one, sending shivers down my spine. Keep going!

[@Theran_1]

this was the best thing ever, Zero and ace combat has marked my childhood so much. ty for doign this, im makign this comment but, some ppl point out this song itself is a battle, almost like duel of fates, where there are likek 2 main laimotifs (idk ho that is written) that are trying to take over the song

[@HarryPotter-uv8yp]

One of the big reasons I adore video game music like this is that it comes packed with narrative. Character. The songs are as much a part of the stories and worlds they belong to, and because of that they can be gloriously unique. Here, it’s two best friends having a duel in the skies above a war they’re on opposite sides of, almost literally jousting with fighter planes. So of course they decided to run with flamenco on top of the thudding booms of war-like percussion, the nationalistic sound of power choir, and the beautiful marriage between them and a beautiful, tragic orchestral combination. And because of that? There is practically NOTHING like it.

[@The_Raven_]

Omg so many chills!!!!! Such a good song to ham out too

[@kreatuslucina]

The trailer for AC:Zero uses this song and it makes you believe it could be an amazing movie. It tells a story about what kind of pilots exist and the lines that must be crossed. The tango elements tell of a complicated dance between two pilots maneuvering around each other.

[@cazovejanegra]

16 years have passed since first I played this game, and I´m still blow out for this song. To this date, I haven´t heard any theme from any videogame that comes close to this. And the way it´s used within the game, fantastic!

[@shiroineko13]

Can't praise this song enough. One of my all time favourites.

[@niteman555]

Musicians reacting to Zero is a favorite theme of mine. I enjoyed your analysis, especially since as a singer, you bring a perspective that others like composers don't necessarily share. Since you didn't mention it in your analysis, and knowing this theme plays as a backdrop for a struggle between national identity and terrible powers that nation states wield, I recommend you take a listen to "The Unsung War" from Ace Combat 5. Zero (the game) takes place 15 years prior to AC5, but was released after it. The two games are thematically linked in ways I don't want to spoil, and I'm sure you'll have some comments on that.

[@lostonessoul5154]

I love how he's just jamming to the music then as soon as he hears tve opra singing his expression changes as if silently saying "NO. FREAKING. WAY MAN!!!"

[@crownregis]

Oh boy you just stepped into a community where music is everything (and the memes) we welcome you down the rabbit hole

[@arkbirdarcher19]

"Hey buddy, still alive? And thanks friend, I'll see you around.” "yeah, that's if we both make it out of this alive"

[@evilbumblebee667]

I remember playing this level and going inverted in that dog fight when that voice hits and just sent shivers down my spine.

[@CoryElsen]

Hey Marco! New viewer here. Been absolutely hooked on your vids of late. I'm really happy to find one of my fave series being listened too here! If you have the time in the future, do you take suggestions? I'd love for you to take a listen too Archange from Ace combat 7. The vocals in that are a treat that I think you'd enjoy. If you see this, you're awesome man! Keep doing what you're doing.

[@MarcoMeatball]

I take suggestions always but the patreon as tekdrake mentioned does get priority. But always feel free to suggest things I just don’t know when I’ll get to them!!! Thank you so much for the kind words :)

[@M4st3rDuck]

Ive been watching a lot of musicians and music professionals react to ace combat music, always brings a smile to my face seeing that passion visibly on your facess. I am envious of you discovering it for the first time and like other comments have said, you totally nailed the theme of the game! Right before the final mission, the nation you are at war with set off nukes to stop allied forces from advancing into the center of their homeland that they consider sacred or holy. Your wingman defects to a terrorist group (or was with them all along, cant remember). Final mission starts where your now ex-wingman launches the nukes they got control of that were hidden in an dam called avalon (story has a lot of king arthur mythology woven into it as well) and the only way to stop the nukes is to kill him. Mission starts with him saying over radio "here comes the snow..." as nuclear winter starts coming down from the previous detonations. Megalith, Unsung War, and Daredevil are all amazing pieces and are at the climax of the final mission of their games. Another great one is Sol Squadron.

[@dpm2937]

I love how he went from: "Daheck is this?" to: "This shit absolutely bangs."

[@Donlad222]

I actually recommend The Unsung War, Epilogue -Near the Border-, Chandelier, Archange, and Hero of Comberth Harbor. All of which are from the Ace Combat series.

[@FinnFann]

I only see one mention of it earlier, but the fun part from what I know of this fight is a large portion of this is jousting or being a matador. The enemy plane has a defensive system, is equipped with the launching mechanism for the weapon, a truly massive cluster nuke if I recall which is a single launch mechanism that deploys all its warheads in a spread, mentioned in Tekdrake's post so you HAVE to take him down; His plane IS the weapons remote launch system, and the only way to get a good shot on the experimental plane and do damage is a missile at the unshielded air intakes each head-on rush.

[@riverroth3688]

One of my favorite games and soundtracks ever. Everyone's recommended the obvious tracks, so I'll go out and say that the remix of Blue Skies off Ace Combat 5's soundtrack would be a good listen, it has vocals, and is a remix of the ending track from Ace Combat 4 Shattered Skies. It honestly is just super chill and I can't not love it.

[@NTB0]

Great video! You should check out Archange and The Hero of Comberth Harbor from Ace Combat 7, I think they’re right up your alley! They always get my blood pumping and I haven’t even played the game yet lol

[@realrichardyoutube]

Dude your opera singing is fantastic

[@Chireiya]

I don't even remember where I first heard this track but I was just as blown aways as you were. Don't know if you ever listen to not really orchestral but more synth-y hybrid soundtracks? I would love to see your reaction to the Stellaris soundtrack, which is one of my absolute favorites. I recommend especially Birth of a Star, Distant Nebulas, Luminescence and Creation&Beyond.

[@t0w0118]

Damn great reaction as always. I really love Ace Combat themes. If you wanna check out more, i would suggest Archange and Alicorn from Ace Combat 7, The Unsung War from Ace Combat 5 and, the most known one, Megalith from Ace Combat 4 x)

[@Thiago_Alves_Souza]

As someone trained in classical guitar and flamenco, you were on the money, it's rumba flamenca more akin to the Gipsy Kings than traditional flamenco that contains a myriad styles which do employ and borrow from classical guitar techniques. If anything the only palo that this song resembles would be more a Fandango like the Malagueña. You can hear a lot borrowed from the Andalusian cadence here typical of Fandango. Ace Combat has top tier composition.

[@MarcoMeatball]

So cool

[@Thiago_Alves_Souza]

@@MarcoMeatball I don't know if you have but the final fantasy 15 score would be a treat for you. The songs Somnus Nemoris (vocals version), Hellfire (all 3 movements) and Apocalypsis Noctis for starters.

[@MigPlz91LivestreamOnly]

I get such a range of emotions when listening to this track. Its just so beautifully written.

[@vicarsol9954]

I think this is my 10th time watching this vid and its all because whenever I listen to Zero on Yt, your vids are always on recommended and I'd take any reason to re-listen to Zero LOL

[@MarcoMeatball]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Stoicswimfish]

CFS was one of my earliest games that I recall playing. That along side Rouge Squadron 3d was my childhood.

[@user-mw9sn4lk3d]

この曲を聴くたび、10年前にPS2でプレイしていた時の記憶を思い出す。 エースとして戦っている時の、あの胸の芯から込み上げてくるような激情は、忘れられない思い出として、今もこの曲とともに私の記憶に残っている。

[@jonw5824]

This just reminds me how much I loved AC:Zero when it came out. Definitely one of my favourites in the series.

[@Cwronaga216]

You absolutely need to check out the track 'The Four Rings' and its dark counterpart 'They Rule The Battlefield' from Fate Stay Night: Heavens feel spring song. It's a great epic battle track containing a nice balanced mixture of Opera, Orchestra, Rock, and electronic. ( not to mention it's from one of the best animated anime fights ever made from the same Studio that made Demon Slayer and I highly recommend you check out the fight scene as well)

[@machado5765]

Gipsy Kings. My mom had an old LP disc back in the 90's that one with the black cover. She listened a lot so I did as well. I still listen to it today. So good.

[@ISAFMobius18]

DUDE!!!! Im so glad you got a chance to listen to quality music, Ace Combat has some of the most epic, underrated music in the gaming industry. i highly suggest Ace Combat 5's "Unsung War", Ace Combat 6's "Liberation of Gracemeria" and Ace Combat 7's "Daredevil" just to name a few more ot react too. Trust me you will not be disappointed. each have their own flavor and theme to music between the titles, and all have that epic score and vocals. I'll definitely be back to watch if oyu react to those too. PS- your reaction was priceless

[@fromeggman]

On the topic of "air based combat" you should give Monster Hunter's Valstrax theme a go.

[@aghostofrazgriz5137]

Combat Flight Sim 3, Battle For Europe. That was a PC game tho, Ace Combat was a Console Exclusive. CFS3 was my FIRST flight game ever as a kid.

[@justinvenable917]

The first female solo is a leitmotif that repeats through many of the other songs on the OST. The flamenco shows up on other tracks as well. The game contains some Western, jousting and dueling ideas.

[@TheRealArtimusKnight]

“We’ll start over from Zero with this V2.”

[@Nerim89]

every time i find someone reacting to ace combat music fall in love with it. but also find kinda suspicious everyone forget Infinity blue sky.... but still Arigato Kobayashi-San!