Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - A Brief Review (2019)

[@SkillUp]

Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed the video, be sure to hit the like and subscribe buttons, and if you REALLY liked the video, consider supporting me on Patreon. You get a fancy script every time I do one of my big 'The Review' reviews: www.patreon.com/skillupyt

[@HanzsKlopek]

Don't know about you guys in Australia but the rest of the World now lives in 2019 ;)

[@deroxxa6218]

I got some newfound respect for you, Skill Up! Although I do recommend that you do look deeper into the story, ain't trying to be rude as this typical for new players but seriously dude, you need to learn more about the story.

[@IrrelevantPlease]

Thank you for bringing more attention to this series :)

[@southendbusker7534]

those clouds though !

[@TerraExodus]

Did they keep in mid air refueling and carrier landings?

[@nautdead3197]

"There are two control type one is the real one and the other is for journalists from polygon" lmao

[@VulturePilot]

Nautdead and ign, they complained about being ‘forced’ to use the expert control scheme in vr

[@ismathem]

Lol. Good one.

[@afrog2666]

@@VulturePilot Can`t spell ignorant without ign..

[@Emanouche]

Loved that quote, lol

[@LupusAries]

And yet they still can't hack it and call it a "Dark Souls of......." I wonder what would happen if you dropped those Hamburgers in DCS or Falcon? When they'd found out that Dark Souls has a grumpy Granddad? HRRHRRR........the mental image is rather entertaining.

[@badmoth242xl3]

Tip for avoiding missiles that works on literally every difficulty: when you have a missile on you, watch the radar in the corner of your screen to see where the missiles are relative to you, when they are about to hit, quickly initiate a high g turn pulling up. In fact, sometimes all you need to do is just pull up or change direction quickly, not fly in circles. -series vet

[@Slender_Man_186]

Yup, just make yourself perpendicular to the missile’s flightpath and you should be good... *unless it’s a QAAM straight outta hell, then you should get ready to have that thing dancing around you.*

[@johnsoapmactavish9921]

yea going around in circles leads to being constantly locked on. Especially in multiplayer

[@JoseT2705]

@@Slender_Man_186 *Laughs in PSM maneuvers*

[@Slender_Man_186]

@@JoseT2705 that requires going below 500mph, which makes you a flat out easy target for just about anything, especially HPAAs though.

[@JoseT2705]

@@Slender_Man_186 I mean, when your opponent goes to the side, just psm to get him back and shoot him.

[@SystemBD]

A reviewer that is willing to go outside his comfort zone to see what others find interesting in a game, is a reviewer I respect. Kudos to you, sir!

[@TrevCCook]

System BD You could almost say he went outside his comfort zone and into the... DANGER ZONE.

[@EmpReb]

I thought the game would be forgoten by him and others with RE2 coming but no HE did the MAD MAN DID IT.

[@AdamCKA]

He obviously has no desire to see what people who play real flight sims find interesting about them. This is not a sim no matter how many times he calls it that.

[@Killatomate85]

"this is not a dumb game" IRL radar guided SAM missiles are not stopped by "cloud cover". this is a dumb game. play some real sims.

[@JNR22B]

Gooone outside his COMFORT ZONE!

[@654jimbob654]

"Top Gun crossed with Metal Gear" is perhaps the best way to describe the Ace Combat series. The gameplay and level design necessitates a methodical and strategic approach, but you'll quickly get to grips with it and find yourself having a load of fun. Then there's the stories; Ace Combat has surprisingly rich lore and loads of interesting characters and factions, which does a great job of contextualising what you're doing and why.

[@jesterknight3837]

Top gun suck

[@Andrehot20]

@Sparks HE PLAYED US LIKE A DAMN FIDDLE!!!

[@SalinaMoonfall]

Metal Gear type game also applies cause sometimes the story goes a little...sideways, in the best most anime ways possible, but the moment you're flying along having a normal mission and then suddenly dodging a giant laser beam your world will change forever.

[@znspyder]

@Sparks that's AC3

[@ImmaLittlePip]

Unless we're talking about ace combat 3 then it's matrix meets ghost in the shell meets top gun

[@sitchreapotere1073]

"They say the Belkans are known for their conspiracies." Well gee, that's the understatement of the century *Cough* Ace Combat 5 *Cough*

[@ayubsalim1303]

(shrugs in Tabloid) 'That's just a stereotype.'

[@thomasloyal4525]

@@ayubsalim1303 sees huge belkan super weapons over head ... Sure it's just a coincidence

[@gratuitouslurking8610]

It's not like they nuked themselves that one time. Seven times. At once.

[@AceCombatFan]

It is so refreshing to see a nugget (as we call 'new players') try an Ace Combat game for the first time or re-discover the series after years! Glad you have enjoyed the game and thanks for the review! In terms of the story (I was quite surprised to be featured for that bit!), I can understand how it may be overwhelming to learn about the fictional countries and all, but there's a lot of lore available to those who want to go deep into the history. That's one of the things I love about Ace Combat, you can play for the gameplay, the story or BOTH! :D

[@ThyRodman]

ACF, ya made it!!! 🍾😁

[@kasmidjan]

you re here to good flight pilot

[@markpengell23]

I’ve been a fan since launch and I’m a little disappointed. The monologues and technical inaccuracies are a little frustrating considering the pedigree and technical knowledge acquired during the games history. The gameplay like you say is still slick but I’ve played a good 15 hours and I’m finding it very linear and old. Good stuff from project aces but their capable of much more.

[@Solon_The_Lich]

I got into the series with Ace Combat Infinity, and loved it

[@kyleedwards453]

Last Ace Combat I played was belkan wars and I still have no idea what the story was about. But I fucking loved it

[@Sorain1]

You know, the best thing about this review is the fact you are a total newbie to the series (effectively) and you handled a game who's core game loop you didn't really like with aplomb. Your ability to appreciate good design even if you do not like it is both remarkable and why your work is so important. It's what separates you from a lot of reviewers who simply can't separate their personal enjoyment of a game from their judgement of the quality of said game. It gives you a versatility and broad knowledge of games of many kinds that few reviewers can match. Good on you man, your work deserves the praise it gets.

[@ForgedHorizons]

I'm a total newcomer to Ace Combat. The most flight focused game I've played in the past 5 years was GTA V where I grew to be a really good pilot. I just started playing the game today and fell in love with it. I'm currently on mission 6 or so and there's literally nothing I have to complain about, other than my controller not being a HOTAS. Which I just changed with an amazon order 15 minutes ago. Now I'm gonna play Sekiro until that arrives on monday. Then I'm probably gonna pick up Elite Dangerous so I can tell myself that I definitely didn't buy a HOTAS for just 1 game.

[@Rex73777]

@@ForgedHorizons Don't worry I spend $300 on AceCombat collectors edition back on the PS2. The hotas would not work with PC or any other game. Was worth every penny.

[@patrickgutmann6563]

@@ForgedHorizons it was exactly the same way for me! I switched from gtav to ace combat and flying feels so much more satisfying to the point that I can't really enjoy flying in gta anymorr

[@Blaze6108]

The thing that surprised me the most about new players getting into AC7 (including, ahem, some reviewers) is how the special weapons system and listening to the briefings seems to be considered an unusual or a unique feature. Then if you think about it, it's less surprising because so many games today just eschew strategy all together unless they are explicitly strategy games, and thus don't require you to pay attention to briefings or be mindful in your weapon selection. Which I guess is why I like Ace Combat as a series. It is at the same time an action game and a strategy game, and it's awesome. btw LASM is for sissies, get on my level and drop SFFS on every ship from point blank (jk but not too much)

[@fudalefu1]

I came here after watching the shitty disingenuous IGN review. And, very well said.

[@thehavoccompany-a3]

BTW, the thing with the story feeling a bit disconnected from you, the pilot, is a theme of like half the Ace Combat games. AC04, Ace Combat Zero (there is a bit more focus on Pixy than you, Cipher, imo) and Ace Combat 6 are like that. The reason for that is because Ace Combat has, for the most part, always been a story about the effect of wars themselves and the people that take part in them. Ace Combat 04 is my personal favorite because the story cutscenes almost completely avoid Mobius One (you) all together, focusing more on a child that ended up befriending and forming a relationship with Yellow Squadron, particularly their leader Yellow 13, who were the very enemies you were fighting as Mobius One (still best Ace in the series, fight me). Ace Combat games have always been about showing that even the enemies we shoot down are not generic bad guys, not nameless enemies. It's to say that war is never truly black and white. Some of the games in the series have done it worse than others *cough* Ace Combat 6 *cough* , but that has been the running theme since Ace Combat 3 and Ace Combat 04. It may seem generic in this day and age, but it was the kind of stuff no one else really did in video games a decade and a half ago outside of Metal Gear, and it takes being a long time fan of the series to appreciate it.

[@logangagnepain7154]

You are completely right... except about 1 game: Ace Combat 5. The focus on that game is purely the group you foster and the bad guys are like.... super bad. Maybe not the Yukes but definitely the Belkans which encompass half the game

[@Alan69696]

After seeing all of the AC4 references and little things from it, AC4 was my first Ace Combat game I ever played back in 2010, I swear I have like, maybe 1000 hours on it, I freaking LOVED it, I was an Air Force brat, grew up around pilots and crew, my stepdad was an Airmen himself, well, he did refueling and taught some people and some other stuff, I watched planes take off and land, bombers, fighters, and some I’d never see up close if it wasn’t for him. After my mom got divorced, AC4 was a game I looked up to, sure my pops was an ass, but the memories I made will last me my lifetime, and all the hundreds of hours I spent perfecting the game and breaking my own records and really just beating it over and over again to relive innocent, peaceful childhood memories and remember it, the story of AC4 is so beautiful, so captivating and made me cry at the ending. When I saw AC7 out, I didn’t care for catching up on 5 or 6, or any really, I just knew I had to get it, to relive that, the memories, the grieving (for my family’s separation, pops didn’t die lol), and all of those emotions, and it did just that, the story, the references, STONEHENGE OMFG WHEN I SAW THAT MISSION TITLE I CRIED THROUGH MY NIPS, it’s like going back to your childhood school playground or back to your hometown after a decade, I teared up man, and it just FEELS like AC4 to me for some reason, it just does, like this game is a tribute to it, and I can’t describe enough but as that. 10000000/10 would play again. I already have like 40 hours on it after a week, gotta remind myself to take breaks and get back to life lmao.

[@newnamesameperson397]

@@logangagnepain7154 belkans did nothing wrong

[@KenNakajima07]

Scarface1 to mobius1; well said, man!

[@SniperCR39]

I agree with you for the most part, but I favor AC 5 just a bit more. And I think Yellow 13 was the best Ace of them all. I remember honestly not wanting to actually beat him because I felt he was more honorable and I had more respect for him than I did Mobius (Myself) by the end of his story. Still feel bad about that to this day... Damn 😞

[@nicaandrei4965]

His name is Mihaly Dumitru Margarela Corneliu Leopold Blanca Karol Aean Ignatius Raphael Maria Nikelas A Shilage

[@colemantrebor1610]

Nica Andrei *his real name

[@npc6817]

What a coincidence! My bame is also Mihaly Dumitru Margarela Corneliu Leopold Blanca Karol Aean Ignatius Raphael Maria Nikelas A.Shilage!

[@sinner506]

@@npc6817 I feel like they done that on purpose. Got too many Jugemu Jugemu vibes

[@rezendeiiz.knight1084]

@@sinner506 they know what they doing

[@joearnold6881]

You’re not a good game-talker-person. You said the game was difficult. You’re supposed to say “Dark Souls” when you do that. Amateur!!

[@AvroBellow]

Dark Souls? You should try Ghosts'n'Goblins. That game is so hard that I'm sure people have jumped off of buildings in frustration. LOL

[@RRGreiner]

Flight souls?

[@tryomama]

Try Dota 2

[@mariofan1ish]

THE DARK SOULS OF FLIGHT SIMS

[@gedielvignochi7853]

don't get why ppl keep saying this, dark souls isn't that hard. not even near what a HARD/almost imposible game is.

[@cozzy4447]

As a veteran of the franchise can I say how well Bandai have captured the feel of the old school games in ace combat 7 it’s truly fantastic and with the updated visuals and details like rain on screen or ice forming as you fly through the clouds and turbulence is such a great addition and makes the game so much more immersive the one major flaw in this game though is the lack of other modes multiplayer while fun just isn’t that great

[@acynicalasian]

What we could do for replayability is to ask for a "True Ace" mode where the game is OHK missiles again. That would be hell, but it would probably be the most fulfilling challenge I've ever faced in the 15 years I've played the series. It would actually be fair, unlike some of the missions on Ace mode in Ace Combat X.

[@tehfoxxy9630]

"Very few franchise lasted that long" *Cries in Armored Core*

[@dasji2]

Someday man, Someday you will get a resurgence like us Ace combat fans

[@tehfoxxy9630]

@@dasji2 The thing is that From seems to be far too busy with the type of game that put them on the map (the souls like) compared to the Ace Combat Devs. There is a switch game coming from the producer who left From Software that is basically a less grimy version of AC but nothing from the actual devs... here's hoping that one of the two unannounced games that they are developing is AC6

[@TheRedRaven_]

Where you been? FromSoftware already hinted at a new Armored Core game for a while now. They said they’re putting Souls game on a hold.

[@Getz2oo3]

@@tehfoxxy9630 Probably would be easier for From Software to justify it had AC5 done better than it did. A lot of my friends were very unhappy with the direction they took AC with that one. I never played it though, so I can't really comment or speculate. Last Armored Core I played was AC4.

[@cmdrfokker]

Man, Ace Combat and Armored Core were both my jam in the PS1 days, I was always so sad that Armored Core never quite managed to excel during the PS3/360 years. If Armored Core does come back, I will be there Day Fucking 1, just like I am with Ace Combat 7 tonight.

[@ark14700]

Meanwhile at IGN... "Where's muh objective markers and tutorials?"

[@akmal94ibrahim]

"... that I skipped because I find it boring."

[@fadhilnugraha195]

"....the story is too hard to follow."

[@ryanpayne9119]

You know what? Just killing everything works. Good luck actually doing that in time, though...

[@Foundprodigal]

Lots of water though

[@maximaldinotrap]

Meanwhile in the minds of veteran Ace Combat Players: Oh well, time to S rank Ace difficulty

[@Jovian999]

There's a bit of an art to avoiding missiles in Ace Combat. If you just go in circles you're going to suffer lock after lock, which is okay when dogfighting but doesn't get much pressure off if you're trying to do something else. You can move up and down or side to side to evade without changing your overall direction, but you can also straight outthrottle incoming missiles if you put your foot down (depending on your craft), use flares, or turn sharply once has gotten quite close (AC7 indicates this very effectively) because it can't fully adjust to your orientation by then. As you stated though, it's certainly a good idea to clear out the things firing those missiles, if you can spare the time.

[@lolmeme69_]

Best way to dodge missiles is to do a combo of all of them.

[@ElzariusUnity]

I used to spin against my axis in the 3rd game. It actually worked

[@Slender_Man_186]

It’s all about pitching and rolling at the same time, in the right direction, while finding the right balance between pitch and roll that will allow you to avoid the missile... *Or you can fly a MIG-31 with maxed out speed and outrun everything.*

[@sbastianbrilyanto4722]

i always find that finding the right timing and do a heavy turn is the most effective way

[@JohnDoe-ug3su]

I just wait till the sound cue sounds urgent and bank

[@willworkforfood7028]

"You actually need to listen and thinking is critical" Modern gamers in a nutshell.

[@doomerrose7509]

Except it's kinda 100% not that anymore.

[@baitposter]

An apt description for ancient CRPGs

[@dudestep]

Been playing a lot of retro games lately and it's crazy how much more you have to engage with the systems and mechanics compared to modern "map clearers" like Ghost of Tsushima. I like a lot of new games too but it's sad to see that something has been lost. At least there are some games like Botw and Prey that have deep gameplay but also arent too difficult so that players that dont want to fully engage can still have a good time.

[@FDALl-ms5kg]

@@dudestep yeah, though theres are certainly worse offenders... C O U G H ubisoft C O U G H

[@cheeseman350]

You worked so hard to keep from saying it makes you feel like spiderman. Well done.

[@jakewolf079]

I am blown away how good this reviewer is, he is willing to learn, adapt, understand and appreciate the game's design even though this is a far cry from the types of games he is used to playing. Average polygon reviewers would have quit long ago and slams it a 5/10 for being too hard. This is the type of review we need in this industry, not those plagiarizing IGN shitheads.

[@EnDianNeo]

Learn. Adapt. Overcome.

[@residenthazard5]

Ace Combat games have been power fantasy done right since the olden days really. Even with the borderline cringe dialogues, wonky plot lines, seemingly corny/ odd villain motivations, all of it pales in comparison when you land a killing blow on either another "Ace pilot" or monolithic enemies. The little touches from your partner characters like "Yo buddy, ya still alive?" and the like or even the aforementioned corny dialogues like AWACS or other characters praising you taking down said monolithic installation/ air fortress makes every game memorable in its own right. The fact that the strangereal lore has been kept intact and plays the causality in so many character conflicts made this particular game feel more intimate to long time fans, and I gotta say, they really outdid themselves with the soundtrack and set pieces in this one.

[@ryanpayne9119]

To be fair, the games were originally written in Japanese, so something probably got lost in translation.

[@MarioMonte13]

@@ryanpayne9119 I expect so after listening to the speech from Mihaly's granddaughter near the end of the game.

[@Winasaurus]

I just played it the other day, and I personally love the mid-mission corny dialogue. Maybe I have been overexposed to boring, generic "Ramirez, defend Burger Town!"-tier dialogue that even the slightest change makes me happy, but it was good fun. I love that pretty much the last 2/3 of the game people are treating Trigger like a god over radio, which is corny as hell but that's what I went into the game for. A corny, arcadey, air battle game. I think what really sells it is Mission 19 where all the enemy Erusean pilots are like "Triggers on our side? That's the best news I've heard yet!" Which really sells you as your sides Mr. X. I skipped the cutscenes since I didn't care for the story at large, since most of it needs some external context. Like UAVs and Railguns and Arsenal Bird are treated like everyday finds, when to me these are all wonder technology that must have been explained in a previous game. But you don't need the cutscenes to get what's vaguely going on. Some of the missions are real scumbags though. Flying through tunnels and up the space elevator was hella hard cause I had a super wide plane. And the ones that are like [4 Air TGT] [113 Ground TGT], so you bring the A-10 and suddenly "A swarm of enemy drones have turned up, deal with them Spare 15!" I remember destroying every bomber before they took off and there was even a special radio call, so I spent the rest of my missiles on bridges and towers and SAMs to save my bombs, and then air targets appear and I only beat the mission by dying which restocks the ammo. I feel like it should not lie so much. Or maybe have it say the true numbers the second time you play the mission.

[@gracecalis5421]

@@Winasaurus To be fair, any and everytime unexpected shit pops up in the 2nd half of a mission, the briefings always gives you a heads up on it. Like in Long Day, when the UAVs pop up, they did ask you to bring a plane that can perform in a dogfight. That's why multiroles are so good in this game.

[@raindrain1]

@@Winasaurus Little detail I loved, actually: The Eruseans don't know your callsign is Trigger, so they don't call you that- they call you Three Strikes, your nickname that emerged from the decal on your stabilizers. Just like Mihaly/Archange is only known to the Oseans as "Mister X".

[@BubbleShield570]

You know you're an Ace Combat lover when you don't get annoyed by the missile alert sound but you instead get chills and goosebumps.

[@nfsfanAndrew]

Never heard of this game before. And never played anything like it. Picked it up after watching your review. Thoroughly enjoyed it and still do.

[@Lewdology]

Only Belkans would dislike this video.

[@xStevenLRx]

7 times.

[@Commissar_Crowe]

Not enough Angels Dancing

[@nhan27.]

Yaro Pixy did nothing wrong

[@557deadpool]

@@nhan27. he did one thing wrong, he fucked over Cipher

[@principalityofbelka6310]

Umm no actually we like this video

[@arthuryu8298]

The thing with your character not mattering in the story up until half-way or later in the game is simply because the story is setting up. Generally in Ace Combat, you are not the chosen one nor are you this super ace. You are a rising star sort of pilot and nobody really cares for you outside of surviving the first few fights you were in and getting higher than average kill counts. You start mattering near the middle or end because this is when people start realizing you are serious business and are worthy of note which I find to be pretty cool. Maybe it feels awkward because it's meant to be? Though it can be jarring if you think you are integrated immediately. I mean it's supposed to be a case of an outsider working his way into these people's lives.

[@gracecalis5421]

Honestly I loved how you were looked down on as the rookie and then you build your way up. Suddenly people start calling you "Three Stripes" and everyone gets a boost of morale whenever you fly overhead. I love that

[@pirateFinn]

I think this aspect isn't explored enough, but wouldn't have been unless he also played 4, 5 and Zero again. Because it is definitely a strong theme in the games and I love them for it, it makes you feel recognised for your efforts.

[@saheliumd7182]

arthur yu I think AC5 had the best player involvement, just the simple YES/NO/NO REPLY made me feel like part of the radio chatter.

[@lolroflroflcakes]

"Oh god its the ribbon"

[@vivisiow7214]

arthur yu this is what I like about the game. :x Working my way up,then having people say *oh shit this pilot is after me run!*

[@TheChrisLouis]

The difference between your reviews and major outlet reviews is that we can tell you actually enjoy what you are doing and not scraping something together to hit a deadline. The insight you put into each review is awesome and appreciated my man! Keep up the great work.

[@HCUhardcoreUnited]

Bite the bullet and bought it yesterday. I played it for 5hrs straight last night, and pretty much all night today. Wow wasn't expecting that. I like this game.

[@Mobius08]

Lots of Ace Combat 4 music here, nice choices. 2:40 Stardust 4:25 The Hangar 6:01 ISAF 7:03 Blockade 12:54 Gateway 14:40 Lifeline

[@TacticalBaguette]

04 had awesome music. Even the lesser-liked songs are still good (Tango Line is a good example)

[@ryanpayne9119]

@Matthew Brian E. Montalbo F-14D with XAAM. Pick your plane already.

[@danielreshef5299]

Ryan Payne I’ll take that fight. AC04 F-15 ACTIVE with XMAA. You’re doneskis.

[@Acecombatrules59]

Ac4 has one of the best OSTs compared to ace combats.

[@TerkoizRHG]

Zero and First Flight for me

[@plendo8263]

Am always amazed at how well constructed and presented your reviews are, regardless of what game you are reviewing, each and every video is special and I just wanted to say that you are one of the finest of your craft. Won’t buy half the games you review but still watch regardless, keep up the amazing work and I hope that 2019 is the best year for you yet.

[@SkillUp]

Cheers mate :)

[@dustinallan3362]

Same

[@smallzttv6003]

Preach

[@Jimmychilled]

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, had an amazing story line and character development, It actually brought me to tears during one mission. i was legit sad when i got to the end of the game.

[@strikefreedomx2671]

SuperChilled let me guess, Journey Hone?

[@solidtone5784]

Salute to Alvin "Chopper" Davenport *7

[@ryanpayne9119]

"You see anywhere I can drop this plane?" (Looks at giant forest) (Looks at massive river) "The stadium."

[@Valleyraven007]

@Dominic Romani zero is way more anime than 5 lmao

[@lilchad-ig1oj]

Rip Chopper

[@tarnished439]

To be fair, the ace combat fanbase is actually pretty nice and decent when compared to other games, rarely do i see a group that is pretty chill with comments etc

[@Hy93Ri0n]

Adam Jenkins it's simple, we know how small we are and we're desperate to keep the franchise going, and the way to do that is to get more people into your games. And well, ya catch more flies with honey

[@Aereto]

A big difference from more hardcore flight simulators.

[@BestShifty]

For anyone watching / playing the game: If you hold the target button (Y on xbox or triangle on ps controler) your camera will lock onto the targeted enemy and in third person you´ll see your plane aswell as your target, which gives you a way better feeling for the combat and your positioning. Just watch out for the ground in hectic combat situations. Also you can spot incoming missiles on the radar or with the target chase cam you can see their trails. only dodging when needed at the last moment is a key part of the learning curve. Besides that holding accelerate and decelerate at the same time results in a way tighter turn radius while loosing speed rapidly. Mastering these two things is key to having loads of fun in this game.

[@JosephF.]

Another thing I really loved about the game (it's my first Ace Combat game) that you didn't mention is just the grand scale of it all. There's really no other games I know of that do a better job of making you feel like you're actually in a war. Whizzing over battles taking place between ground troops and seeing massive explosions erupt on the ground below, while troops advance along a road is kind of magical. Especially given that your interventions in their battles cause friendly troops to continue, and there's even contextual radio chatter, where the ground troops will thank you for saving them. Between that, and the story being told as two parallel stories, no game before has ever really filled me with as much awe at the scale of things as Ace Combat. It really makes me wish they built a multiplayer mode capitalising on that, or had a free mode where you could fight in these massive battles on completed campaign maps. It's really something else. The large cities are also just a joy to fly through, even on free flight mode.

[@TacticalBaguette]

Ace Combat 6 did this very well, it even had mini operations within missions that added to your score if you accomplished it

[@TOGSolid]

As one of those old fans of the series you talked about at the beginning, I couldn't help but get a chuckle at the MISSILE MISSILE MISSILE part. It's definitely quite the hurdle to overcome for newcomers to the franchise but much like how you talked about learning the ins and outs of the rest of the difficulty associated with the series, eventually you just learn to tune those warnings out. They become as irrelevant as a fruit-fly buzzing in your ear as you pounce from target to target to target like a ravenous animal. With experience those MISSILE warnings are just an indicator you're doing something right and you learn to achieve your objectives and hunt targets while effortlessly dodging all those heat seeking nuisances. I'm a big fan of Devil May Cry and Ace Combat scratches a similar itch. As you figure the game out, what once was an aggravation becomes just fodder as you slice through your opponents in harder and harder difficulties. Only instead of SSS combos, you're evading missiles like they're nothing while becoming a portable No Fly Zone. Thank you Skill Up for continually provide really well made, insightful, honest videos. You're a bastion of awesomeness in a sea of terrible games journalism.

[@Aereto]

When I hear the missile warning, I glance at the radar to know the direction and speed. Then I make a direction change just enough to dodge the missile and go to the direction intended after evasions.

[@airbornefilip9139]

Using HCAA with Typhoon during mission where you took Farbanti was so satifying. 8AGM is sick in that mission with all those land targets. But running into those 30ish plans on the southeast with HCAA? Just *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop* *plopplop*. All enemy planes down. Any enemy that shot a missile at me was focused and shot down in an instant. It reminded me there is someone around me.

[@Bluesachwill]

cool review of the review sir

[@Blacksmith__]

Here's the secret to dodging missiles in Ace Combat without just flying like a spaz: See the radar in the bottom left? It shows you all the missiles coming at you. All you need to do is see the angle they're coming from, and then point yourself close to perpendicular to that angle as it approaches. The only time you should jerk on the stick and corkscrew is when there's missiles coming from multiple opposing directions.

[@SkillUp]

Yeah I did find this out, but there are SOOO many instances where you are just spammed with missiles that flying erratically is required :(

[@KoyomiHiroyuki]

@@SkillUp You also have missile counter measures as well. The words FLR can help.

[@pinionification]

@@SkillUp Based on what you said in this review, I have a suspicion you ended up focusing on the main objectives a little too hard. You took great note of how the levels are big puzzles to solve, but not managing your time to thin the herd is like building that puzzle from the center out instead of starting at the edges.

[@Metsudo82]

@@EchotheAndroidNeko Does AC7 even model doppler radar though? I don't recall the older ones doing so IIRC.

[@EchotheAndroidNeko]

@@Metsudo82 No idea,. Probably not, so notching wouldn't apply. A better (and incredibly similar) thing to do would be to go abeam. A better question would be does Ace Combat implement both passive and active guided munitions to a reasonable extent?

[@RushFX]

Ace combat 5 was the first serious console game I ever played. The Unsung War's story and music hit me right in the feels.

[@RazielTheUnborn]

Ace Zero for me. When Pixie kills your new newb wingman and then you gotta take out pixie.

[@Josh-ql2mb]

@@RazielTheUnborn Damn you Pixy! PJ was innocent you bastard! I tried so hard to not get Pixy to bail on me. Was mad when he did the first time. Loved that game. Killed every secret Ace to get all the different paint schemes and enjoyed replaying it in new difficulties and using different strategies... Yo buddy, still alive?

[@RazielTheUnborn]

@@Josh-ql2mb That Zero track is sublime when fighting Pixy

[@gabrielfiol2311]

You only need one missile to take out ground targets such as SAMs and AA guns. Only pill boxes need 2 missiles. Being frugal with missiles matters when you are going for an S ranking on missions

[@Aereto]

Don't forget tanks. 2 for any tank, 1 for helicopters. 3 for large aircraft.

[@acynicalasian]

@@tfkcrazed7936 Incorrect. Tanks, most aircraft, Tu-95, AD tanks: 2 missiles Practically any non-tank ground target including APCs: 1 missiles A-10C, MiG-31B, platform cores, destroyers, frigates: 3 These things, I'm quite sure about. Some things I'm not positive about: Sol Squadron: 3 Tu-160: 4? Aegis, cruisers: 4-5? Carriers: 6? This is gleaned from a complete Normal mode playthrough on PC and halfway through a Hard mode playthrough. Granted, some data may not apply to certain players since I use the missile power-up part.

[@acynicalasian]

@@tfkcrazed7936 And I'm saying you're incorrect despite somehow having 3 playthroughs to figure out this basic knowledge. If a tank typically takes 2 hits to destroy even with buffed missiles, how in the world is it going to be destroyed by one standard missile? And how in the world is an APC 2 hits? It's always been 1 hit since AC04, I think.

[@Bengals6211]

AA guns can also shoot down the incoming missile if they've managed to get it in their firing line. Similar to CIWS on the naval vessels.

[@alexanderzippel8809]

@@acynicalasian cores are 2 missiles if I remember correctly (or atleast when their strength is boosted)

[@SorcererAC0]

14:00 “I met him above this very sky. I can still hear the sound of the missile alerts from that day.”

[@HexPLAYSPlus]

BUY THIS GAME Support hard work and good developers!

[@salokin3087]

As a massive fan of the ps2 games, I've waited long for this day!

[@TheRibbonRed]

Oh hi Salokin. I expect a more in depth one from you. :>

[@kc9937]

Same, the last installment was so disappointing.

[@salokin3087]

@@TheRibbonRed ehhh

[@timothygsmith826]

Shattered Skies was my childhood. Just hearing the music in the background of this video made me giddy

[@TheRibbonRed]

@@salokin3087 since you said you were a fan, it has to be. :>

[@harryminh8689]

Start video 1:34 later Danger zone starts Likes video

[@94tegLSatMSC]

Straight FACTS

[@miata100]

The graphics. The characters and dialogue. Soundtrack. Everything is great about this game

[@FreedomIII]

Having played these games from the PS2 era, I really appreciate the perspective you bring. The missions not having checkpoints was something I had just gotten used to, the puzzle-like elements of missions something I had become blind to, and keying in to the radio chatter just something I did. Thank you for bringing these elements out. Also, there's a fan-boy part of me that adores the fact that you used tracks of Ace Combat 5 throughout (did I miss any others?)

[@carteljameson8395]

The only people who will love the story are the people who are invested in the history of its world. Which would be me. It's one of the few game franchises I've played that is full of cheesiness while still saying something real about war. Can't wait to play this. Good review.

[@TheAustin007powers]

Cartel Jameson I wouldn’t say that, each entry is mostly standalone, your comment may dismay newcomers from buying AC7.

[@carteljameson8395]

@@TheAustin007powers My comment ain't doing shit. People came here to hear his opinion, not mine. Regardless, I never said that every game led into the other. But they all do take place in the same universe. And you have to be invested in said universe to love the story. It doesn't mean newcomers can't like the story. And it also doesn't mean they can't become invested in the history of Ace Combat's world by playing AC7. I never said anyone had to play the other games. It just depends on whether they're willing to be invested in the world of Ace Combat. Some people won't give a shit. Some might. Either way, my comment won't deter anyone because they didn't come watch this video to go to the comment section and see what I had to say.

[@adlibbed2138]

@@TheAustin007powers then you obviously pretend that Assault Horizon didn't happen?

[@23GreyFox]

@@adlibbed2138 It didn't. End of story!

[@23GreyFox]

@@carteljameson8395 I played a few AC games but the only thing i can remember is "Belkan is evil bla bla".

[@TheRuinsfate]

As one of the 'long standing Ace Combat fan' community, the appeal is that the games are realistic enough to make you feel like a skilled pilot while being accessible and arcadey enough to be seriously fun with greatly executed controls and graphics, while offering quality missions, beautiful planes and deeply satisfying, engaging story (except Assault Horizon, that game sucked badly, Tom Clancy rip off), and then on top you do amazingly bullshit stuff like take on flying aircraft carriers and fly down a train tunnel. That's the appeal. (It also helps that 7 is going back to the Srangereal setting of 4, 5, Zero and some of the PSP titles that we're actually really invested in) -Edit- On top of that, what you said about mission layouts and tactical approaches etc is very correct, it makes successful completion extremely satisfying and memorable. :)

[@spade3779]

TheRuinsfate Assault horizon was a LISTEN TO THE MAIN CHARACTER CONSTANTLY BREATH AND WHEEZE AS IF HE HAS TUBERCULOSIS simulator

[@pinionification]

ASSault Horizon wasn't a Tom Clancy ripoff, that was HAWX. AH was a straight-up stupid attempt at getting CoD fans.

[@spikehimura]

Stop reading my mind!!

[@TheRuinsfate]

@@pinionification Also true.

[@MrGamer4Fun]

Don't forget the beautifully crafted and epic Soundtracks each installment provides

[@Ser-Smiley]

This. This is how you review a game. By actually taking the time to PLAY the damn game PROPERLY! Well done Skill Up.

[@kyleJohn1997]

Then you have IGN

[@Ser-Smiley]

@@kyleJohn1997 IGN = Pretentious Pricks 😃

[@invertedv12powerhouse77]

People who make rage reviews when they only played 2 hours (well some games its well deserved)

[@laxku]

Great review, but there are definitely checkpoints in the mission. Usually only one, sometime two for really long missions. They usually trigger when you complete your primary objective, and then something else happens (enemy reinforcements show up, etc). A little notification even pops up in the top corner of the screen letting you know.

[@alyeanna]

I love you Skillup because ... well literally just because you go out there and actually find those hidden gems. You find the great games that should be flooding the industry. For that, I am forever thankful

[@JanitorScruffy]

If you think the guy playing Doom was bad, you should watch IGN play Metro Exodus. It gave me cancer.

[@SkillUp]

Same

[@airbornefilip9139]

Had to check it out now. Damn you.

[@bigballzmcdrawz2921]

Just Cancer?

[@redbull1597]

Same here!!!!!

[@bobbyb6053]

Why would you want our boy Skillup to get cancer?!? We need him, don't send him to watch cancerous stuff!!

[@Bonnythebest1]

Hearing that early sentence of yours "I thought that the series was just dumb arcady fighter jet game" hurt me so much. It's a crime that this series isn't more recognized just because everyone thinks is a flight simulator. I hate flight sims but AC is one of my favourite franchises ever. Ace Combat is so much more than dumb arcady fun.

[@RedHornSSS]

Yeah, its more of a flight action/arcade than a flight simulator

[@DivinityOfBLaze]

Funnily enough I'd love something like IL-2 Sturmovik but with modern planes. So for me I got the opposite effect of "Hell yeah its inbetween flight sim and arcadey stuff" and I got massively let down. But it does seem like a good game, I'd imagine you need the right mindset for sure.

[@sacrificialrook6283]

@@DivinityOfBLaze I'd say catch it on sale if you can. It's sim combat as the rules of dogfighting still apply, with the arcadeyness being in simplified controls. For me, it's a decent balance of being able to aggressively pursue targets realistically enough, without the distraction of fiddly bits like flap setting and the like.

[@side-fish]

It’s not dumb, but it is arcady. I mean that part where he launched 7 missiles on 7 targets, that’s just immersion breaking. The VR thing though is cool.

[@AdamCKA]

Haha Ace Combat isn't a flight sim, not even close. Having realistic looking aircraft is NOT a sim. Looks like it could be fun though.

[@Aussie-boi]

Thanks for the honest review. Its It's unbelievably refreshing to see someone who might not have enjoyed the story but enjoyed other parts of the game.

[@Burkutace27]

14:56 To be fair, one of the cardinal rules of air combat is "don't fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds."

[@Sinorras]

much like monster hunter, normies ignore a great franchise untlil they get blindsided by a hype game

[@vivisiow7214]

Rly? I ended up playing both even tho I don’t play games...uh.much now.Waitcanievenbecalledanormieifiplayloadsofgames?

[@MrDamning]

@@vivisiow7214 No you aint a normie. You a gamer

[@npc6817]

I only played 6 because the ost was killer, and I have never been as pleasantly surprised as then.

[@anonymousanonymity2815]

Ac fan from back in 2011 when I discovered ac4 in a retro store and bought it, I was like 10 or something. Hooked in like 40 minutes

[@KyuutoFoxFX]

I just got the game around late November, early December. So as a Newcomer to the Series I knew of this game's existence, and after recently watching Top Gun I decided to buy this game.

[@yeastori]

I spent an entire night playing AC5 and being extremely anxious over a certain escape mission where you have no weapons and being chased by your own allies. Shit was amazing

[@pinionification]

In the goddamn training planes of all things. That was my favorite mission.

[@cesarlacome9383]

Pops is a good pilot and a great man, it takes a lot to say "fuck you" when your country orders you to "bomb" a city.

[@joshuafrahm8778]

I cant wait to play the remastered AC5, once I'm done with 7's campaign

[@Sandylamouette82]

Joshua Frahm ported is more like it. Remaster is a rather big word for what they did.

[@joshuafrahm8778]

Yeah, I played it the other day a little and noticed that. Still enjoyed it though.

[@tipsypirate8080]

Great review as always mate! You have a very good knack at concisely telling exactly what it is that makes things work or not, which not many other people have. Good job!

[@dumb5461]

Tipsy Pirate DID SOMEONE SAY KNACK

[@mikebaker2436]

Kudos for making it all the way through this review without calling it "The Dark Souls of Arcade Flight Simulators".

[@Sojoez]

Skill Up, you are my new favourite gaming youtuber. The depth in which you go to talk about the game (and the humor) reminds me of the golden age of videogame magazine journalism back in the early 2000's. It's just... Great content! :)

[@Reynevan100]

Now you MUST play Ace Combat Zero. PLAY IT!~PLAY IT!

[@anthonyspecf]

Ace Combat Zero might be my favorite game in the whole series.

[@dark9ightff775]

YES!!!!

[@Alex112286]

Yo buddy, you still alive?

[@XPlayerNo01]

Also AC5 before that.

[@davidcassidy602]

Ace Combat Zero delivers its moral payload surprisingly effectively, and at the same time super cheesily. I hope it gets the Ace Combat 5 treatment and comes to modern consoles.

[@raijin2950]

"His real name is Mihaly Dumitru Margareta Corneliu Loepols Blanca Karol Aeon Ignatius Raphael Maria Niketas a. Shilage"..........................................u wot m8?

[@davidcassidy602]

Must be a vampire. Vampires collect names like we collect stamps.

[@Miketo2000]

I'll just call him Lucy

[@pluesch.]

Just look up Otto von Habsburg. Shit like that is actually common if you're some kind of royalty.

[@MegaCityGhost]

@@pluesch. Franz Joseph Otto Robert Maria Anton Karl Max Heinrich Sixtus Xavier Felix Renatus Ludwig Gaetan Pius Ignatius von Habsburg bruh

[@rahvlanthal8583]

I really wonder how many takes the VA went through on that scene.

[@JOK3RProductionsTM]

"...looks like some oil tankers loaded with oil got away..."

[@CruelestChris]

All of the oil tankers loaded with cheese and sheep were destroyed in the initial bombing run.

[@EnDianNeo]

Would an oil tanker be an oil tanker if the oil tanker was tanking oil?

[@andrewzheng4038]

@@EnDianNeo how much oil could an oil tank tank if a oil tank could tank oil?

[@solidtone5784]

Why are there popping out of my radar?

[@ryanpayne9119]

@@andrewzheng4038Well, I blew it up with a missile, so its no longer an oil tank.

[@Triad_Orion]

I'm a long time Ace Combat fan myself, and frankly, I very much appreciated your review of this game. It's good to hear a review from someone who's a little more outside. I frankly appreciated the objectivity present here, especially in that you were not quick to dismiss the game, and with it, the franchise based on early or first impressions. The mission design and importance of the radio chatter were things I'm glad you covered in so much depth. And more than that, I appreciated the frank and fairly argued criticisms you had of the game: notably its difficulty (harder to notice to a series veteran who knows what to expect) and its story. Personally, I still loved the story for what it was, but there are still big issues that plague it: Skies Unknown's plot is serviceable at best for someone getting in, though not the most gripping, but many of its finer details become much more appreciable with intimate knowledge of the franchise, particularly of Ace Combat 5 and Ace Combat Zero. I wouldn't call this a strong point to its favor, to be clear. That the gravity of some of the things happening is lost to a franchise newcomer or someone who hasn't played in 15 years is a problem with it, and I feel like it was well within the game's capability to clarify itself or do more, it just didn't. The only argument I will dispute in your review on the story is the point of view: the split narrative is supposed to convey conflict on a scale beyond the tale of Trigger and the motley crews he happens to be with at any given time. While I understand for some that might not work, I feel like in a series like this one, with very strong anti-war undertones, a split narrative perspective matters in showing the effects of conflict on more than just the Big Hero of the whole thing. This is thematic throughout the franchise and was arguably best done in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, which deeply humanized both sides of the war, as well as civilians caught in the middle. Artistically speaking, I feel that the split narrative is worth keeping for giving you a rounder picture of the world the game takes place in.

[@IwieIlyas]

Just got home from work and wanted to start ace combat! what a great review !! ace combat is one of my favorite childhood games and i appreciate skill up to review a „niche“ game in comparison to other games! thank you skill up!

[@MrLehkim]

Just found out that I've been unsubscribed without my knowledge, beware fellow skilluppers

[@lukec.5656]

Morgan Le Guen I was also unsubscribed for whatever reason

[@ruairim7551]

Same here.

[@Plasmacat1]

I'm not getting notifications of uplaods even with bell icon

[@POLARISFPV]

#Me too

[@twodeeninja3279]

Same here. I missed months of uploads. :(

[@francesco8000]

Boring? You are going fast as hell while making thing explode! You are basically living the Warhammer 40K Orks' dream!

[@Alexis2andsoOn]

I think it lost it's EDGE (anyone get that insidejoke)

[@SkylineGTRFreak]

it got its Edge back in the last mission though... huehuehue

[@Alexis2andsoOn]

Isn't "Edge" the man heroine throughout the game ?@@SkylineGTRFreak

[@SkylineGTRFreak]

@@Alexis2andsoOn not in AC7

[@Alexis2andsoOn]

Well, she may not be called Edge, but it's the same character model. A shorthaired pale almost tomboyish women a.k.a. strong female protagonist...@@SkylineGTRFreak

[@SkylineGTRFreak]

@@Alexis2andsoOn Spoiler in case you haven't played yet: In the last mission Edge aka Kei Nagase from Ace Combat 5 does appear herself though, that's what I was referring to ;)

[@bobhumplick4213]

sounds like a bit more casual version of the old tie fighter and xwing games. think about whats going on here though. smaller franchise, doesnt cater to casuals too much, no big flashy ad campaign, microtransactions. just a solid game with a loyal following and room for new players\casuals if they will give it a chance. this is what all games used to be. good to know its still happening that way. if the big game crash happens this is what the industry will go back to

[@ihatethatyoutubedisplaysyo8106]

There are dlc mission,s but they introduce co op, and so I'm told are some of the best missions in the game

[@anonymousanonymity2815]

Watching a nugget talk about how “hard” AC7 is makes me chuckle. Back in the day we didn’t have any mission checkpoints. I still loved the review tho lol.

[@pamelaerinibis]

1 hit missile on hard 1.hit missile on hard

[@angelol36251]

Wow. You are so cool.

[@blackyvertigo]

You are doing yourself a great disservice as a gamer by not having played ace combat 5. Best game in the series and one of the greatest games on the ps2.

[@skylarsimes8]

While i LOVE 5. I mean love. 0 is hands down the best. But if your ginna play them you need to play 4 0 and 5 in that order for a really good story

[@KonohazFinest]

5 comes with 7 if you pre ordered it

[@dragoontype00alphaz19]

@@KonohazFinest preorder ace 7 min before game came out so can say very lucky to get ace 5

[@vp-retro]

@@skylarsimes8 Actually feel he should play them in release order, because knowing what happened in 5 as you go through it with the game telling you the history before 5. You then see how the events of Zero transpired going through the prequel and it wonderfully setting the foundation to what then becomes AC5 is simply AMAZING. So I would honestly play 2, 4, 5, Zero.

[@vp-retro]

@Novem the Reasonable Gamer I completely disagree. Zero is a wonderful game that through the incredible story and setup of 5 let you experience and SET the foundation for what 5 would become. You are the Demon of Razgriz bring destruction to the land and you are practically doing it yourself. You as the player dictates exactly how the Demon would be remembered during the Belkan War by choosing to take the different paths virtually pitting one pilot verse the entire legendary Belkan Air Force. This epic is so much so that when others would reference how terrible the Belkan War was, you would always see it from an inner perspective. It added gravity to the lore so that any time you replay 5 or any other AC game makes references to Zero in any way. When AC5 opens and Genette narrates, "15 years ago. There was a war..." It makes you go wow, I totally understand.

[@Raimundox94]

"What have borders given us? We're going to start over from scratch."

[@Lunarice98]

we're going to start over from scratch. That's what V2 is for.

[@DonVigaDeFierro]

[@mackstertube]

I love Ace Combat. Their are next to no good fighter pilot gashes being made at. It feels like this is the only one this generation. There used to be quite a few on PS3. Flying games and racing games were always my favourite so buying this is a no brainer for me. But you have to play it with a flight stick. I even have VR for the 3 missions and it's awesome.

[@RedneckPrincessofTacticoolness]

FYI for inquiring minds, the danger zone cover here is done by ‘The Protomen’

[@urkryptoknight6793]

Ace combat 6 had so much replay value for me. Playing them never got old as they almost always took a different way to complete them.

[@drifterbingus]

As a big fan of Ace Combat 04 I enjoyed recognizing all the OST you used from it for the background

[@sparticus4580]

PREACH FELLOW

[@DmytroBogdan]

"Polygon journalist playing Doom" - a gem! :D

[@zeramo3425]

Always remember: The missile knows where it is.

[@Massakre8492nd]

Underrated comment

[@Emanouche]

You sir deserve a sub, not only for making such a good in-depth review of a game from a franchise I'm a long time fan of, but also for taking a chance on something you didn't know what to expect, taking the highway to the danger zone! :D

[@christopherdelacruz9728]

LOVE the ace combat 4 soundtrack in the background! Thanks for one of the best reviews of one my favorite franchises This really helps show an outsider how this game is to new players, thanks for giving this a shot

[@adamredmayne1326]

Personally speaking from my ACZero days on the PS2 when your in the middle of a furball trying to out fly more than 5 enemies the music/radio chatter plus the way the aircraft respond and move really put me in the fucking zone with this sick mixture of nervousness, Adrenalin and excitement so much so that i'd find myself leaning into the movement of the jet with my controller lmao.

[@ZDEyE]

"The Review (2018)" shouldn't this be a "The Review (2019)"?

[@SkillUp]

Derp

[@ZDEyE]

@@SkillUp You are still in 2018 mind hehe :D

[@bigneto95]

what we need is a Ace Combat 3 Remake... with THE ENTIRE GAME, not the international version

[@skylarsimes8]

And a 4, 5 and 0 remake

[@bigneto95]

@@skylarsimes8 well, 5 and 6 are at least comming in HD with 7 (not base Editions)

[@skylarsimes8]

@@bigneto95 thats amazing but WHY give 5 without 4 and 0? That was the ps2 triology and where imo the story really.picked up. It just makes 5 all that much better

[@bigneto95]

@@skylarsimes8 i belive the decision came from a voting they did, that most of voter were from Japan, i personally would chose 3, since is the one that i less know (damm randon censorship)

[@breesuschrist4109]

Lowkey they need a console version of X

[@r.p.7174]

This review is actually what convinced me to give Ace Combat 7 (and, thus, the series) a shot! Damn am I glad I did! I've always loved Arcade Flight games like this (I really like the Blazing Angels games), and I 'm a huge military aviation nerd. To think, I could have been playing these masterpieces for years but they somehow kept flying under my radar! Thanks for opening my eyes to an amazing series! *aggressively plays Magic Spear*

[@effyeadude]

For sure one of the best games I've played in years, and this is one of the best review videos I've seen! Your attention to detail and the fact that you went out of your way to use personal experience in the game to explain how to cover all the bases in AC7 really made this a joy to watch. You've earned a sub from me!

[@strikefreedomx2671]

Thank you for this. Now for the story itself, well it was explained that it would be told from two perspectives that is not the player. Trigger, or the player, on the other hand is actually you. Not like some random person you control, but rather it is you there. That’s why you are a faceless nameless pilot with just a callsign. The story, in the context of Ace Combat, is amazing (haven’t played it but as an AC fan, the trailers do show it. I’m not dissing you for not liking the story, but it’s quite understandable for being a new player. Also it’s anime AF and essentially Metal Gear with fighter jets.

[@OnionTaylorJoy]

StrikeFreedomX2 The E3 trailer suggested to me that it would be something like mgs with planes and I was super hyped since. My copy is arriving friday and I can‘t wait to play my first ever AC game. :)

[@iratater]

So many amazing memories with all of these games. Can't wait to be able to play this!

[@AvroBellow]

I got it on pre-order. It's just amazing!

[@nelsonhicks5402]

Man I remember the story from AC4 as being told in letters sent from a kid who grew up in the resistance but befriended one of the Badass pilots (was it yellow 13 or something?) that you actually wind up shooting down in the end. Pretty cool story and awesome fun flying around and unlocking all the planes.

[@titanjakob1056]

Nelson Hicks ya that’s how it goes but the was you fighting a super called megalith and also mobius 1 the main character is in the vr mode and your playing as him again

[@AvroBellow]

At 10:30 the music is "Blockade" from the Ace Combat 4 mission of the same name. Tip for new players: As soon as you can, get the Gripen-E. It's on the Euro-tree that starts with the Mirage. Just like in real life, it's cheap, punches way above its weight class and is so versatile that it's capable of getting an S ranking in every mission I've played with it which makes it the best grinder plane in the game. It has the devastating LACM for strike/anti-ship missions and the crazy 6AAM which allows you to shoot 6 enemy aircraft at once. With that as your main, you'll never find yourself overwhelmed in any mission. With the increased payload part (that you have to get before getting the Gripen anyway), you'll have the fighting ability of the Typhoon with the strike capability of the Rafale for way less. It's the most versatile real-life plane I've encountered in the game. The sooner you get it, the sooner you'll see what I mean. I've owned every major Ace Combat title since AC4. I have AC5, AC0, AC6 and I pre-ordered AC7. To me, it is the greatest video game franchise in history. Ace Combat 4 literally taught me how to fly. It inspired me to go for my pilot's licence and when I did, my instructors refused to believe that I had never flown before because I already knew all of the fundamentals of flight. I finally told them that I learned everything I knew from a video game. They laughed and so I brought my PS2 to the airpark and let them play it. Within ten minutes, they were about ready to kill each other over whose turn it was next to play. I had created about a dozen Ace Combat fans who were all FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS! That's how realistic the gameplay actually is. It's not as realistic as X-Plane or FSX but it is still very accurate. I ended up with the nickname "Mobius" at the airpark in appreciation. Now they all call me "Avro" because they were shocked that I managed to get this Google name before anyone else snagged it. As good as the gameplay is, people don't understand that Ace Combat is a very story-driven game. Ace Combat really brings to light (and to life) an idea that is VERY Japanese. An idea that was completely alien to the West but is actually the way things really are. The idea I'm referring to is that of "The Honourable Enemy". The idea that in war, the other side isn't made up of evil people who just want to murder you. Ace Combat games chronicle the story from the enemy's perspective as well as your own. In Ace Combat 4, you actually get to really like your main enemy and you actually feel bad about having to shoot him down in the end. Unlike other games of this genre, Ace Combat does NOT glorify war in any way. The main villain in every Ace Combat game is the war itself, not the people you are fighting against. Ace Combat 5 was the pinnacle of Ace Combat (it might still be, I haven't yet finished AC7) and I challenge anybody to play it all the way through without shedding a tear. Those who have played it know EXACTLY what I mean. The stories just suck you in and make the world of Strangereal come alive. After finishing the game, there is still so much to do that you'll find yourself playing it for months, even years after. To this day, I still play AC4, AC5 and AC0 at least twice a week. No other video game series has ever captivated my imagination like Ace Combat. Now for the elephant in the room, Assault Horizon. That game was SO bad that I wouldn't even buy it off of Steam for $5 when it was on sale. I don't know whose idea it was to have an Ace Combat title in the real world and completely change the gameplay but I can assume that they were fired. Namco dropped the name "Ace Combat" from the Assault Horizon title because it was so universally hated among Ace Combat fans. A backlash like that doesn't happen without a huge core of fans (like Star Wars). The most important aspect of Strangereal is that it doesn't villlfy anyone on Earth. Countries like Osea, Ustio, Sapin, Gracemeria, Wellow, Aurillia, Erusea, Belka, Yuktobania and Estovakia don't exist on Earth so nobody can claim to be the hero and nobody is stigmatised as the villain. It thus completely avoids being politicised and rejected as propaganda. I waited long and I got my pre-order wings. I normally don't do the pre-order thing but I knew that there was no way in hell that I was NOT getting this game. So, no risk there. LOL

[@Evanz111]

It’s interesting to come back and watch this after Armoured Core 6 came out! So many parallels with both its strengths and weaknesses, almost makes me want to play Ace Combat now!

[@colzaidikari]

OMFG THE LOCK ON SOUND! I was playing this all weekend and i woke up with this going off in my head.

[@sordel5866]

Nice to see someone taking this series seriously for a change!

[@Kingjay814]

Weather you hated the game or not this was already an instant buy for me. I've been waiting for this game for over a year now. Ace Combat is one of my all time favorite franchises ever. I'm glad that it kicked your butt and yes the missile warnings are a little PTSD triggering but everything else about this game is so amazing. You did a very fair review and I thank you ShillUp.

[@Bobzination11]

I immensely respect the fact that you go above and beyond your comfort zone to properly give all these different games the fair shake they deserve. Thanks for being so passionate about what you do. Also; pretty sure you're going to end up becoming renowned for being a friend to many video game communities, Tenno/Nugget/Guardian :)

[@bryanmkelly00]

Sincerely appreciate the quality of your content. Been following since those early The Division days. Keep it up.

[@swadbando3639]

Regarding what you said about the dogfighting - you are absolutely right. You're still a poor player, so you resort to going around in circles instead of trying something slightly fancier, like head-on passes, sharper high-g turns for gun passes, or even the (admittedly incredibly poorly explained) post-stall maneuvers. I'm not trash talking you, I'm just stating a fact - you're not going to enjoy the combat as much if you awkwardly turn at very low speeds and expose yourself to AA and Gun fire to openly. You generally need to keep your speed up, and make enough little turns/yaw adjustments to get a perfect angle for a missile or gun pass, instead of looping around and firing everytime your lock's red - which is what I've seen in your gameplay - which sadly means you haven't acquired the full experience. Furthermore, no checkpoints? That's...just wrong. The game showers you with checkpoints unless it's one of the time attack missions, like Long Day or Fleet Destruction - otherwise every major event is punctuated by a checkpoint. It's the old AC games that didn't give you anything at all. Overall, I'm happy you've enjoyed the game, but also vaguely dissapointed that you didn't get the full package out of it. Oh, and you're right on the story too. It's actually just pretty weak and disjointed compared to the others.

[@TheRibbonRed]

3:06 "For at least a year, after which time PC will get it" ASSUMPTION ALERT. That's gonna raise more VR threads in the Steam forum.

[@Sam-lg9cz]

Seriously. I remember hearing this about Resident Evil 7 for PC.

[@pinionification]

Pretty sure that's the official stance. PS4 exclusive until January 2020.

[@TheRibbonRed]

@@pinionification that's exactly the official stance. "VR content exclusive until January 18 2020" Does that mean that VR is coming to PC? No official statement. It could be coming in non-VR form for all we know--becoming a minigame version like Operation Katina was for AC5.

[@glitchjockey6551]

Take a shot every time he mislabels "Aileron Rolls" as "Barrel Rolls"

[@13thCasualty]

Actually I think he used it right here. An aileron roll won't shake a missile off of you.

[@Panasonic_RQ-2102]

I think he did actually refer to an aileron roll as a barrel roll at least once that I noticed, and in this game an aileron roll will sometimes cause an enemy missile to just barely miss

[@Fyre0]

This is a meme. From the Starfox days. "Do a barrel roll!"

[@ThePunishersRevenge]

As a fan of the games I would like to say thank you doing a proper review of the game.

[@SooRandomTV]

Man I love the way you did the format of this video, dropping some top gun music. Just loved the feel of this video. Always great.

[@atomseis5474]

"There are no other way I discovered other than flying in a circle". How about Flares then?

[@invertedv12powerhouse77]

Thats the 2 thumbstick setup he was talking about that he didnt like. He probably avoided it

[@Wotalooza]

I played the PSP version as a kid for hundreds of hours. It was such a good game.

[@TacticalBaguette]

There were 2 PSP Ace Combat games if I remember correctly, was it Skies of Deception or Joint Assault

[@tieroneautisticgaming5841]

I can’t wait until tomorrow I’m a huge ace combat fan

[@davidcassidy602]

Me too, but you really gotta mix ace cobalt with ace ardite to get ace manyullyn! It’s the best material.

[@tieroneautisticgaming5841]

kraenk12 I meant ace combat

[@whiskeygolf2054]

Great review, on point, and I loved how you're using classic Ace Combat tracks from the PS2 Holy Trinity as your BGMs. Glad to hear you had a good experience! I'm now just waiting for the PC version to hit Steam. It's a good thing I'm on holiday for the next week after! :D

[@Groucho14E]

Speaking as a massive fighter plane geek, it was fascinating to listen to you talk about learning this game - and it was especially gratifying to hear that you not only ditched the simplified control scheme, but also started over with the real one :)